Free standing films and coatings of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) with a high content of nanoporous zeolite adsorbents have been produced by colloidal processing and shown to display a high ability to remove odors originating e.g. from fruits and vegetables. Thermogravimetric desorption analysis (TGA) and infrared spectroscopy showed that the adsorbents, e.g. silicalite, ZSM5 and zeolite Y, display a high uptake of important odors like ethyl mercaptan (EM) and propyl mercaptan (PM), also in the presence of water. Highly flexible and strong self-standing zeolite-NFC films with a thickness of 150-200 �m and a homogenous adsorbent loading above 70 % (wt) within the interpenetrated NFC network were obtained by a combination of chemical cross-linking and vacuum filtration. The uptake of different odors has been characterized by headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled to gas chromatography- mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) analysis. The ability of the odor-removing performance of the nanocellulose-zeolite composite coatings and films will be discussed with respect to the transport and storage of fruits and vegetables rich in odors, e.g. onion and Durian fruit.

Nanocellulose-zeolite composite coatings and films for odor elimination

247th National Meeting (2014)

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