Studies of the plasticizing effect of different hydrophilic inorganic salts on starch/poly (vinyl alcohol) films

From Corn Starch to Nanostructured Magnetic Laser-Induced Graphene Nanocomposite

Laser-Induced Graphene (LIG) is a 3D, conductive, porous material with a high surface area, produced by laser irradiation of synthetic polymers with high thermal stability. Recently, the focus has shifted toward sustainable bioderived and biodegradable precursors, such as lignocellulosic materials. Despite starch being an abundant and cost-effective biopolymer, direct laser scribing on starch-derived precursors has not yet been explored. This study demonstrates that corn starch bioplastic (SP) can be converted into LIG through iron-catalyzed laser-induced pyrolysis, using Fe(NO₃)₃ as an additive. The impact of iron additive concentration on LIG formation and on its properties is investigated, with only certain concentrations yielding reliable and reproducible results. The investigation of LIG's crystal structure reveals magnetic and non-magnetic iron phases: γ-Fe₂O₃, Fe₃C, and Fe(C). The LIG nanocomposite exhibits soft magnetic properties, with a coercive field of Hc ≈ 200 Oe and a saturation magnetization of Ms ≈ 67 emu g⁻¹. The SP substrate degrades almost entirely in soil within 12 days and is unaffected by the addition of Fe(NO₃)₃, allowing for material compostability in line with circular economy principles. Consequently, SP stands out as a promising "green" precursor for magnetic LIG, paving the way for sustainable applications in environmental remediation.

Reactive extrusion fabrication of thermoplastic starch with Ca2+ heterodentate coordination structure for harvesting multiple-reusable PBAT/TPS films

Creating multiple-reusable PBAT/TPS (PT) films presents a novel solution to reduce carbon emissions from disposable packaging, addressing challenges like the high creep of PBAT and the glycerol migration of TPS. Consequently, adopting reactive extrusion to fabricate reversible cross-linking TPS with high shape memory performance, low migration, and homogeneous dispersion in PBAT matrix was a fascinating strategy. Herein, starch, glycerol and CaCl2 (calcium chloride) were extruded to fabricate TPS-Ca with Ca2+ heterodentate coordination structure and confirmed by XPS, 1H NMR and temperature-dependent FTIR. The results of DMA, dynamic rheology, flow activation energy and SEM revealed that TPS-Ca exhibited significant temperature-sensitive reversible properties and robust melt flow capability, enabling micro-nano scale dispersion in PBAT. Noteworthy, PBAT/TPS-Ca (PT-Ca) would recover 100 % length within 20 s by microwave heating after being loaded under the hygrothermal environment. Meanwhile, the migration weight of glycerol decreased from 2.5 % to 1.2 % for the heat-moisture-treated PBAT/TPS (HPT) and PBAT/TPS-Ca (HPTCa). Remarkably, the tensile strength and elongation at the break of HPT-Ca increased to 20.0 MPa and 924 %, respectively, due to reduced stress concentration sites in the phase interface. In summary, our study provides a streamlined strategy for fabricating multiple-reusable PT, offering a sustainable solution to eliminate carbon emissions linked to disposable plastic.

Electrospun polysuccinimide scaffolds containing different salts as potential wound dressing material

In this research, we applied electrospinning to create a two-component biodegradable polymeric scaffold containing polysuccinimide (PSI) and antibacterial salts. Antibacterial agents for therapeutical purposes mostly contain silver ions which are associated with high environmental impact and, in some cases, may cause undesired immune reactions. In our work, we prepared nanofibrous systems containing antibacterial and tissue-regenerating salts of zinc acetate or strontium nitrate in different concentrations, whose structures may be suitable for developing biomedical wound dressing systems in the future. Several experiments have been conducted to optimize the physicochemical, mechanical, and biological properties of the scaffolds developed for application as wound dressings. The scaffold systems obtained by PSI synthesis, salt addition, and fiber formation were first investigated by scanning electron microscopy. In almost all cases, different salts caused a decrease in the fiber diameter of PSI polymer-based systems (<500 nm). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy was applied to verify the presence of salts in the scaffolds and to determine the interaction between the salt and the polymer. Another analysis, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, was carried out to determine strontium and zinc atoms in the scaffolds. Our result showed that the salts influence the mechanical properties of the polymer scaffold, both in terms of specific load capacity and relative elongation values. According to the dissolution experiments, the whole amount of strontium nitrate was dissolved from the scaffold in 8 h; however, only 50% of the zinc acetate was dissolved. In addition, antibacterial activity tests were performed with four different bacterial strains relevant to skin surface injuries, leading to the appearance of inhibition zones around the scaffold discs in most cases. We also investigated the potential cytotoxicity of the scaffolds on human tumorous and healthy cells. Except for the ones containing zinc acetate salt, the scaffolds are not cytotoxic to either tumor or healthy cells.

A review of starch/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) blend film: A potential replacement for traditional plastic-based food packaging film

In recent years, the development of environmentally friendly packaging materials using biodegradable polymers has emerged as a key challenge for scientists and consumers in response to resource depletion and environmental issues caused by plastic packaging materials. Starch and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) are being recognized as excellent candidates for producing biodegradable food packaging films. Polymer blending has emerged as a practical approach to overcome the limitations of biopolymer films by developing films with unique properties and enhancing overall performance. This review briefly introduces the molecular structure and properties of starch and PVA, summarizes the common preparation methods and properties of starch/PVA blend films, and focuses on different strategies used to enhance starch/PVA blend films, including nanoparticles, plant extracts, and cross-linking agents. Additionally, this study summarizes the application of starch/PVA blend films as active and smart packaging in food preservation systems. This study demonstrates that starch and PVA blends have potential in manufacturing biodegradable food films with excellent properties due to their excellent compatibility and intermolecular interactions, and can be used as packaging films for a variety of foods to extend their shelf life.

Development of an UV-Resistant Multilayer Film with Enhanced Compatibility between Carboxymethyl Cellulose and Polylactic Acid via Incorporation of Tannin and Ferric Chloride

Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and polylactic acid (PLA) are recognized for their environmental friendliness. By merging them into a composite film, packaging solutions can be designed with good performance. Nonetheless, the inherent interface disparity between CMC and PLA poses a challenge, and there may be layer separation issues. This study introduces a straightforward approach to mitigate this challenge by incorporating tannin acid and ferric chloride in the fabrication of the CMC-PLA. The interlayer compatibility was improved by the in situ formation of a cohesive interface. The resulting CMC/TA-PLA/Fe multilayer film, devoid of any layer separation, exhibits exceptional mechanical strength, with a tensile strength exceeding 70 MPa, a high contact angle of 105°, and superior thermal stability. Furthermore, the CMC/TA-PLA/Fe film demonstrates remarkable efficacy in blocking ultraviolet light, effectively minimizing the discoloration of various wood surfaces exposed to UV aging.

Influence of kepok banana bunch as new cellulose source on thermal, mechanical, and biodegradability properties of Thai cassava starch/polyvinyl alcohol hybrid-based bioplastic

Bioplastics were developed to overcome environmental problems that are difficult to decompose in the environment. This study analyzes Thai cassava starch-based bioplastics' tensile strength, biodegradability, moisture absorption, and thermal stability. This study used Thai cassava starch and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as matrices, whereas Kepok banana bunch cellulose was employed as a filler. The ratios between starch and cellulose are 10:0 (S1), 9:1 (S2), 8:2 (S3), 7:3 (S4), and 6:4 (S5), while PVA was set constant. The tensile test showed the S4 sample's highest tensile strength of 6.26 MPa, a strain of 3.85%, and a modulus of elasticity of 166 MPa. After 15 days, the maximum soil degradation rate in the S1 sample was 27.9%. The lowest moisture absorption was found in the S5 sample at 8.43%. The highest thermal stability was observed in S4 (316.8°C). This result was significant in reducing the production of plastic waste for environmental remediation.

Nanobacterial Cellulose Production and Its Antibacterial Activity in Biodegradable Poly(vinyl alcohol) Membranes for Food Packaging Applications

Nanobacterial cellulose (NBC) was produced and incorporated into biodegradable poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) in different weight ratios to obtain polymer nanocomposite membranes. The physicochemical properties of the membranes were studied using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, a universal testing machine (UTM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) techniques, and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). FTIR confirmed the consolidation of NBC into PVA by exhibiting significant changes in the peaks compared to NBC and PVA individually. The highest tensile strength of 53.33 MPa and 235.30% elongation at break of the membrane M-10 mass % NBC was obtained, illuminating that NBC provides stiffness and PVA imparts elasticity. WAXD revealed that the crystalline nature of the membrane increases up to 10 mass % and decreases beyond it. The effect of NBC on the poly(vinyl alcohol) membranes for food packaging was investigated systematically. Among all the membranes, M-10 mass % NBC was found to be the most suitable for packaging applications. Membranes had antimicrobial activity against food microbes and showed degradability behavior in the soil. The tests on membranes for packaging revealed that fruits were protected from spoilage caused by microorganisms. Hence, the prepared membranes could be used as an alternative to conventional plastics for packaging applications.

Highly tough and ionic conductive starch/poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels based on a universal soaking strategy

High-performance hydrogels with favorable mechanical strength, high modulus, sufficient ionic conductivity and freezing resistance have far-ranging applications in flexible electronic equipment. Nevertheless, it is challenging to combine admirable mechanical properties and high ionic conductivity into one hydrogel. Herein, a facile strategy was developed for the preparation of the hydrogel with excellent strength (1.45 MPa), super Young's modulus (8.85 MPa) and high conductivity (1.47 S/m) using starch and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as raw materials. The starch/PVA/Gly/Na₃Cit (SPGN) gel was firstly cross-linked by crystalline regions of PVA upon freezing-thawing cycles. It was further immersed in the saturated Na₃Cit solution to enhance the interaction between the substrates through the salting-out effect. The effect of soaking time on the crystallinity, intermolecular interactions, mechanical and electrical properties of SPGN gel was demonstrated by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, tensile and impedance testing measurements. The introduction of glycerol and Na₃Cit also endowed SPGN gels with favorable anti-freezing properties. The SPGN gel could maintain high mechanical flexibility and ionic conductivity at -15 °C.

A high-conductive, anti-freezing, antibacterial and anti-swelling starch-based physical hydrogel for multifunctional flexible wearable sensors

Flexible wearable sensors based on conductive hydrogels are attracting increasing interest. To meet the urgent demands of sustainability and eco-friendliness, biopolymer-based physically crosslinked hydrogels have drawn great attention. Starch has a great potential due to its renewability, biocompatibility, nontoxicity and low cost. However, poor mechanical property, low conductivity and lack of versatility are seriously limiting the applications of starch-based hydrogels in wearable sensors. Moreover, the development of starch hydrogel-based wearable sensors in harsh conditions remains a challenge. Herein, multifunctional and physical crosslinking hydrogels were developed by introducing ionic liquid (1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium acetate) and metal salt (AlCl₃) into starch/polyvinyl alcohol double-network structure. The hydrogel exhibited excellent stretchability (567%), tensile strength (0.53 MPa), high conductivity (2.75 S·m^-1), good anti-freezing, antibacterial and anti-swelling properties. A wearable sensor assembled from the starch-based hydrogel exhibited a wide working range, high sensitivity (gauge factor: 5.93) and excellent reversibility. Due to the versatility, the sensor effectively detected human motion in normal and underwater environment, and possessed a sensitive pressure and thermal response. Overall, the present work provided a promising route to develop multifunctional and "green" biopolymer-based hydrogels for wearable sensors in human health and sporting applications.

