Loong, Ye Heng
(2021)
Development And Characterization Of Polylactic
Acid/ Porous Corn Starch – Inclusion Complex
Blend Film Containing Thymol.
Project Report.
Universiti Sains Malaysia.
(Submitted)
Abstract
Polylactic acid is a bio – based polyester, widely applied in the field of food
packaging due to its biodegradability, recyclability and non – toxicity nature.
However, it is accompanied by drawbacks such as high brittleness, poor thermal
stability and barrier properties. In the past, various attempts of improving the
functional properties of polylactic acid has been made. Blending of polylactic acid
with porous corn starch, which is a type of modified starch equipped with large pore
cavities suitable for the formation of inclusion complex, however, has yet been
explored. The aim of this research was to fabricate a polylactic acid/porous corn
starch – inclusion complex blend film with thymol as the active compound via co –
precipitation for the formation of inclusion complex and compression molding for
film formation, to determine its effect on the mechanical, thermal, and water vapor
barrier properties of polylactic acid. Based on the Fourier - transform infrared
spectroscopy result, absorption peaks observed in PLA – inclusion complex film
samples, which corresponded to C=O stretching (1749.44 cm-1), C-H bending
(1452.40, 1381.03, and 1359.82 cm-1), C-O stretching (1267.23, 1182.36, 1128.36,
and 1082.07 cm-1), CO-O stretching (1045.42 cm-1), were found to be identical with
pure polylactic acid film, indicating a high miscibility between inclusion complex
and polylactic acid film. Incorporation of inclusion complex into polylactic acid film
was further confirmed through the depression of onset degradation temperature of
polylactic acid – inclusion complex film to 292.0℃ due to the presence of thymol in
polylactic acid film with a lower degradation temperature.
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
