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Improved mechanical and thermal properties of gelatin films using a nano inorganic filler
Author(s) -
Wu Xiaomeng,
Liu Yaowei,
Wang Wenhang,
Han Yue,
Liu Anjun
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of food process engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.507
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1745-4530
pISSN - 0145-8876
DOI - 10.1111/jfpe.12469
Subject(s) - gelatin , materials science , composite material , ultimate tensile strength , nanoscopic scale , elongation , composite number , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , chemistry , engineering , biochemistry
To fabricate gelatin films with excellent mechanical and thermal properties, nanoscale hydroxyapatite (nHA) was introduced into a gelatin matrix. The effect of added nHA content (0–20 wt %) on the physicochemical properties of the nHA‐gelatine films was investigated. Morphology analyses confirmed that the nHA particles were tightly and uniformly incorporated into the gelatin matrix. The thickness, water vapor permeability, light transmission, and moisture content of the films varied considerably depending on the added nHA amount. The addition of 15 wt % nHA increased the tensile strength of the gelatin films to 58.38 MPa but decreased the elongation to 27.85%. Furthermore, adding nHA improved the thermal properties, with the highest melting temperature of 80.98°C for the 10 wt % nHA‐reinforced film. Few changes in the conformation of the gelatin molecule were observed. Therefore, based on the particle nature and good compatibility with gelatin, nHA reinforcement provides a potential approach to improve gelatin film performance in food packaging field. Practical Applications To improve the performance of gelatin films and to fabricate gelatin films with great mechanical and thermal properties, nanoscale hydroxyapatite (nHA), which was used to fabricate biomaterials with excellent mechanical properties, added into a gelatin matrix to produce nHA‐gelatin films. The aim of this article is to explore the potential application of the nHA‐gelatin composite film in mainly food‐contacted packing material field, focusing on its corresponding properties, such as mechanical characteristics, barrier capacity, thermostablity, and so on. It is different from the previous researches, with an emphasis on bio‐material properties. Therefore, the biocompatible and biodegradable gelatin‐nHA composite films were developed in this study.