USE OF NEW SILICA FILLERS AS ADDITIVES FOR POLYMERS USED IN PACKAGING OF FRUITS

ROMINA ARRECHE; M. BLANCO; J. M. MARTÍN-MARTÍNEZ; P. G. VÁZQUEZ

Dresden

Conferencia; 9th EUROFILLERS International Conference 2011; 2011

Technische Universitat Dresden

The objective of this work is to synthesize nanosilicas with different hydrophobicity by the sol-gel method. Two modifiers, 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APS), and 1,1,1,3,3,3–hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) were added during the synthesis. The new silicas were combined with a commercial biopolymer (Hexamoll Dinch, Basf) for using as packaging film for apples and pears. The silicas were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission and scanning electron microscopies, potentiometric titration for acidity evaluation, textural properties measurement, wetting tests using using water and ethanol of different hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity and to assess the pulp of apples after their cut and contact with the different silicas, colorimetry was used.