SMART PACKAGING | MATERIALS
Intelligent design: recent news in smart packaging
Recent developments in smart packaging include an industrial- scale test of a prototype sorting machine and a new way of preserving cellulose-based articles such as film stock
Active and intelligent packaging – otherwise known as smart packaging – does something above and beyond protecting its contents. By incorporating features such as sensors or watermarks, it can help to improve packaging performance, such as by further extending shelf life or streamlining the recycling process. A smart packaging project called Nemosine –
coordinated by Aimplas of Spain – has come to an end after four years. Its aim is to preserve items of cultural significance – including films and photos – that are made of highly unstable cellulose. The project has created smart packaging that
extends the life and improves the preservation of these cultural items and helps reduce the energy consumption and costs of traditional storage systems (usually based on cold storage below 5°C). The new packaging contains material that
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adsorbs acetic acid that is released by the cellulose. It also has sensors that detect acetic acid and
nitrogen dioxide, and software to monitor the emissions and generate a degradation model for decision-making on preservation. Acetic acid adsorbents were developed to inhibit the degradation caused by ‘vinegar syn- drome’ – a process that threatens the preservation of cellulose-derived materials. The adsorbents are based on metal organic frameworks (MOFs) – a porous nanomaterial that can adsorb acetic acid under moisture conditions. For easier handling, the adsorbents are included
in a packaging mesh in the form of granules in sealed sachets of Tyvek, which is made of HDPE fibres. Tests show that the adsorbents are effective, mechanically stable and have high adsorption capacity.
Main image: A new type of smart packaging adsorbs acetic acid, which protects items made of cellulose
� November 2022 | FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION 37
IMAGE: AIMPLAS
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