Improving Packaging Sustainability: Cellulose-Based Coatings with Enhanced Barrier Properties and Oxidative Stability

In the frame of a rising demand for sustainable packaging solutions, this paper presents a comprehensive study on exploiting cellulose derivative-based coatings to elevate the functionality of paper as a packaging material. Obtainable from renewable sources, cellulose derivatives emerge as a promising avenue for enhancing paper’s mechanical strength and barrier properties. Taking innovation further, we introduce an inventive approach by modifying these cellulose-based coatings with detonated nanodiamonds [detonation nanodiamond (DND)]. Our investigation spans a whole characterization of the modified cellulose-based coatings, providing insights into their structural and surface properties and determining how those properties are modified with the addition of small amount of DND to the system. This integration imparts unique properties, including improved mechanical strength, barrier capabilities, and thermal stability. Significantly, we achieved a 70% increase in paper water vapor barrier resistance, a 6-fold improvement in mechanical resistance, and enhanced chemical stability in strongly acidic oxidizing environments. The results underscore the vast potential of cellulose-based coatings, particularly when tailored with DNDs, which present sustainable solutions with superior performance characteristics. This research not only addresses the pressing need for eco-friendly packaging materials but also contributes to advancing the effectiveness of cellulose derivatives to be useable in the packaging industry.