Effect of TiO 2 on highly elastic, stretchable UV protective nanocomposite films formed by using a combination of k-Carrageenan, xanthan gum and gellan gum.

The hydrogel based composite film was prepared from k-Carrageenan (k-C), xanthan gum (X) and gellan gum (G) by solvent casting method. The transparent films made from these gellable materials with synergistic hydrogel composition have soft texture, good elasticity and excellent break strength. The k-C/X/G based nanocomposite films prepared from different weight ratio of TiO2 nanoparticles were characterized for new packaging materials. The morphology, structure and microstructure properties of the k-C/X/G and TiO2 nanocomposite films were characterized by FT-IR, XRD and SEM analysis. By the incorporation of TiO2 in the k-C/X/G nanocomposite films, the tensile strength, tensile modulus, Tg and thermal stability of the films were greatly enhanced. Due to the hydrophobic nature of the TiO2 nanoparticles there is an increase in contact angle whereas moisture content of the films decreased. The water vapor permeability (WVP) and ultra violet lights transmittance decrease upon increasing the TiO2 content. The k-C/X/G and TiO2 nanocomposites effectively shield the UV light, exhibited partial microbial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and have a high potential for the application in food and non-food industries as UV shielding packaging materials.