ABSTRACT
The accumulation of aluminium waste in landfills constitutes a significant environmental challenge due to its substantial presence
as solid waste. Conventional disposal and recycling techniques have been employed to mitigate this issue; however, they
often result in secondary environmental pollution. In this study, eco-friendly
and cost-effective
aluminium oxide nanoparticles
(Al2O3-NPs)
were synthesized via a green synthesis approach utilizing date palm seed extract. Flexible polystyrene (FPS) was
fabricated through in-situ
polymerization in the presence of varying concentrations of Al2O3-NPs
to develop active nanobiocomposite
coatings. The physicochemical characteristics of the synthesized Al2O3 nanoparticles were comprehensively analysed
using multiple advanced techniques, including dynamic light scattering (DLS), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface
area analysis, X-ray
diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive
X-ray
spectroscopy
(EDX) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). XRD analysis confirmed a rhombohedral crystal structure with an average
particle size of 32 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray
photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) further
validated the structural composition of the synthesized Al2O3 nanoparticles. Additionally, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)
was employed to assess the thermal stability of the FPS/Al2O3 bionanocomposite coating, revealing excellent thermal resistance
withstanding temperatures ≥ 240°C. DLS measurements indicated a uniform particle size distribution with stable zeta potential,
while BET analysis demonstrated a substantial surface area ranging between 62 and 147 m2/g. Furthermore, the antimicrobial
efficacy of Al2O3 nanoparticles was investigated by determining their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against both
Gram-positive
and Gram-negative
bacteria. The antimicrobial assessment revealed that Gram-negative
bacteria exhibited greater
resistance compared to Gram-positive
bacteria and yeast. Migration analysis demonstrated that the percentage of migrated material
was within acceptable limits as per European Commission (EC) regulations. These findings suggest that the developed
flexible nanobiocomposite-coated
paperboard holds significant potential as an advanced active packaging material.
1 | Introduction
In the field of materials science, polymeric nanobiocomposites
represent a promising research domain due to their
ability to incorporate inorganic fillers derived from cost-effective
waste recycling. These fillers not only enhance the
mechanical properties of nanobiocomposites but also exhibit
excellent dispersibility within macromolecular matrices