Ultrasonic welding of plasticized PLA films

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is a commercially available biobased material that has become an ideal material in packaging applications because of its low toxicity along with its environmentally friendly characteristics. Unfortunately, PLA is rigid and brittle. These characteristics impede its wide application. The flexibility of PLA can be improved by plasticization. In addition, welding polymer films is essential in the packaging production. Therefore, the weldability by means of ultrasonic welding of the neat and with polyethylene glycol plasticized PLA films was analyzed in this study. Moreover, the study examines the influence of the material composition on the processing window, that is, the range of welding parameters which could be used to weld films efficiently, and on the weld quality. This research showed that all examined films can be welded by ultrasonic welding. Furthermore, it was discovered that the addition of a plasticizer has a strong influence on the processing window and on the weld quality. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41351.     

Epoxidized soybean oil‐plasticized poly(lactic acid) films performance as impacted by storage

This study examined the effect of storage time at room temperature on the melt viscosity, thermal, and tensile properties of epoxidized soybean oil plasticized poly(lactic acid) (PLA) films manufactured through a cast extrusion process. Infrared results indicate that plasticizer migration to the surface of the film occurred after only 30 days of storage, which significantly affected the performance of plasticized films. While the melt viscosity, glass transition temperature, degree of crystallinity, tensile strength, and modulus increased, the elongation at break and energy to break decreased with storage time up to 30 days and all properties remained constant thereafter. However, the ability of stored plasticized film to cold crystallize remained unaffected since both the cold crystallization temperature and melting temperature were not affected during storage. Although plasticized film lost some flexibility after only 30 days of storage due to plasticizer migration to the surface of the film, sufficient plasticization performance still remained in plasticized PLA films for flexible packaging application even after a long storage period at ambient conditions. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43201.     

Effect of Ca2+ induced crosslinking on the mechanical and barrier properties of cast alginate films

The use of alginate as a coating material for packaging applications is currently limited due to its difficult processability and high moisture sensitivity. Therefore, this study addresses the crosslinking and scale‐up to a continuous application. Three different crosslinking agents were applied: CaCl₂ with ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid and two low soluble salts (CaHPO₄ and CaCO₃). Those were incorporated by internal setting in an alginate matrix with varying Ca²⁺ concentration ( ) and ratio. With the addition of Ca²⁺, the tensile strength and elongation at break of the cast alginate films increased. This was optimal for a of 0.010–0.015 g (g alginate)^?1 dependent on the crosslinking agent. The decrease in water vapor and oxygen permeability due to crosslinking was independent of the crosslinking agent. However, the optimal aiming to decrease permeability was different for the crosslinking agents: CaHPO₄ showed best results at a of 0.010 g (g alginate)^?1, CaCl₂ at 0.012 g (g alginate)^?1, and CaCO₃ at 0.027 g (g alginate)^?1. Upon all analyzed properties CaHPO₄ was the most promising crosslinking agent for alginate. Moreover, selected alginate formulations were successfully processed in a continuous lacquering plant. The produced two‐layer systems have very low oxygen permeabilities which can be further reduced by crosslinking. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 45754.     

Cellulose nanofibrils in biobased multilayer films for food packaging

The aim of this study was to evaluate a thin, TEMPO‐oxidized (2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine‐1‐oxyl–mediated oxidation) cellulose nanofibril (CNF) coating as a barrier layer in multilayer packaging films together with biobased polyethylenes. The purpose was also to explore the possible interactions between food products and the biobased films, and to evaluate the feasibility of these films for packaging of dry foods. CNF provided the biobased multilayer films with an oxygen barrier suitable for both demanding food products and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). The MAP pouches made of these multilayer films retained their atmosphere and shape and protected ground hazelnuts from further oxidation for the storage time used in this study. However, irradiation used to sterilize packed foods and aroma compounds from clove in particular impaired the oxygen barrier property of the CNF layer, while the water vapor barrier property of the multilayer films remained unaffected. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44830.     

Bioplastic based on 1,8‐octanediol‐plasticized feather keratin: A material for food packaging and biomedical applications

Keratin without plasticizer produces fragile films. 1,8‐Octanediol (OD) was used as a plasticizer to modify keratin films in this study. Two keratins with different structures were extracted from duck feather, including reduced keratin (RK) and native keratin (NK). Formaldehyde was used as the crosslinking agent for RK to prepare crosslinked keratin (CK) films. The addition of OD toughened the CK and RK films. In particular, the plasticized CK films demonstrated good mechanical properties and had satisfactory water resistance. The water vapor permeability varied between 0.106 and 0.808 g/(m s Pa) for CK films without OD and with 0.30 g OD/g keratin, respectively, and the tensile strength decreased from 12.1 to 8.0 MPa and the elongation at break increased from 2.3% to 11.6%. Cell culture experiments suggest that OD‐plasticized NK films are biocompatible. In general, OD‐plasticized keratin films can find applications in food packaging and biomedical materials. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46516.     

Preparation and characterization of poly(vinyl alcohol)/gum tragacanth/cellulose nanocomposite film

The effects of gum tragacanth obtained from two species of Astragalus Gossypinus (GT-G) and A. Parrowianus (GT-P) at two levels of 10% and 30% combined with cellulose nanofibers (CNF; 5%) on the physico-mechanical and structural properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanocomposite film were investigated in this study. The water solubility and water vapor permeability of the films decreased with increasing the content of both gums, especially in the film containing 30% GT-P. The highest values of the tensile strength (39.3 MPa) and elongation at break (445%) belonged to the treatment containing 10% GT-P (90/10P/0). The FTIR and DSC analyses confirmed good interactions between GT and PVA in the 90/10P/0 treatment. SEM images indicated the dense structure of this film as the optimum treatment. Although the presence of CNF in the films containing GT-G improved some properties, especially the Young modulus, it impaired all the functional properties of nanocomposite GT-P film.     

Effect of different biopolymers and polymers on the mechanical and permeation properties of extruded PHBV cast films

The biopolymer poly‐3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate (PHBV) is a promising material for packaging applications but its high brittleness is challenging. To address this issue, PHBV was blended with nine different biopolymers and polymers in order to improve the processing and mechanical properties of the films. Those biopolymers were TPS, PBAT, a blend of PBAT + PLA, a blend of PBAT + PLA + filler, PCL and PBS, and the polymers TPU, PVAc, and EVA. The extruded cast films were analyzed in detail (melting temperature, crystallinity, mechanical properties, permeation properties, and surface topography). A decrease in crystallinity and Young's modulus and an increase in elongation at break and permeability were observed with increasing biopolymer/polymer concentration. In PHBV‐rich blends (≥70 wt % PHBV), the biopolymers/polymers PCL, PBAT, and TPU increased the elongation at break while only slightly increasing the permeability. Larger increases in the permeability were found for the films with PBS, PVAc, and EVA. The films of biopolymer/polymer‐rich blends (with PBAT, TPU, and EVA) had significantly different properties than pure PHBV. A strong effect on the properties was measured assuming that at certain biopolymer/polymer concentrations the coherent PHBV network is disrupted. The interpretation of the permeation values by the Maxwell–Garnett theory confirms the assumption of a phase separation. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46153.     

Mechanical and barrier properties of soy protein isolate films plasticized with a mixture of glycerol and dendritic polyglycerol

Soy protein isolate (SPI) films plasticized with different contents of short and linear glycerol (G) and hyperbranched dendritic polyglycerol (DPG) in the presence of water were prepared for the first time with kneading and compression molding; these were analyzed in relation to their visual, morphological, microstructural, mechanical, and water‐ and oxygen‐barrier properties. It was shown that the film prepared with a mixture of 15G15DPG (where the numbers represent the weight percentage of the respective compound) had a higher tensile strength (∼14.4%), lower elongation at break (∼85.7%), and improved water‐barrier (∼54.6%) and oxygen‐barrier (∼84.1%) properties compared to the SPI film plasticized only with 30G. The attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared spectra of the plasticized SPI films indicated that such properties were related to the approximately 11.3% higher conversion of SPI from the α‐helical conformation to the intramolecular β‐sheet structures for the 15G15DPG films. This resulted in finer films with lower surface roughnesses and surface areas. On the other hand, further increases in G and DPG revealed an opposite effect and worsened the properties; this was much more pronounced by the increased DPG amount because of SPI unfolding and aggregation and resulted in microporous films. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41837.     

Active packaging material based on buriti oil – Mauritia flexuosa L.f. (Arecaceae) incorporated into chitosan films

Active and biodegradable materials have great potential in food packaging applications, improving the safety and quality of products. The objective of this study was to develop a new material based on buriti oil incorporated into a chitosan film. Different concentrations of buriti oil in dried films (2.1 g/m², 10.4 g/m², 20.8 g/m², and 31.3 g/m²) were added into a chitosan matrix (41.7 g/m²). The chitosan/buriti oil films were characterized by water‐vapor barrier properties, total water‐soluble matter (TSM), tensile properties, thermogravimetric analysis, microstructure, microbial permeation properties, and biodegradation estimation. The higher oil concentration improved the water‐vapor barrier and the buriti oil acted largely as a plasticizer and increased the elongation at break, and decreased the tensile strength (TS) of chitosan films. The total water‐soluble matter of chitosan films decreased in function of the buriti oil concentration, but the biodegradation and thermal stability increased. The chitosan films presented a microbial barrier against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43210.     

Polyhydroxyalkanoate coatings restrict moisture uptake and associated loss of barrier properties of thermoplastic starch films

This work investigates the use of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) films as moisture barriers for thermoplastic starch (TPS) films, to produce biodegradable, multi‐layer materials with high gas barrier properties. This is a necessary extension to the limited work available on this topic and confirms that PHAs are suitable coating materials for TPS films intended for use in food packaging. Under storage conditions of up to 75% relative humidity (RH) for 2 weeks, a PHA coating maintained the moisture content (MC) of the TPS below the point at which its barrier properties were detrimentally affected. Furthermore, for PHBV coating thicknesses of 91–115 μm, the MC of the TPS remains significantly lower than uncoated TPS for the duration of the experiment (>25 days). The flux of water into the coated TPS fit to a model based on Fick's law. However, when the multi‐layered films were stored at 95% RH delamination occurred within 24 h. Preliminary investigation into possible material design improvements showed that the addition of a small amount of PHA to the TPS layer prolonged the time to delamination. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46379.     

Encapsulation of cinnamaldehyde into nanostructured chitosan films

Recently, bioactive chitosan films featuring naturally derived essential oils have attracted much attention due to their intrinsic antimicrobial properties and applicability to a broad range of applications. Previously, the ability to form thick (t > 100 µm), chitosan‐essential oil films via solution casting has been demonstrated. However, the fabrication of well characterized ultrathin films (t < 200 nm) that contain essential oils remain unreported. Here, we systematically investigate increasing the incorporation of an essential oil, cinnamaldehyde (CIN) into ultrathin chitosan films. Films with and without the surfactant Span^®80 were spin‐coated. Qualitatively, films exhibited well‐defined structural color, which quantitatively ranged from 145 to 345 nm thick. Release studies confirmed that a 6× higher release of CIN was enabled by Span^®80 versus the chitosan control films, 30 µg versus 5 µg, respectively. These results suggest that nanostructured chitosan‐CIN coatings hold potential to delay bacterial colonization on a range of surfaces, from indwelling medical device to food processing surfaces. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41739.     

PLA/functionalized‐gum arabic based bionanocomposite films for high gas barrier applications

The present work focuses on the microwave synthesis of lactic acid‐grafted‐gum arabic (LA‐g‐GA) by polycondensation reaction and its influence as an additive to improve the gas barrier properties of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) films, prepared by solution casting method. It is observed that during the synthesis of LA‐g‐GA, hydrophilic gum is converted into hydrophobic due to grafting of in situ grown hydrophobic oligo‐(lactic acid). Subsequently, PLA/LA‐g‐GA bionanocomposite films are fabricated and characterized for structural, thermal, mechanical and gas barrier properties. Path breaking reduction in oxygen permeability (OP) of ～10 folds is achieved in case of PLA films containing LA‐g‐GA as filler. However, water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) is reduced up to 27% after 5 wt % addition of filler. Reduction in OP of this order of magnitude enables the PLA to compete with PET in term of enhancing shelf life and maintaining the food quality. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43458.     

Water-repellent films from corn protein and tomato cutin

Flexible and hydrophobic biobased films were obtained using zein esterified with methanol and para-toluene (p-toluene) sulfonic acid, cutin from tomato peels and ethanol. Esterification was confirmed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance and attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). Non-modified zein films were brittle and hydrophilic. ATR-FTIR demonstrated that zein esterification increased zein hydrophobicity. Without cutin, esterified zein films were hydrophobic but brittle. Addition of cutin yielded films that were flexible and hydrophobic, as demonstrated by contact angle measurements. Principal component analysis (PCA) of ATR-FTIR data showed that intensities at 3195 cm⁻¹ and 3490 cm⁻¹ were correlated to the relative hydrophobicity of zein films. PCA also showed that films of esterified zein and cutin were more hydrophobic than their counterparts (non-modified zein without cutin). Optical and scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that esterified zein was compatible with cutin and yielded cohesive films, which did not fracture upon bending.     

Modification and extrusion coating of polylactic acid films

Polyethylene (PE) extrusion coating on paper substrates are the traditional packing material for coffee cups and take‐out food containers. It is difficult to recycle the PE/paper laminates and the thin polymer films remain in landfills after the decomposition of their paper substrates. Disposal of plastic materials is causing serious effects on our environment and wildlife. Demand for compostable or biodegradable plastic packaging products is increasing because of consumer pressure and legislation. Biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) is regarded as one of the most promising biopolymers with a large market potential, but its applications are limited by poor thermal stability, mechanical properties and processibility. We utilize modified gelatin as additives to improve PLA's performance without compromizing the biomass origin and compostable properties of the material. Extrusion coating, or extrusion casting, of polylactic acid (PLA) films onto paper substrates to form PLA/paper laminates was achieved by modification of the polymer with a plant or animal gelatin. Various paper substrates with thin PLA coatings were prepared using a conventional extrusion coating equipment for the fabrication of take‐out food containers and coffee cups. Melt rheology of PLA and adhesion of the resulting thin film were greatly improved in the presence of a small amount of gelatin in the polymer matrices. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42472.     

Removal of Pb2+ and Cd2+ from drinking water using polysaccharide extract isolated from cactus pads (Opuntia ficus indica)

The use of a polysaccharide extract isolated from cactus pads (Opuntia ficus indica) as a low‐cost adsorbent for the removal of Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺ from water was investigated. The Brunauer?Emmett?Teller study showed that the surface area of the extract powder was approximately 2.373 m²/g. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry was used to monitor changes in ion concentrations during the adsorption. The adsorption mechanism was studied as a function of physicochemical variables such as initial metal ion concentration, adsorbent dosage, contact time, and pH of the solution. The results indicated that the adsorption percentage of the two cations increased with contact time, attaining equilibrium at 150 and 120 min for Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺, respectively. At these optimal times, the adsorption capacity of Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺ increased with increasing pH. Langmuir, Freundlich, Toth, Dubinin–Radushkevich, Sips, and Redlich–Peterson isotherm models were thereafter applied to understand the adsorption mechanism. The qe plot against C_e for the Toth isotherm model had the best fit with low error values and the highest correlation coefficient (R²) values of 0.9973 and 0.9953 for Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺, respectively. Therefore, the isotherm study reveals that the adsorption mechanism involved is complex because of the presence of different interactions (such as ionic exchange and coagulation), yielding maximum adsorption capacities of 256 and 151 gm/L for Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺, respectively. Generally, the polysaccharide extract exhibited higher adsorption capacity of Pb²⁺ than of Cd²⁺ under similar conditions. Besides the removal capacities reported in this study, the adsorbent regeneration and its reusability was also investigated. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43913.     

Humidity regulation by stretched PP and PLA films with dispersed CaCl2

Polymer materials that regulate the relative humidity in their environment are relevant for applications in the packaging and building sectors. By integration of salts in polymer structures, such materials are able to absorb and desorb high amounts of water vapor. In this study, films of polylactic acid and polypropylene with dispersed calcium chloride (2 and 4 wt %) were produced and biaxially stretched to induce the formation of cavities. The resulting cavities in these films account up to 10 vol % and are able to contain emerging calcium chloride solution formed by water vapor absorption. These films absorb reversibly up to 15 wt % water vapor at 75% relative humidity at 23 °C. This absorption behavior is described by effective diffusion and effective sorption coefficients. Using a simple model, the effective water vapor diffusion coefficient of these films can be estimated from the permeation coefficient of the polymer and the sorption coefficient of the absorber. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 45713.     

Thermoplastic films from plant proteins

Films developed by thermoprocessing of plant proteins have better mechanical properties and are relatively inexpensive and environmentally friendly compared to casting films from solutions. Common plant proteins such as soyproteins, wheat gluten, and corn zein and proteins from lesser grown cereal crops such as peanut, barley, sunflower, and sorghum have all been injection or compression molded into films. Since plant proteins are non‐thermoplastic, it is necessary to chemically or physically modify the proteins and make them thermoplastic. Extensive studies on the addition of plasticizers, pre‐treatment of proteins with alkali, steam, chemical modifications such as acetylation and blending of the proteins with other biopolymers and synthetic polymers have been done to modify proteins and develop thermoplastics. Despite the extensive work, thermoplastic films obtained from plant proteins do not have the properties that can meet or exceed properties of films made from synthetic polymers. Poor water stability and brittleness are the two major limitations of plant protein films. This review presents an overview of the methods and processing conditions used to develop thermoplastic films from plant proteins and the properties of the films. A critical assessment of approaches that have been used so far, limitations of these approaches and potential considerations for future studies to overcome the current limitations have been discussed. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 729‐738, 2013     

Antioxidant and physicochemical properties of blended films based on gelatin‐sodium caseinate activated with natural extracts

Blend films of pigskin gelatin (GEL) and sodium caseinate (SCas) with boldo (B), guarana (G), cinnamon (C), or rosemary (R) extracts added were studied. SCas and extracts addition in blend films significantly increased the gloss and better UV barrier of GEL100 films. Extracts incorporation significantly decreased the rigidity and elongation of GEL100 films, which were significantly improved in GEL75:SCas25 blend films with extracts (EM = 295.69 ± 21.75 MPa and EB = 11.60 ± 3.43%). SCas addition not affected the TS parameter. The water vapor permeability of GEL100 films was reduced in blended films with extracts, showing the lowest value for GEL75:SCas25 + R (0.99 ± 0.07 × 10¹⁰ g s^?1 m^?1 Pa^?1). FTIR and microstructure analyses showed good compatibility for all components. The antioxidant activity of GEL100 was significantly increased with SCas and extracts addition (GEL50:SCas50 + R = 4.31 ± 0.11 mM ), suggesting the application of these films as an active food packaging material. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134 , 44467.     

Effect of annealing on morphologies and performances of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose/hydroxypropyl starch blends

The morphologies and performances of the blends of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), which is a thermal gel, and hydroxypropyl starch (HPS), which is a cooling gel, provides a scientific model to understand the relationship between the microstructure and performance of the unique thermal/cooling gel system. The films based on these blends have been developed for various applications, such as food packaging and medicine capsules, mainly for improving processibility. The morphologies and performance of the blends strongly depend on annealing or storage conditions and time since they are neither miscible nor compatible. This work focuses on the effects of storage conditions and time on the morphologies and performance of the blend films. It was found that the morphologies of the blend system depend on temperature, moisture, and annealing time. Correspondently, the gas permeability and mechanical properties of the film were also environmentally and time dependent. When HPS is continuous phase, the annealing results in starch recrystallization, which increases rigidity. When HPMC is the continuous phase, the materials showed less moisture sensitivity. Starch recrystallization and phase separation, which resulted in microcracks on the surface of the films, are the main reasons for the reduction in gas barrier and elongation. This work will study these issues using scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, mechanical testing and establish their relationship.     

Effect of storage temperature and time on stability of poly(lactide)–whey protein isolate laminated films

The stability of biopolymeric multilayer film fabricated from poly(lactide) (PLA) and glycerol‐plasticized whey protein isolate (WPI), PLA/WPI/PLA, at 4 °C, 25 °C, and 35 °C were examined. The PLA/WPI/PLA film showed small rates of decreasing in transparency and increasing total color difference. Storage at 35 °C caused the film to become stronger and less extendible. The multilayer structures showed lower tensile strength and higher elongation over storage at 4 °C and 25 °C. Oxygen and water vapor barrier abilities of PLA/WPI/PLA gradually improved over time, especially at 35 °C. The changes in properties of laminate structure can be empirically fitted with either zero‐ or first‐order reaction kinetics, with overall R² ≥ 0.90. The results suggested that PLA/WPI/PLA film could be stored at 4–35 °C, 50–59% RH, for extended period of inventory time. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43547.