Preparation of PE Based Composite Films With Dual Antibacterial Agents via Co‐Extrusion Method and Their Potential in Active Food Packaging

ABSTRACT Graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C ₃ N ₄ ) exhibits antibacterial potential but suffers from a low specific surface area and insufficient reactive sites. This study designed a biohybrid antimicrobial agent by loading thermally exfoliated g‐C ₃ N ₄ nanosheets onto high‐surface‐area calcined shell powder (CSP), which provided abundant active sites. Blow‐molded PE films incorporating optimized g‐C ₃ N ₄ /CSP hybrids (mCNB) were fabricated. At a 1:2 g‐C ₃ N ₄ :CSP ratio (CNB‐1:2), synergistic antibacterial effects achieved inhibition zones of 18.3 mm ( Escherichia coli ) and 18.6 mm ( Staphylococcus aureus ) under visible light. Antibacterial efficacy increased with mCNB content, reaching inhibition rates of 96.63% ( E. coli ) and 96.96% ( S. aureus ) for mCNB‐10.0/PE. Mechanical properties peaked at 2.5% mCNB loading, with longitudinal/transverse tensile strength of 19.6/18.4 MPa and Young's modulus of 235.9/198.7 MPa. This work can provide a green route for the development of antimicrobial materials in plastic films, leveraging eco‐friendly composite design for high‐performance active packaging with light response.