Limonene Functionalization of Recycled PAN Nanofibers for Chicken Breast Meat Preservation

Abstract In this study, waste commercial acrylic textile fibers composed of PAN-based copolymers were recycled into functional PAN nanofibers and subsequently coated with limonene using the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method to develop antibacterial, antioxidant, and UV-shielding food packaging materials. This approach demonstrates a facile and scalable strategy for the valorization of PAN waste into a feasible and industrially applicable novel packaging film. PAN nanofibers were fabricated by electrospinning and subsequently coated with poly(limonene) using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) for different durations (10, 20, and 40 min). The structural, morphological, optical, and surface properties of the nanofibers were comprehensively characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), and water contact angle measurements (WCA). FTIR and EDS analyses confirmed the successful deposition of poly(limonene) without altering the chemical integrity of the PAN substrate. SEM images revealed uniform, porous nanofibrous structures with increasing fiber diameter as the coating duration increased. UV–Vis analysis demonstrated enhanced UV-shielding performance, particularly in the UV-B and UV-C regions, while surface wettability measurements showed a significant transition from hydrophilic to hydrophobic behavior after coating. The functional performance of the nanofibers was evaluated by monitoring pH, color stability, antioxidant activity, lipid oxidation, and microbiological quality of coated chicken breast meat during 5 days of refrigerated storage. Limonene-loaded nanofibers significantly delayed microbial growth, reduced lipid oxidation, and enhanced antioxidant activity compared to the control. These results demonstrate that poly(limonene)-coated PAN nanofibers with an optimized coating duration are promising candidates for active food packaging applications aimed at extending shelf life and maintaining product quality.