Cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) is a type of nanomaterial which is produced by partial hydrolysis of cellulose and elimination of its amorphous regions. CNC has several advantages such as biodegradability and safety toward human health. In this study, CNC was produced from cotton linters and methods such as transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were used for confirmation of nanoscale size production of cellulose crystals. Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-nanoclay (MMT) and CMC-PVA-CNC films, containing 3-10% (wt/wt CMC) nanofillers, were prepared by casting method and their physical properties were compared in order to approve the use of CNC instead of MMT for its contribution in improving the physical properties of carboxymethyl cellulose-based films. The X-ray diffraction results indicated the formation of an exfoliated nanostructure at all nanoparticle concentrations. The results showed that there was no significant difference (p < 0.5) between the moisture absorption properties of films containing the two types of nanofiller. The films containing nanoclay showed higher mechanical strength compared to those containing CNC. The ultimate tensile strengths of the films containing 10% nanoclay and CNC were higher than the control film (69.72% and 47.05%, respectively).

In this research، starch - poly vinyl alcohol –nanoclay nanocomposites made from casting method and the effects of poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) and nanoclay (MMT (on the morphological and roughness properties، were studied. Afterward the effects of adding PVA and MMT content on the barrier properties have investigated. The results from atomic force microscopy (AFM) showed that، adding of PVA، increased the roughness of starch film، while adding MMT decreased its roughness. The results from moisture absorption showed that starch film show the highest moisture absorption (86. 25%) after 72 h and with adding PVA the moisture absorption decreased to 69. 73%. with adding of MMT، the moisture absorption decreased too and the lowest content was in 7% of MMT content (48. 4%). The results from contact angle test confirmed the results from moisture absorption and showed that adding of PVA increased the contact angle from 24. 06º to 31. 17º after 60 second. With adding of MMT the contact angle increased significantly from 31. 17º to 42. 55º for starch-PVA-0% MMT and starch-PVA-7% MMT films. The colorimetry showed that PVA didn’t affect hunter parameter but MMT increased the transparency of starch-PVA films and the optimum content for transparency were 5 & 7% MMT contents.

The present study compares the performance of asphalt mixtures using montmorillonite nanoclay (MMT1) and sulfur as a modifier. The main objective of this study is to describe the physical and strength properties of MMT nanoclay and sulfur modified asphalt bitumen. In the experimental test, MMT nanoclay (2,4,6,8)%, sulfur (2,4,6,8)%, and MMT nanoclay-sulfur composite (2,4,6,8)% by weight of bitumen were mixed. After that, the effect of selected modifiers on physical properties, strength characteristics and moisture damage were evaluated. The addition of modifiers decreased the amount of penetration, while there was a significant increase in the softening point. Among all modifiers, the maximum stability value of 34.17 KN was reported with the addition of 4% of MMT nanoclay and sulfur as a combination, that is, 2% of MMT nanoclay and 2% of sulfur as a composite (50:50), which is 2.8 times the stability of asphalt mixture. The base is in the optimal bitumen percentage of 2 (OBC). MMT nanoclay-sulfur composite was the most effective composition in improving moisture sensitivity because the tensile strength ratio (3TSR) values ​​were relatively higher than 90%. Overall, the addition of MMT, S, MMT nanoclay-sulfur nanoclay composites improved the cracking resistance and reduced the potential for moisture damage under all test conditions.

The high hydrophilic property of biopolymer based plastics is one of the most important defects of them. Blending biopolymers with compatible synthetic polymers and using nano particles such as nanoclay as nanofiller are improving methods that have been extensively considered in recent years. Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is one of the lowest cost biopolymers that have enormous applications in different industries and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is a synthetic polymer which has a high compatibility with biopolymers. In this research, CMC-PVA nanocomposites containing 3-10% Montmorillonite (W/W CMC) were prepared by casting method. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results indicated the formation of an exfoliated nanostructure in all MMT content samples. Nanocomposites containing 10% MMT exhibited 29.06% reduction in water vapor permeability (WVP) compared to the blend film without nanoclay. Samples with 10% MMT, showed the lowest surface hydrophilisity (contact angle = 65.1o). The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results indicate that by increasing of MMT contents, the glass transition disappeared gradually and no glass transition was observed in the thermograms of the films containing 5, 7 and 10% MMT.

In this research, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)-based nanocomposite films containing montmorillonite (MMT) (1, 3 and 5% wt) were fabricated via casting method.Then, hybrid nanocomposites were prepared by loading dioxide titanium (TiO2) (1, 3 and 5% wt) nanoparticles (NPs) into nanocomposites containing 5% MMT. Moisture content, density, moisture uptake and mechanical properties of the produced films were determined. Also, surface morphology of the nanocompositeswere measured by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).The obtained results indicated that addition of NPs resulted in slightly increase of the films moisture content, and the production of denser samples. Incorporation of 5% MMT decreased moisture uptake of the nanocomposites up to 30%; this decreasing trend was maintained with TiO2 loading. The nanoclays enhanced ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and Young's modulus (YM) of the films at the expense of elongation at break. Addition of TiO2 into MMT-loaded nanocomposites caused to structural weakening and diminishing UTS and YM. SEM micrographs showed well-dispersed MMT and TiO2NPs through the films surface especially at low concentrations. In conclusion, although the films loaded with nanoclays exhibited better properties than the control film, inclusion of TiO2 improved the functional characteristics of them and extended the potential as a biodegradable packaging.

