Preparation and characterization of Paraloid B‐72/TiO2 nanocomposite and their effect on the properties of polylactic acid as strawberry coating agents

Abstract In this study, Paraloid B‐72 (poly methyl methacrlylate/ethylacrylate 70:30) and its nanocomposites with titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) concentration 1–5% have been prepared by emulsion polymerization technique and characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM), Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) in addition to antimicrobial activity against Aspergillus niger and Penicillium sp. The prepared Paraloid B‐72 and its titanium dioxide nanocomposites was grafted onto polylactic acid (PLA) and the results indicate that the grafting percentage reached to maximum value using the nanocomposite of Paraloid B‐72 with 3% TiO 2 . PLA grafted with Paraloid B‐72/3% TiO 2 has been characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), FT‐IR as well as mechanical and color change measurements. The results show that incorporation of Paraloid B‐72 / TiO 2 improved the properties of PLA. The produced PLA grafted Paraloid B‐72 and its 5% titanium dioxide have been used for coating strawberry to enhance and control the cold storage at 4°C for 15 days.