Natural pigment-rich extract offers a route to modify the optical properties of the polymer. In this study, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was incorporated with varying concentrations of fruit juice extract like pomegranate (PE), dragon fruit (DE), and black grapes (BE), to investigate their structural, optical, and mechanical property. XRD and SEM analyses revealed that the addition of extracts disrupted the crystalline order of PVA, leading to enhanced amorphous characteristics and surface heterogeneity. The FTIR results show the changes in the O–H band due to the hydrogen bonding between PVA and the extract components. UV-visible spectroscopy confirmed strong absorption in the 250–600 nm region, with increasing absorbance intensity at higher extract concentration, suggesting the improved electronic disorder and charge transfer. Photoluminescence spectra exhibited excitation-dependent emission with concentration dependent intensity variation, while decreased PL-QY and lifetime suggesting aggregation-induced quenching and enhance non-radiative recombination. Mechanical properties depended on extract type and concentration, PE/PVA at 4.0 v/v
This study establishes a kinetic framework for the simultaneous analysis of physical aging, homogeneous crystal nucleation, and crystallization in poly(butylene adipate) (PBA) using fast scanning chip calorimetry (FSCC). Although physical aging in polymers has been extensively investigated, its coupling with homogeneous nucleation and crystallization in the sub-Tg region remains insufficiently characterized. PBA samples with molecular weights of 2000 and 12,000 g·mol⁻¹ were analyzed. FSCC heating scans performed after isothermal annealing indicate that the aging enthalpy reaches a maximum at annealing times corresponding to the onset of homogeneous nucleation. Isothermal crystal growth is observed only after completion of the physical aging process. Comparison of characteristic times demonstrates that homogeneous nucleation exhibits a markedly stronger temperature dependence than physical aging, with variations exceeding a factor of 40 over a 5 °C temperature interval. In addition, nucleation in the low-molecular-weight sample occurs at rates higher than expected based solely on the decrease in Tg, indicating the additional contribution of molecular weight on mobility effects. The transformations occurring during isothermal annealing are represented using time–temperature–transformation (TTT) diagrams, enabling visualization of their temporal sequence and characteristic timescales. These results clarify the interplay between physical aging, homogeneous nucleation, and crystallization in semicrystalline polymers and contribute to the understanding of structure–property relationships under relevant processing conditions.
Meat, poultry and seafoods are vulnerable to microbial growth, lipid oxidation and enzymatic breakdown, collectively leading to significant quality deterioration and increased food waste. Conventional packaging offer passive barrier protection but do not react to changing spoilage routes or mechanical distribution damage. The review critically summarizes the recent developments in self-healing, programmable and AI-integrated bio-nanocomposite packaging systems in muscle food preservation. The key novelty of this work lies in the integration of three traditionally distinct domains- bio-nanocomposite reinforcement, autonomous self-healing matrices and intelligent sensor AI frameworks into a unified adaptive preservation model. Biodegradable polymers (e.g., chitosan, gelatine, PLA with TiO₂, ZnO, Ag, nanoclays, CNCs) reinforced with nanofillers increase mechanical strength, barrier properties, and antimicrobial activity. Self-healing polymers autonomously restore barrier integrity following micro-scale damage, thereby preventing oxygen ingress and reducing the risk of microbial contamination (Trivedi and Gupta 2024). In addition, programmable packaging platforms incorporating stimuli-responsive delivery systems enable the controlled release of antioxidants and antimicrobial agents in response to environmental triggers such as pH variation, moisture fluctuations, or temperature changes (Gheisary et al. 2025; Hadi et al. 2024). The AI-based sensors also enable real-time tracking of volatile amines, gas composition and temperature history that can be used to predict the shelf-life and make decisions based on the data. It offers next-generation intelligent packaging as a multifunctional, sustainable preservation platform by uniting material science, smart sensing, validation strategies, scalability considerations, and regulatory aspects based on their alignment with the requirements of the circular economy and food security.
This study focuses on the development of lignin based biofilm for utilization of undervalued industrial waste lignin through optimal variation of crosslinker functionality (citric acid, tartaric acid, and oxalic acid), crosslinker concentration (0.10–0.20
With the rapid growth of the global population, agricultural fertilizer consumption has risen drastically. Nevertheless, conventional fertilizers suffer severe nutrient loss via leaching and runoff, causing economic waste and environmental risks. Herein, a novel phytic-acid-modified corn stalk composite superabsorbent (PCS-SAPs) was fabricated through graft copolymerization of itaconic acid (IA), acrylamide (AM), vinyl pyrrolidone (VP) and phytic-acid-treated corn stalk (PCS). Fertilizer solution adsorption capacity of PCS-SAPs rose first and then declined with increasing PCS content, reaching the maximum at 15 wt
