Effect of ChCl:Glycolic Acid Molar Ratio and Plant Extract Incorporation on the Structure–Property Relationships of Chitosan Active Packaging Films
4 affiliations
- 1Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 1–7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
- 2Research Center for Advanced Materials, Products and Processes, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
- 3National Research Center for Micro and Nanomaterials, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 313 Spl. Independenței, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
- 4Academy of Romanian Scientists, 3 Ilfov Street, 050044 Bucharest, Romania
Abstract
The influence of choline chloride:glycolic acid (ChCl:GA) stoichiometry and plant extract incorporation on the properties of chitosan-based active packaging films was investigated. A deep eutectic solvent with a ChCl:GA molar ratio of 1:2 (DES_GA2) was used both as a chitosan plasticizer and an extraction medium for neem and hawthorn compounds. Films containing 44–70 wt% DES_GA2 were characterized to establish composition–structure–property relationships. The 50 wt% formulation showed a favorable balance between mechanical flexibility and water vapor barrier performance and was selected for plant extract incorporation. Neem extract showed higher radical-scavenging activity than hawthorn despite its lower total phenolic content. Extract incorporation enhanced UV shielding and reduced water vapor permeability, with the hawthorn-containing film showing an approximately 41% reduction in WVP. Extract-containing films retained antioxidant functionality and showed antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli. Comparison with the previously investigated ChCl 1:3 system revealed stoichiometry-dependent behavior. At 50 wt% NaDES, increasing the ChCl:GA molar ratio to 1:2 increased elongation at break from 90.5% to 120.1% and reduced Young’s modulus from 131.0 to 48.0 MPa. Comparison of neem-loaded films based on different NaDES systems further demonstrated the influence of the NaDES composition. These results identify the NaDES composition and botanical source as relevant formulation variables for tailoring CS–NaDES active packaging films.
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BibTeX
@article{stanescu2026effect,
title = {{Effect of ChCl:Glycolic Acid Molar Ratio and Plant Extract Incorporation on the Structure–Property Relationships of Chitosan Active Packaging Films}},
author = {Paul Stanescu and Adina Gavrila and Gabriela Isopencu and Ludmila Motelica and Adrian Ionut Nicoara and Sergiu Sima and Mihaela Bumbaru Dandes and Oana Ciocirlan and Ovidiu-Cristian Oprea},
journal = {Polymers},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/polym18202459},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/18/20/2459},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Effect of ChCl:Glycolic Acid Molar Ratio and Plant Extract Incorporation on the Structure–Property Relationships of Chitosan Active Packaging Films
AU - Paul Stanescu
AU - Adina Gavrila
AU - Gabriela Isopencu
AU - Ludmila Motelica
AU - Adrian Ionut Nicoara
AU - Sergiu Sima
AU - Mihaela Bumbaru Dandes
AU - Oana Ciocirlan
AU - Ovidiu-Cristian Oprea
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Polymers
DO - 10.3390/polym18202459
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/18/20/2459
AB - The influence of choline chloride:glycolic acid (ChCl:GA) stoichiometry and plant extract incorporation on the properties of chitosan-based active packaging films was investigated. A deep eutectic solvent with a ChCl:GA molar ratio of 1:2 (DES_GA2) was used both as a chitosan plasticizer and an extraction medium for neem and hawthorn compounds. Films containing 44–70 wt% DES_GA2 were characterized to establish composition–structure–property relationships. The 50 wt% formulation showed a favorable balance between mechanical flexibility and water vapor barrier performance and was selected for plant extract incorporation. Neem extract showed higher radical-scavenging activity than hawthorn despite its lower total phenolic content. Extract incorporation enhanced UV shielding and reduced water vapor permeability, with the hawthorn-containing film showing an approximately 41% reduction in WVP. Extract-containing films retained antioxidant functionality and showed antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli. Comparison with the previously investigated ChCl 1:3 system revealed stoichiometry-dependent behavior. At 50 wt% NaDES, increasing the ChCl:GA molar ratio to 1:2 increased elongation at break from 90.5% to 120.1% and reduced Young’s modulus from 131.0 to 48.0 MPa. Comparison of neem-loaded films based on different NaDES systems further demonstrated the influence of the NaDES composition. These results identify the NaDES composition and botanical source as relevant formulation variables for tailoring CS–NaDES active packaging films.
SN - 2073-4360
ER -