N Pooja, S Shashank, Singh Bhisham Narayan, Mazumder Nirmal
Department of Biophysics, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education Manipal Karnataka 576104 India
Department of Biotechnology, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education Manipal Karnataka 576104 India.
RSC Adv. 2024 Jul 31;14(33):23943-23951. doi: 10.1039/d4ra04263h. eCollection 2024 Jul 26.
This study addresses the urgent need for sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics by focusing on modification of thermoplastic starch (TPS) derived from renewable biomass sources. Despite TPS's biodegradability and cost advantages, its limitations in mechanical strength and water resistance prompted the investigation of physical and chemical modifications. Ultrasonication, autoclaving, and cross-linking with substances like citric acid and STMP (sodium trimetaphosphate)/STPP (sodium tripolyphosphate) were employed, with citric acid crosslinking standing out for its significant enhancement of transparency, especially beneficial for packaging applications. Film thickness varied with modification methods, with ultrasonicated films exhibiting thinner structures. Differential scanning calorimetry revealed insights into molecular interactions, with citric acid crosslinked film showing a substantial increase in thermal stability of the polymer at 164 °C, while moisture content analysis showed the impact of ultrasonication on reducing water absorption and citric acid crosslinking enhancing dimensional stability. Water vapor transmission rate data highlighted the effectiveness of ultrasonication in creating films with reduced permeability, and citric acid cross-linked films demonstrated potential for tailored water vapor barrier properties. Static water contact angle results indicated the hydrophobicity of films, with citric acid crosslinked films showing significantly more hydrophobic surfaces. The study also delved into water solubility, emphasizing the influence of depolymerization in ultrasonicated films and strengthened starch networks in crosslinked films, affecting their biodegradability. In conclusion, this comprehensive exploration demonstrates the feasibility of producing robust starch films with improved physicochemical properties through physical and chemical modifications, offering potential solutions in the quest for environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional plastics.
本研究通过聚焦于对源自可再生生物质资源的热塑性淀粉（TPS）进行改性，满足了对传统塑料可持续替代物的迫切需求。尽管TPS具有生物可降解性和成本优势，但其在机械强度和耐水性方面的局限性促使人们对其进行物理和化学改性研究。采用了超声处理、高压灭菌以及与柠檬酸和STMP（偏磷酸钠）/STPP（三聚磷酸钠）等物质交联的方法，其中柠檬酸交联因其显著提高透明度而脱颖而出，这对包装应用尤为有益。膜厚度随改性方法而变化，超声处理的膜结构更薄。差示扫描量热法揭示了分子间相互作用的情况，柠檬酸交联膜在164°C时聚合物的热稳定性大幅提高，而水分含量分析表明超声处理对降低吸水率的影响，以及柠檬酸交联对提高尺寸稳定性的作用。水蒸气透过率数据突出了超声处理在制备低渗透性薄膜方面的有效性，柠檬酸交联膜展现出定制水蒸气阻隔性能的潜力。静态水接触角结果表明了薄膜的疏水性，柠檬酸交联膜的表面疏水性明显更强。该研究还深入探讨了水溶性，强调了超声处理薄膜中解聚的影响以及交联薄膜中强化淀粉网络的影响，这些都会影响它们的生物降解性。总之，这一全面探索证明了通过物理和化学改性生产具有改善物理化学性能的坚固淀粉薄膜的可行性，为寻求传统塑料的环保替代品提供了潜在解决方案。
