Effect of clay and clay/essential oil in packaging films

The influence of the different contents of organo‐modified montmorillonite clay (1 and 3%wt.) and two essential oils (Carvacrol and Eugenol ‐ 2 and 6%wt.) when incorporated into low‐density polyethylene films (LDPE) was characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This study shows the potential of montmorillonite clay as a carrier of carvacrol and eugenol essential oils, ClayC and ClayE, respectively, into LDPE nanocomposites. To prepare the nanocomposites, oils and clay hybrid were mixed and added to polyethylene using a homogenizer. The clay increased the thermal stability of the essential oils. PE/ClayC and PE/ClayE nanocomposites showed increased crystallinity as a function of the amount of hybrid; this was more significant for the PE/ClayC system. Increased crystallinity suggests that clay acts as nucleating agent, due its intercalated/exfoliated configuration. The results contribute to obtaining a more efficient nanocomposite system for subsequent applications, such as active packaging. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:4034–4040, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers