Nanoparticles produced by laser ablation in organic solvent for polylactic acid-based polymer

Recently packing technology has been rising as a new domain for the application of nanoparticles. Herein the synthesis of polylactic acid (PLA) foils decorated with nanoparticles is investigated. The gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) can play a major role in reducing microbial load in aliment and to improve the food packaging quality. Au NPs have been fabricated by laser ablation in an organic liquid and then the PLA, with Au NP composites, has been manufactured through the drop-casting method. The crystalline nature of the produced nanoparticles, of their size and shape have been probed by transmission electron (TEM) and atomic force microscopies (AFM). The concentration of Au NPs has been evaluated by Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS). The optical and electrical properties of composites have been tested by UV-ViS spectroscopy. The improvement of the hydrophobicity of the composite surfaces has been analysed by wettability measurements for implementation in the food packaging field.