PCL/ZnO Bio-friendly Films as Food Packaging Material.Thermal and morphological analysis

Abstract

Films of Poly(-caprolactone) (PCL) and PCL/Zinc Oxide (ZnO) were obtained by solution processing.
Thermal behaviour and morphological structure were analysed by means of Thermogravimetry (TGA), Differential
Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Optical Microscopy (OM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).
The addition of ZnO to PCL decreased the degradation temperature about 50-70°C; the films are thermally
stable up to 200°C, making them suitable for packaging hot grilled chicken. ZnO did not promote significant
alterations of the PCL fusion and melt crystallization, however the crystallinity increased; probably ZnO acts
as nucleating agent during PCL crystallization as OM images showed greater amount of small spherulites on
PCL/ZnO films. According to SEM, the methodology utilized is adequate for producing films in concentrations
up to 5% ZnO.
Keywords: PCL, ZnO, Thermal behaviour, Morphological structure.