Search results

Nanotechnology as an emerging area if adequately harnessed could revolutionise food packaging and food processing industry worldwide. Although several benefits of nano-materials or particles in food packaging have been suggested, potential risks and health hazards of nano-materials or particles are possible as a result of migration of their particles into food materials. The purpose of this review therefore assessed nanotechnology and its applications in food packaging, consumer acceptability of nano-packaged foods and potential hazards and safety issues in nano-packaged foods.

This review takes a critical assessment of previous literature on nanotechnology and its impact on food packaging, consumer health and safety.

Applications of nanotechnology in food packaging could be divided into three main divisions: improved packaging, which involves mixing nano-materials into polymers matrix to improve temperature, humidity and gas barrier resistance of the packaging materials. Active packaging deals with direct interaction between nano-materials used for packaging and the food to protect it as anti-microbial or oxygen or ultra violet scavengers. Smart packaging could be used to sense biochemical or microbial changes in foods, as well as a tracker for food safety, to prevent food counterfeit and adulteration. The review also discussed bio-based food packaging which is biodegradable. Bio-based packaging could serve as veritable alternative to conventional packaging which is non-degradable plastic polymers which are not environmental friendly and could pose a threat to the environment. However, bio-based packaging could reduce material waste, elongate shelf life and enhance food quality. However, several challenges are envisaged in the use of nano-materials in food packaging due to knowledge gaps, possible interaction with food products and possible health risks that could result from the nano-materials used for food packaging.

The increase in growth and utilisation of nanotechnology signifies wide use of nano-materials especially in the food sector with arrays of potential benefits in the areas of food safety and quality, micronutrients and bioactive ingredients delivery, food processing and in packaging Active studies are being carried out to develop innovative packages such as smart, intelligent and active food packaging to enhance effective and efficient packaging, as well as balanced environmental issues. This review looks at the future of nano-packaged foods vis-à-vis the roles played by stakeholders such as governments, regulatory agencies and manufacturers in looking into consumer health and safety issues related to the application of nano-materials in food packaging.

The purpose of this paper is to create a vision and obtain a consensus on Taiwan's nanotechnology industry in three dimensions (the 2007 situation, the R&D maturation time, and the 2020 scenario). It then seeks to foster a set of development strategies for Taiwan in 2020.

A Delphi‐based foresight study together with an expert discussion meeting has been conducted to obtain a consensus for Taiwan nanotechnology in 2020.

The paper provides the results of the first Delphi‐based survey on Taiwan nanotechnology development. The Nano Bio Medicine domain has greater maturity; the maturation time of most techniques will be 2010‐2015; Nanocomposite Material Technique, Nano Optoelectronic and Optical Communication, and Nano Storage show relatively high competitiveness. Self‐R&D and Technology introduced from overseas are the major development methods in 2020.

The paper is of interest to foresight practitioners and policy makers at the industrial and government levels in Taiwan.

The paper is the first publication to identify Taiwan's 2020 nanotechnology development by Delphi‐based foresight investigation.

This paper aims to examine the investigations made on the corrosion behaviour of magnesium (Mg) substrate electrodeposited using different nano-materials.

This study uses nano-materials such as those of reduced graphene oxide (r-GO), titanium-di-oxide (TiO₂) and also r-GO/TiO₂ nano-composites (dispersed through ultra-sonication process) at 3-min time interval. Crystalline nature of synthesized TiO₂ is studied through X-ray diffraction and its pore volume is measured to be approximately 0.1851ccg-1 by Brunauer Emmett Teller analysis.

Surface morphology of the developed set of specimens inspected through scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy establishes a clean surface coating and further witnesses for only minimal defects. Electrochemical behaviour of the developed coating is studied exhaustively using Tafel polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in 0.1 M Na₂SO₄ solution.

Incremental corrosion resistance exhibited by developed composite coating owes to the factors viz. chemical stability and hydrophobic tendency of TiO₂ and r-GO; these known engineering facts resist the flow of ions into the corrosive media and thereby reduce the rate of corrosion.

