Newly developed biopolymer nano composite

Newly developed biopolymer nano composite

Subject : Science and Technology

Section : Biotechnology

Context: A biodegradable, biopolymer nanocomposite is newly developed by the scientists from the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST)

Concept:

• Biopolymers are polymers that are produced by or derived from living organisms, such as plants and microbes, rather than from petroleum, the traditional source of polymers. The primary sources of biopolymers are renewable.
• A biodegradable, biopolymer nanocomposite is newly developed by the scientists from the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), have developed a smart biodegradable biopolymer nanocomposite which can detect relative humidity.
• In this, two biopolymers, Guar Gum (a variety of beans obtained from plant) and Alginate (obtained from brown algae), were blended with carbon dots (nanomaterial) to make a nanocomposite film that was successfully used to detect relative humidity.
• The fabricated nanocomposite film was an excellent smart sensor based on the fluorescence ‘on-off’ mechanisms against humidity.
• The nanocomposite film shows change in fluorescence in presence of high Hence, the fabricated nanocomposite film can monitor the packed food freshness using just a UV light source.

Application:

• A Smart and active packaging can help consumers select a fresh product without breaking the pack. Such innovative packaging boosts sales and reduces consumers’ time to identify fresh food products.
• It can detect relative humidity can find application as smart packaging materials, especially for the food industry as perishable packed foods are easily damaged by the change in relative humidity.
• It is non-toxic, biodegradable material for use as packaging material to replace petroleum-based material like plastics .