Fuente: PubMed "agrofood sustainability" Int J Biol Macromol. 2026 May 19;367:152606. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.152606. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThis study introduces the development of a novel citric acid derived carbon dot (CiACD)-incorporated cellulose acetate composite (CDCA) film aimed for improving the drying performance of agro-food products. Carbon dots (CiACD or simply CD) were integrated into the cellulose acetate (CA) matrix to systematically investigate their influence on the interfacial interactions, physicochemical and barrier properties of the composite film. The incorporation of CD introduces oxygen containing functional groups capable of forming hydrogen bonding interactions with the hydroxyl and acetyl groups of CA. These interactions enhance interfacial compatibility within the polymer matrix, thereby modulating moisture and oxygen permeability, while simultaneously improving the UV-blocking performance of the composite film. The CDCA film showed enhanced tensile strength (∼56.5 MPa) as compared to pure CA film and showed thermal stability up to ∼260 °C. Optical analysis revealed high transparency along with significant UV absorption in the 200-300 nm region, attributed to the electronic transitions and light-absorbing characteristics of CD. Contact angle measurements of CDCA film is found to be 62 ± 1°, which indicate enhanced surface wettability, attributed to polar functional groups on the CD surface. The water vapor permeability value (1.6627 × 10-9 g cm-1 s-1 mmHg-1) indicates that CD incorporation modifies moisture transport via alterations in the polymer network structure. The CDCA films exhibited significant moisture loss (∼84-92%), demonstrating improved drying efficiency. It also exhibited heat-sealing capability and biodegradability, highlighting their potential as sustainable functional packaging materials.PMID:42155743 | DOI:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.152606