Ordered long polyvinyl alcohol fiber-reinforced thermoplastic starch composite having comparable mechanical properties with polyethylene and polypropylene

A novel strategy is proposed to fabricate ordered long polyvinyl alcohol fiber (PVAF)-reinforced thermoplastic starch (TPS) composites with significantly improved mechanical properties. The PVAFs were uniformly fixed on two rods first; then sandwich-like TPS/fibers/TPS composite films were prepared by hot pressing, and PVAFs (0-4.08 wt%) with the same orientation were added to the composite films. The tensile test demonstrated that the tensile strength of the PVAF/TPS composite film improved from 2.13 MPa for TPS to 20.98 MPa with 4.08 wt% PVAFs, which is higher than the tensile strength of polyethylene (PE) (11.88 MPa) and polypropylene (PP) (19.29 MPa) and ten times higher than that of TPS. The sandwich-like cross-section of the composite film was observed by scanning electron microscopy to prove the better compatibility between PVAF and TPS. The nanoindentation test revealed that the addition of fibers improved the elastic modulus and hardness of the surface of the material. The strengthening mechanism for different PVAF contents was simulated by finite element analysis and attributed to the reduced maximum von Mises stress at the interface between the fiber and the TPS matrix, avoiding the stress concentration and corresponding fracture. This study provides a new way to prepare degradable composite films with suitable mechanical properties to replace PE or PP.

Study on Biodegradable Chitosan-Whey Protein-Based Film Containing Bionanocomposite TiO2 and Zataria multiflora Essential Oil

In our research, a composite film of whey protein isolate (WPI)/chitosan incorporated with TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) and essential oil of Zataria multiflora (ZEO) was developed. The resulting composite films were evaluated by FTIR, SEM, and XRD, and also the physicochemical characteristics including color, mechanical properties, swelling ratio, and water vapor permeability (WVP) were studied. SEM graphs exhibited that the samples had a uniform and homogeneous structure where TiO2 NPs and ZEO were well dispersed. FTIR and XRD findings also show that the hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions are the main interactions between the composite WPI/chitosan and TiO2. The crystalline nature of the composite samples increased with the increase of NP content. Nevertheless, ZEO had an insignificant effect on the functional groups and the crystallinity of composite samples. The film visual characterization revealed that, by adding and increasing the TiO2 and TiO2-ZEO, sample lightness and opacity significantly increased. Additions of TiO2 remarkably (p<0.05) improved the water vapor and mechanical properties of composite samples, although the loading of ZEO, regardless of TiO2 incorporation, led to a considerable decrement of these properties. Furthermore, composite films containing ZEO combined with 2% of TiO2 compared with 1% of NPs blended with ZEO had strong antimicrobial properties against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes. Generally, the findings proposed that the addition of TiO2 reinforces the properties of composite films with a synergistic effect of ZEO loading on the antibacterial ability, by which the resulting biodegradable composite samples can be used as a food active packaging material.

Evaluation of multifunctional properties of gallic acid crosslinked Poly (vinyl alcohol)/Tragacanth Gum blend films for food packaging applications

The natural polymer Tragacanth Gum is less explored as a supporting matrix, there are very less studies conducted using this polymer in literature. So the present study aims to explore the consequences of different weight percent (wt.%) of gallic acid (GA) on physicochemical properties of Poly (vinyl alcohol)/Tragacanth Gum blend films. The incorporation of GA resulted in more strengthened but less flexible films as confirmed by tensile tests. DSC studies confirmed the miscibility of composite films in the given composition range and TGA studies revealed increased thermal stability. The morphological studies revealed a homogeneous distribution of GA at lower wt.% in the blend system. X-Ray Diffraction study depicted; the added GA lost crystalline structure after incorporating it into the blend. The Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR) was improved after the incorporation of GA into the blend system. Overall migration studies revealed the limited release of GA from the matrix into food simulants. Soil degradation rate increased as the wt.% of GA increased. The composite films presented strong antioxidant activity; therefore, prepared composite films could be used as an alternative to current packaging materials.

