A new study has found a sustainable and scalable way to improve the durability of plant-based packaging; it’s a discovery that researchers say could help curb the environmental footprint of plastic. Researchers used advanced plasma technology to apply layered, protective coatings to the surface of cellulosic nanofibril (CNF) films, with the goal of reducing water absorption and improving moisture resistance.

They found that one of the plasma-treated coatings reduced liquid water absorption in CNF films to less than 1%, while another weakened the film’s moisture barrier and allowed more water vapor to pass through.

According to the researchers, the results show that the plasma technology—dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma—can be used to precisely control how CNF films interact with moisture, opening new possibilities for plant-based packaging. The work is published in the journal Applied Surface Science.