Development of polystyrene-based films with temperature buffering capacity for smart food packaging
abstract
One of the main factors affecting the quality of perishable products is represented by temperature variations
during storage and distribution stages. This can be attained through the incorporation of phase
change materials (PCMs) into the packaging structures. PCMs are able to absorb or release a great amount
of energy during their melting/crystallization process and, thus, they could provide thermal protection to
the packaged food. Thus, the objective of this research was to develop polystyrene (PS)-based multilayer
heat storage structures with energy storage and hence temperature buffering capacity for their application
in refrigerated foods. To this end, polycaprolactone (PCL) was used as the encapsulating matrix of a
phase change material (PCM) called RT5 (a commercial blend of paraffins with a transition temperature
at 5 C), by using high throughput electrohydrodynamic processing. The PCL/PCM fibrous mats were
directly electrospun onto PS films and an additional PCL electrospun layer (without PCM) was also deposited
in some experiments to improve the overall functionality of the PCM. The attained morphology,
thickness, deposition time, temperature and multilayer structure played an important role on the energy
storage capacity of the developed PS-based multilayer structures. Results obtained from a differential
scanning calorimeter (DSC) show that RT5 can be properly encapsulated inside the PCL matrix and the
encapsulation efficiency and, thus, the heat storage capacity was affected not only by the multilayer
structure, but also by the storage time and temperature. The thermal energy storage/release capacity
was of about 88–119 J/g. As a result, this work demonstrates the potential of these materials for an effi-
cient temperature buffering effect of relevance in food packaging applications, in order to preserve the
quality of refrigerated packaged food products.
Development of polystyrene-based films with temperature buffering capacity for smart food packagingabstractOne of the main factors affecting the quality of perishable products is represented by temperature variationsduring storage and distribution stages. This can be attained through the incorporation of phasechange materials (PCMs) into the packaging structures. PCMs are able to absorb or release a great amountof energy during their melting/crystallization process and, thus, they could provide thermal protection tothe packaged food. Thus, the objective of this research was to develop polystyrene (PS)-based multilayerheat storage structures with energy storage and hence temperature buffering capacity for their applicationin refrigerated foods. To this end, polycaprolactone (PCL) was used as the encapsulating matrix of aphase change material (PCM) called RT5 (a commercial blend of paraffins with a transition temperatureat 5 C), by using high throughput electrohydrodynamic processing. The PCL/PCM fibrous mats weredirectly electrospun onto PS films and an additional PCL electrospun layer (without PCM) was also depositedin some experiments to improve the overall functionality of the PCM. The attained morphology,thickness, deposition time, temperature and multilayer structure played an important role on the energystorage capacity of the developed PS-based multilayer structures. Results obtained from a differentialscanning calorimeter (DSC) show that RT5 can be properly encapsulated inside the PCL matrix and theencapsulation efficiency and, thus, the heat storage capacity was affected not only by the multilayerstructure, but also by the storage time and temperature. The thermal energy storage/release capacitywas of about 88–119 J/g. As a result, this work demonstrates the potential of these materials for an effi-cient temperature buffering effect of relevance in food packaging applications, in order to preserve thequality of refrigerated packaged food products.
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