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Water sorption and physicomechanical properties of corn starch‐based films
Author(s) -
Kuorwel Kuorwel K.,
Cran Marlene J.,
Sonneveld Kees,
Miltz Joseph,
Bigger Stephen W.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.38213
Subject(s) - absorption of water , thermoplastic , relative humidity , materials science , starch , polyester , composite material , sorption , absorption (acoustics) , corn starch , moisture , humidity , chemical engineering , polymer chemistry , chemistry , organic chemistry , adsorption , physics , engineering , thermodynamics
The mechanical performance of thermoplastic starch (TPS) films and films made of TPS blended with an aliphatic polyester (APTPS) was investigated after exposure to water mixtures of various compositions and different levels of relative humidity (RH). Conditioning of TPS films at various RH levels resulted in a noticeable absorption of moisture, particularly at high RH levels, and their mechanical properties decreased significantly. High magnification imaging of the films revealed the presence of significant microcracking on the surface of the TPS films which could potentially result in the increased water absorption and consequent reduction in mechanical integrity. The APTPS film was free of any visible microscopic defects and was also less susceptible to water ingress. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2013