abstract
Interest in producing films from renewable and biodegradable polymers, such as polysaccharides, has increased in recent years with the aim of reducing the environmental pollution caused by petroleum-based plastics. Additionally, combining the thermoplastic property of starch with the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of chitosan is of great interest to develop active materials for food packaging. This study aims the preparation of thermoplastic blended starch-chitosan films mechanically reinforced with reduced graphene oxide (rGO). Blending the starch with chitosan and rGO showed that films had a hydrophobic surface (>100 degrees), low water solubility (weight loss less than 10%), and improved antioxidant activity. Furthermore, blended film prepared with 75% starch and 25% chitosan with rGO achieved the maximum value of electrical conductivity (6.51 x 10-3 S/m) while maintaining the heat sealing properties of starch. The functional properties and heat sealability of starch-chitosan blended films with rGO enhance their application for active food packaging.
keywords
GENIPIN FILMS; BARRIER PROPERTIES; CORN; NANOCOMPOSITES; ANTIBACTERIAL; STABILITY; GLYCEROL
subject category
Chemistry; Polymer Science
authors
Alves, Z; Ferreira, NM; Ferreira, P; Nunes, C
our authors
Cláudia Nunes
Assistant Researcher
Nuno Miguel Freitas Ferreira
Post-Doc Fellowship
Paula Celeste da Silva Ferreira
Coordinating Researcher
Zélia Ribeiro Alves
Junior ResearcherGroups
G2 - Photonic, Electronic and Magnetic Materials
G4 - Renewable Materials and Circular Economy
Projects
CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDB/50011/2020)
CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDP/50011/2020)
Associated Laboratory CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials (LA/P/0006/2020)
Projeto de Investigação Exploratória: Paula Ferreira (IF_Paula Ferreira)
Embalagens em biocompósitos para preservação ativa de alimentos (BIOFOODPACK)
acknowledgements
This work was developed within the scope of the project CICECOAveiro Institute of Materials, UIDB/50011/2020, UIDP/50011/2020 & LA/P/0006/2020, and i3N, UIDB/50025/2020 & UIDP/50025/2020, financed by national funds through the Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia/Ministerio da Educacao e Ciencia (FCT/MEC) Programa de Investimentos e Despesas de Desenvolvimento da Administracao Central (PIDDAC). ZA and PF thank FCT for the grants (PD/BD/117457/2016 and IF/00300/2015, respectively). This work was also supported by BIOFOODPACK project (M-ERA.NET2/0019/2016) and by national funds (OE), through FCT, I.P., in the scope of the framework contract foreseen in the numbers 4, 5 and 6 of the article 23, of the Decree-Law 57/2016, of August 29, changed by Law 57/2017, of July 19. The authors thank Ant ' onio Fernandes for his technical assistance with Raman measurements.