Preparation and characterization of cellulose nanocrystals films incorporated with essential oil loaded β-chitosan beads

Essential oils (EOs), including clover (CL), cinnamon bark (CB), and lemongrass (LG) oils, were loaded into beta-chitosan (beta-CS) beads using a simple two-step method: oil/water emulsion and ionic gelation with sodium tripolyphosphate. EOs loaded beta-CS beads were then incorporated into cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) for producing films. CL, CB, and LG loaded beta-CS beads had particle size of 272, 191 and 775 nm, polydispersity index of 0.312, 0.382, and 0.012, and encapsulation efficacy of 54.12, 54.16, and 55.41%, respectively. Mechanical and antibacterial properties of CNCs films were enhanced by incorporating EOs loaded beta-CS beads. Depending on the type of loaded EOs, incorporating beta-CS beads might alter structural and morphological properties of CNCs films. This study validated that beta-CS beads can be used as stable loading system for EOs while CNCs as film forming material and stabilizer for distributing EOs loaded beta-CS beads in film matrix for creating antibacterial packaging material. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.