Improvements of thermal and mechanical properties of achira starch/chitosan/clay nanocomposite films
Rocio Yaneli Aguirre-Loredo,
Abril Fonseca-García,
Heidy Lorena Calambas,
Alejandra Salazar-Arango,
Carolina Caicedo
Affiliations
Rocio Yaneli Aguirre-Loredo
Centro de Investigación en Química Aplicada (CIQA), Blvd. Enrique Reyna Hermosillo 140, Saltillo, Coahuila 25294, Mexico; Investigadoras por México CONACYT-CIQA, Blvd. Enrique Reyna Hermosillo 140, Saltillo, Coahuila 25294, Mexico
Abril Fonseca-García
Centro de Investigación en Química Aplicada (CIQA), Blvd. Enrique Reyna Hermosillo 140, Saltillo, Coahuila 25294, Mexico; Investigadoras por México CONACYT-CIQA, Blvd. Enrique Reyna Hermosillo 140, Saltillo, Coahuila 25294, Mexico
Heidy Lorena Calambas
Grupo de Investigación en Desarrollo de Materials y Productos, Centro Nacional de Asistencia Técnica a la Industria (ASTIN), SENA, Cali, 760003, Colombia
Alejandra Salazar-Arango
Facultad de Ingeniería, Unidad Central del Valle del Cauca (UCEVA), Carrera 17a 48-144, Tuluá 763022, Colombia
Carolina Caicedo
Facultad de Ingeniería, Unidad Central del Valle del Cauca (UCEVA), Carrera 17a 48-144, Tuluá 763022, Colombia; Corresponding author.
Thermoplastic biofilms were developed from achira starch, chitosan and nanoclays using the solvent-casting method. To obtain the filmogenic solutions, different sonication times (0, 10, 20 and 30 min) were considered in order to evaluate the incidence of this parameter on the chemical and physico-mechanical properties of the bionanocomposite films. The chemical analysis using FTIR spectroscopy showed strong intermolecular interactions between the components with increasing sonication times. The results for tensile strength and elongation were satisfactory for films with 20 min of sonication with increases of 154% and 161%, respectively. Morphological analysis showed greater homogeneity, while thermal analysis showed that sonication favoured the plasticization process and thus, the production of homogeneous materials. The water absorption and wettability tests showed less hydrophilic materials allowing these new materials to be considered for use as coatings or packaging for the food sector.