The purpose is to report on a Danish nano‐science and nano‐technology foresight project carried out in 2004.

The foresight process had the following key elements: review of international technology foresight projects on nano‐technology; mapping of Danish nano‐science and nano‐technology; broad internet survey among interested parties; expert reports; workshops related to the expert reports; analysis of the dynamics of innovation within nano‐technology; survey on hazards and environmental and ethical aspects; group interviews with members of the public.

The article reflects on the following methodological issues: domain classification and its influence on conclusions; the use of statements or hypotheses; trustworthiness of the foresight process and its recommendations.

Recommendations from the project have already been used in decision‐making on R&D funding and in strategic deliberation in publicly funded institutions conducting R&D. Others are expected to be used for decision‐making, and some are being discussed in research councils and ministries or are being investigated and developed further. Moreover, the foresight process has created broader awareness of, and debate especially about, the hazardous aspects of nano‐technology among researchers and decision makers.

The article contribute the to the European experiences with national level foresight exercises. The case and the findings are of value for science and innovation policy makers, foresight practitioners and scolars within the field.

The purpose of this paper was to demonstrate the influence of a 3-aminopropyl-triethoxysilane–polyacrylic acid (amino propyl silane (APS)-PAA) buffer layer on the tribological performance of copper sulfide (CuS) thin film on silicon (Si) substrate.

The APS-PAA buffer layer was first deposited on Si substrate by a self-assembling method. Then, the deposited film was coated by a CuS film by a successive ionic layer absorption and reaction (SILAR) method. The structures and morphologies of the prepared films were characterized by X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy. The results showed that the prepared CuS film with a PAA-APS double layer had a good crystallinity and surface morphology. The tribological performance of the prepared film was analyzed on UMT-2 tribometer and scanning electric microscope.

With use of an APS-PAA buffer layer, the CuS thin films became compact, smooth and uniform. The tribological performance of the CuS film was greatly enhanced by using an APS-PAA buffer layer.

The paper is the first to demonstrate that the CuS film exhibited enhanced structure, morphology and tribological characteristics by using an APS-PAA buffer layer.

The purpose of this paper is to develop environmentally stable near‐infrared (NIR)‐absorbing windows by blending an NIR‐absorbing dye and a thermally‐crosslinkable polymer.

To enhance the environmental stability of the NIR‐absorbing window, a poly(vinyl phenol‐co‐methyl methacrylate) (poly(VP‐co‐MMA)) prepolymer and a poly(melamine‐co‐formaldehyde) (PMF) cross‐linking agent were mixed, and thermal crosslinking was performed under mild conditions (100°C).

The resistance of the crosslinked hybrid films to heat, humidity, and ultraviolet radiation damage improved dramatically relative to the pristine NIR‐absorbing dye. The improved environmental stability of the crosslinked NIR hybrid film resulted from the reduced free volume and restrictions in the molecular thermal dynamic motions of the polymer due to the presence of the crosslinked network surrounding the NIR‐absorbing dye molecules.

The methods provided a novel, simple, and practical solution to improving environmentally stability of NIR‐absorbing window.

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the I‐V characteristics of ZnO film on Si substrates with Ag buffer layer by conductive atomic force (C‐AFM).

An Ag buffer layer and Zn film was first deposited on silicon substrate by RF‐sputtering deposition method from high pure Ag and Zn target, respectively. Then, the deposited film was sintered in air at 500°C for 1 h.

The structures and morphologies of the prepared films were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectrum (EDS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and C‐AFM. The results show that the prepared ZnO films with Ag buffer layer have a good crystallinity and surface morphology. Interestingly, the I‐V curve of ZnO film exhibited typical characteristics of semi‐conductive oxide under the conductive Ag buffer layer.

The paper demonstrates, by C‐AFM, that the ZnO/Ag‐buffer/Si exhibits excellent crystal structure, morphology and typical I‐V characteristics.