• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.23 no.6
• /
• pp.546-553
• /
• 2012

Urushiol extracted from lacquer tree exhibits good thermal stabilities as well as antimicrobial andantioxidant properties. However, it has been known that the urushiol derivates bring out allergy. In this study, polyurushiol (PUOH) powders were successfully synthesized for the safe and convenient handling of allergic urushiol. First, the as-synthesized PUOH was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA), antioxidant test and antimicrobial test. And then, six different LDPE/PUOH composite films were prepared via a twin screw extruder system and investigated their feasibility to use as active packaging materials. Their chemical structures, morphology, thermal optical and antimicrobial properties of the LDPE/PUOH composite films were investigated as a function of PUOH contents. FTIR and SEM results showed that LDPE/PUOH composite films have a weak interfacial interaction and poor dispersion with a high PUOH loading. The thermal properties increased up to 3 wt% as the content of PUOH increases. Compared to the pure LDPE films, LDPE/PUOH composite films are more effective in the UV absorbance and antibacterial activity against E. coli. To maximize the performance of LDPE/PUOH compositefilms as the packaging materials, further researches are required to enhance the dispersion of PUOH powders in the LDPE matrix.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.23-28
• /
• 2015

Lacquer sap extracted from lacquer trees exhibits good thermal stabilities and antimicrobial properties. To apply these superior properties to functional packaging, polyurushiol (YPUOH) powders were prepared and blended into LDPE (low density polyethylene) to prepare three different LDPE/YPUOH composite films via a twin screw extruder system. Their morphology, thermal and antimicrobial properties as well as barrier properties of the LDPE/YPUOH composite films were thoroughly investigated to find out applicablities of the films as functional packaging materials. Although the interfacial interaction between LDPE and YPUOH was relatively weak, LDPE/YPUOH composite films exhibited good dispersion of YPUOH in LDPE, resulting in the enhanced thermal stability with YPUOH loading. Due to the good antibacterial property of as-prepared YPUOH, LDPE/YUOH composite films also showed an excellent antibacterial activity (R) of 99.9% against E. coli. Furthermore, the moisture barrier property of LDPE/YPUOH composite films increased with increasing YPUOH contents. Incorporating the relatively low amount of YPUOH in LDPE resulted in the apparent enhancement in thermal stabilities, antibacterial and moisture barrier properties, which made them promising candidates as a functional filler for packaging materials.