In recent years using fresh foods that have undergone minimal processing, has become widespread. The use of biodegradable packaging is a new method for preserving of these products. The current research investigated the effect of different contents (1, 3, and 5 wt %) of montmorillonite (MMT) nanoclay on the physical properties of psyllium seed hydrocolloid nanocomposites. With the addition of up to 5% MMT, the tensile strength of the nanocomposite films increased from 11.60 to 17.08 MPa and the percent of elongation decreased from 30.42% to 19.02%. At the level of 5% MMT, the nanocomposite films showed the 35.04% reduction in the water vapor permeability in comparison to pure psyllium film. In addition, water solubility decreased when MMT was incorporated into the nanocomposite films. Scanning electron microscopy images indicates a good distribution for nanoclay particles in the biopolymer matrix. This
study revealed that the psyllium seed hydrocolloid had a good potential to be used in producing nanocomposite film with desirable characteristics.

In the present study, dyes derived from the Hibiscus sabdariffa flower (Hs) were successfully entered into the space inside the sodium montmorillonite clay layer (Na+-MMT) caused by the ion exchange reaction, and a hybrid nano-pigment called (Hs-MMT) was formed. To investigate and characterize the morphology of the Hs-MMT nano-pigment, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were used. Also, both the thermal and antimicrobial behavior of Hs-MMT nano-pigment was evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and well and disc methods, respectively. The results of FTIR, SAXS, and EDS analyses showed that after the interaction of two organic and inorganic phases, the functional groups of Hs appeared on the nanoclay, and also the insertion of Hs dyes in the spaces between the layers of the nanoclay increased the surface by 5.72 angstrom .The TGA results indicated that the nanoclay plates prevented heat loading on the structure of Hs dyes and caused the thermal stability of Hs-MMT nano-pigments. Finally, the results of the antimicrobial test confirmed that Hs-MMT nano-pigment could hinder and destroy two types of gram-positive bacteria and two types of gram-negative bacteria, in such a way that the minimum bactericidal concentration of gram-positive bacteria i.e., Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes was equal to 250 and 31.25 microgram per milliliter, respectively, while the minimum bactericidal concentration of gram-negative bacteria i.e., Escherichia coli and Salmonella paratyphi was equal to 1000 microgram per milliliter.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of nanocomposite film based on soy protein isolate-montmorillonite nanoclay (SPI-MMT) containing Zataria multiflora essential oil emulsion (ZEO) and nanoemulsion (ZNE) on the quality of chilled chicken burgers.  Nanoemulsion, nanocomposite film, and chicken burgers were prepared based on instructions. The hamburgers were divided into six different groups with four replicates. The experimental groups were Control, SPI-MMT, SPI-MMT+1% ZEO, SPI-MMT+2% ZEO, SPI-MMT+1% ZNE, and SPI-MMT+2% ZNE, which were analyzed for microbial, physicochemical, and sensory parameters during 16 days of storage at refrigerator (days include 0, 4, 8, 12, and 16).  The treated groups, including SPI-MMT+1% ZEO, SPI-MMT+2% ZEO, SPI-MMT+1% ZNE, and SPI-MMT+2% ZNE, showed the lower mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and Enterobacteriaceae count than the control and SPI-MMT groups during storage. The treatments also reduced the increasing rate of total volatile nitrogen, lipid oxidation, pH, and cooking loss during storage. The SPI-MMT+2% ZNE treatment was the best treatment to reduce the microbial population, retard physicochemical and sensory changes, and increase the shelf-life of chicken burgers.  Based on the results, the nanocomposite film based on soy protein isolate-montmorillonite nanoclay containing Z. multiflora essential oil emulsion and nanoemulsion can improve the microbiological and physicochemical quality and is recommended for the preservation of chicken burgers during chilled storage.

In this study, at first UV-curable urethane acrylate-Clay nanocomposites (UA/Clay) were synthesized, then the effects of nanoparticles on the thermal stability, mechanical properties and thermal conductivity of UA nanocomposites were investigated. FT-IR analysis confirmed the molecular structure of urethane acrylate oligomer. SEM images showed that the nanoparticles were dispersed uniformly in the polymer matrix. The thermal stability of samples were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (DTG). DMTA study indicated significant improvement in the mechanical properties and thermal behavior of nanocomposites by adding a certain amount of Clay (3, 5 wt%) nanoparticles to polymer-matrix. Moreover, infrared thermography analysis showed that thermal conductivity of the nanocomposites rose as filler content increased (3, 5 wt%).

Kefiran is an exopolysaccharide produced by microorganisms present in the kefir grains that has several health promoting properties. In this research, physico-mechanical and thermal characteristics of nanocomposite film composed of kefiran-montmorillonite (MMT; 1, 3 and 5% w/w) were studied. Results showed that the thickness and the tensile strength of the films increased by increasing the nanoclay content but its effect on the elongation at break, glass transition temperature and melting temperature in various concentrations is different, so that these factors increase until concentration of 3% of the nanoclay and decrease in higher concentrations(5%). X-ray diffraction analysis showed that formation of an exfoliated structure with the addition of small amounts of MMT to the kefiran matrix. Scanning electron microscopy and the surface topography results showed ideal dispersion for MMT nanoparticles into the structure of the bio-nanocomposite films and a considerable increase in roughness parameters by incorporating the nanoparticles in kefiran matrix,respectively.