Engineering Commons^™

In-Situ Extraction And Impregnation Of Black Walnut Husk Into Polyethylene Film Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide With An Ethanol Modifier, Johnathon Wenzel, Veronica Moorman, Lihua Wang, Cheryl S. Samaniego, Michelle Ammerman, Isaiah Spencer-Williams, Mitchell Hall

Chemical Engineering Publications

Walnuts are commonly cultivated for their kernel, which is a rich source of antioxidant phenolic compounds. The husk likewise contains antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds, but is typically discarded without further processing. Antioxidant compounds are useful in creating active packaging films, but typically decompose at melt extrusion temperatures in polymer processing. Due to carbon dioxide's low critical point and ability to swell polymer films, supercritical carbon dioxide may be used to impregnate phenolic compounds into polymers. For this study, a novel technique is used to simultaneously produce walnut husk extracts and impregnate the extract into polymer films in the same batch …