Sensores amigos do ambiente como solução para aplicação em embalagens inteligentes

The main objective of the project is to develop a new generation of environmentally friendly sensing solutions for smart packaging applications, able to perform the control and the quality monitorization of the packaging during the storage and after transport through the development of materials based on an eco-friendly approach by using biobased materials (cellulose, cellulose derivatives, and alginate) and active environmentally friendly fillers, the ILs, to tailor active responses. It is expected to develop printable and recyclable colorimetric sensors, able to change the colour in an irreversible way with a specific temperature variation (thermochromic), with mechanical damages (mechanochromic), humidity (humidrochromic) and gas sensing by tags implementation into the packaging, and luminescent sensors to detect the presence or absence of gaseous analytes (gas sensing), aiming to guarantee the product storage conditions selected by the supplier and to guarantee that those conditions have not been overcome during transportation. Sensors to be applied in anti-counterfeiting will be developed by using inks with a combination of 3 different luminescent materials for the printing of the identification QR code. To ensure consumer safety, the influence of the developed materials into the cito, and ecotoxicty will be performed and the LCA assessed. To reach the overall goal, the specific scientific objectives and corresponding expected outputs are to: -Synthesis of ILs with desired functionalities able to respond to the different surrounding environments (temperature, humidity, mechanical deformations/pressures, and luminescence to be applied in gas sensing and anti-counterfeiting) in an irreversible way at specific critical conditions. ILs will be synthetized to exhibit an optically response at different temperatures (until 40, 60 and 80 oC, due to the maximum temperature conditions of several packaging systems), relative humidities (RH 10%, 40 and 90%), pressures (~10, 30 and 50N) and gas sensing (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 ppm O2 and CO2), an important parameter that indicates the gas concentration levels within the package, detecting leaks and in this sense allow to extend the product shelf-life. The luminescent ILs will be also applied in anti-counterfeiting (254, 365 and 980 nm) by developing QR codes. -Theoretical simulations to a properly study of the IL-polymer matrix interaction and material structure material influence -Development of functional inks and printed patterns through an ecofriendly approach and their characterization -Development of proofs of concept regarding their potentiality as printable sensors in smart packaging systems - Development of fully functional prototypes sensors at a TRL level 4-5 by printing systems and their scalability process - Study of the cyto, ecotoxicity and LCA of the developed smart material systems The objectives perfectly match the needs of state of the art in scientific terms and of the packaging industry in technological terms, through the development of a new generation of sensors, following a nanoparticle free approach, and the sustainability industry demands Thus, the present work will contribute to develop fully recyclable sensors, avoiding the increasing use of disposable electronics and e-Waste in the scope of the Internet of Things and digitalization paradigms, able to be integrated into regular packaging to monitor packaging integrity, quality and authentication.