Development of gelatin-chitosan composite nanofibers incorporated with Corncob-derived cellulose microcrystals

The increasing demand for sustainable, antibacterial, and eco-friendly food packaging materials has intensified research into biodegradable biopolymers with enhanced functional properties. In this study, gelatin–chitosan-based nanofibers were fabricated via electro-blowing and reinforced with cellulose microcrystals (CMC) extracted from corn cobs via acid hydrolysis. The formulation (12% gelatin and 3% chitosan) and electro-blowing parameters were optimized based on previous literature and preliminary trials to ensure uniform fiber morphology. CMC was incorporated at concentrations of 1, 3, and 5% (w/w), and the resulting nanofibers were characterized using FE-SEM, ATR-FTIR, XRD, TGA, and air permeability tests. SEM analysis revealed smooth, bead-free fibers with average diameters ranging from 642.19 ± 40.36 nm (control) to 760.05 ± 32.64 nm (3% CMC), confirming the impact of filler loading. XRD results demonstrated an increase in crystallinity from 21.3% in the control to 27.8% with 5% CMC. At the same time, TGA indicated enhanced thermal stability at low CMC concentrations, with a maximum decomposition temperature of 326 °C for 1% CMC compared to 315 °C in the control. However, higher loadings (5% CMC) led to slight thermal deterioration, likely due to disruptions in polymer chains. These results confirm that corncob-derived CMC can be successfully integrated into gelatin–chitosan nanofibers to improve structural and thermal properties, positioning them as promising candidates for active food packaging. Future studies will focus on mechanical and antibacterial performance to further validate their practical application.