Effects of formation and penetration properties of biodegradable montmorillonite/chitosan nanocomposite film on the barrier of package paper

Abstract The conventional package paper was coated with biodegradable montmorillonite/chitosan nanocomposite, in order to extend the application scope of paper. The effect of coating weight, montmorillonite dispersion rate, montmorillonite and dispersant content on the surface and penetration properties of montmorillonite/chitosan nanocomposite coated paper were being investigated. The surface properties of the coated paper were observed by using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). The water permeation and water vapor barrier properties were confirmed through penetration dynamics analyzer (PDA) and water vapor permeability tester (WVP), respectively. The results indicated that montmorillonite/chitosan nanocomposite had a poorer formation than pure chitosan, but it had better water vapor barrier properties. The paper coated with lower content of montmorillonite, or with higher dispersion speed and dispersant content, had better smoothness and elongation. Additionally, the coated paper had excellent barrier properties under the conditions of high montmorillonite and dispersant content, dispersion rate and coating weight.