Influence of nanosilica on inner structure and performance of chitosan based films

Chitosan based organic-inorganic composite films were prepared through direct incorporation of nanosilica particles in order to enhance their performance for potential packaging material. After the addition of nanosilica, the viscosity of film-forming solutions (FFSs) decreased obviously, and the G' of FFS with 25% of nanosilica was higher than that of other FFSs with nanosilica. In low field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) determination, the addition of 25% of nanosilica gave rise to the lowest relaxation time and peak area proportion of T₂₁ component. Additionally, the changes of structure characteristic of composite films with different nanosilica content were analyzed through FTIR spectroscopy, SEM and XRD analysis. The thermal stability of films improved markedly with increasing nanosilica. The optimal mechanical properties of films were yielded at 25% of nanosilica. Furthermore, the introduction of nanosilica significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the swelling ratio of chitosan based films at pH 7.6 and pH 2.6.