Paper Title
NANOCOMPOSITE INNOVATION: ENHANCING FOOD PACKAGING WITH ZINC OXIDE NANOPARTICLES AND CELLULOSE NANOFIBERS WITHIN A POLYURETHANE FOAM MATRIX

Abstract
Abstract - The emergence of bio nanocomposite materials offers an exciting opportunity to replace traditional food packaging materials with novel, safe, high-performance, and eco-friendly composite materials. In this study, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and cellulose Nanofibers (CNFs) have been impregnated with polyurethane foam (PUF) matrix, for use in the food packaging system, and the antimicrobial activity of Nanocomposite (PUF/ZnO-NPs/CNFs) has been evaluated in term of increasing the shelf life of packaged food. The chemo-mechanical method was used to extract CNFs from pine needles. ZnO NPs were synthesized by the solvothermal method. Nanocomposite was prepared by physically incorporating different ratios of CNFs into PUF/ZnO NPs Nano-composite through mixing at room temperature. Successful functionalization of each component and of nanocomposite was confirmed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). This novel nanocomposite (PUF/ZnO-NPs/CNFs) exhibits remarkable antimicrobial properties, offering a significant solution to prevent foodborne diseases caused by microbial contaminants. The findings highlight the potential of this tailored nanocomposite in revolutionizing food packaging for enhanced productivity and safety. Keywords - Antimicrobial Activity, Cellulose Nanofibers, Food Packaging, Polyurethane Foam, Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles.