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Improving the moisture barrier and mechanical properties of semi‐refined carrageenan films
Author(s) -
Sedayu Bakti B.,
Cran Marlene J.,
Bigger Stephen W.
Publication year - 2020
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.49238
Subject(s) - materials science , ultimate tensile strength , composite material , moisture , contact angle , thermal stability , elongation , chemical engineering , engineering
Semi‐refined carrageenan (SRC) films are sensitive to moisture and generally have poor mechanical properties. These factors limit their use in applications where moisture levels are high and good mechanical strength is required. This work investigated the incorporation of nanoclay (NC) into SRC film in combination with surface lamination using a thin layer of poly(caprolactone) (PCL) to enhance the barrier properties and hydrophobicity of the SRC film and concurrently improved the mechanical properties. The water vapor permeability, moisture uptake, and water solubility decreased by 92, 24, and 11%, respectively, and the water contact angle increased from 72° to 95°. The tensile strength and elongation at break increased by 17.9 and 2.8%, respectively, and the thermal stability also increased slightly. The PCL lamination was the main contributor to the enhanced barrier and mechanical properties of the films, whereas the NC inclusion contributed more to the enhanced thermal properties.