Continuous production of lignin nanoparticles using a microchannel reactor and its application in UV-shielding films

A continuous production of spherical-like lignin nanoparticles with PVP/SDS as stabilizers via a microchannel reactor.

Melt processing of high alcoholysis poly(vinyl alcohol) with different polyol plasticizers

Flexibile high hydrolysis degree poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) films with different polyol plasticizers were obtained by melt processing in the presence of water, and the plasticizing effect of polyols was studied. The results showed that with the incorporation of polyols, the torque decreased, suggesting the improved melt flowing ability of PVA. Higher molecular weight polyols with more –OH groups exhibited higher efficiency to improve the melt flowing ability. The incorporation of polyol plasticizers did not change the crystalline structure of PVA but decreased crystalline degrees. The transmittance decreased with the increase in plasticizer content. The flexibility of PVA films was dramatically enhanced after being plasticized with polyols. The polyols with higher molecular weight possessed a higher stablity in PVA films and resulted in less weight loss during the thermal degradation process. It was suggested that a combination of different polyol plasticizers would be a better choice to obtain the PVA films with overall excellent properties.

Effect of silver nitrate on the thermal processability of poly(vinyl alcohol) modified by water

The thermal processing of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is a big challenge worldwide. In this article, silver nitrate (AgNO3), which can combine with the hydroxyl groups of PVA and water, was introduced to further improve the thermal processability of the poly(vinyl alcohol)/water system. The water states, thermal performance, and rheological properties of PVA modified by AgNO3 were investigated. The results showed that with the increasing of AgNO3 content, the content of bound water in system increased ascribing to the interaction among PVA, water and AgNO3, indicating that the bondage of PVA matrix on water enhanced, thus retarding the tempestuous evaporation of water in system during melt process and making more water remain in system to play the role of plasticizer. Meanwhile, that AgNO3 combined with the hydroxyl groups of PVA further weakened the self-hydrogen bonding of PVA, guaranteeing a lower melting point and higher decomposition temperature, and broadening the thermal processing window. The rheological properties of the modified PVA system showed that the torque and die pressure of the modified PVA system turned to stabilization during melt processing, testifying that the thermal processability of the PVA/water system was largely improved.

Effects of salts on the freeze-thaw stability, gel strength and rheological properties of potato starch

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different salts (NaF, NaCl, NaBr, NaI, K2SO4, KCl, KNO3, KSCN, LiCl) on freeze-thaw stability, gel strength and rheological properties of potato starch. Addition of the structure-making (salting-out) ions, such as F- and SO42-, decreased freeze-thaw stability and increased gel strength, maximal storage modulus (G') and maximal loss modulus (G″) of potato starch, due to a stronger three-dimensional network by promoting the starch retrogradation and inhibiting starch gelatinization. Shear stress versus shear rate of all samples at 25 °C was well fitted to the simple power-law model with high determination coefficients (R2 = 0.9863-0.9990). Flow behavior index (n), consistency index (K) and apparent viscosities increased with adding salting-out ions. However, the structure-breaking (salting-in) ions had reverse effects on freeze-thaw stability, gel strength and rheological characteristics of potato starch. The addition of structure-breaking ions, such as Br-, NO3-, I-, SCN-, Na+ and Li+, decreased gel strength, G' and G″ values and increased freeze-thaw stability. Salts could significantly influence on the retrogradation of potato starch, generally following the ion order: F- > SO42- > Cl- > Br- > NO3- > I- > SCN- for anions and K+ > Na+ > Li+ for cations, consistent with the Hofmeister series.

From waste to functional additives: thermal stabilization and toughening of PVA with lignin

With the addition of modified lignin, the thermal stability and mechanical properties of PVA can be greatly improved.