Journal article
Composite Films of Arabinoxylan and Fibrous Sepiolite: Morphological, Mechanical, and Barrier Properties
Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark1
CHEC Research Centre, Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark2
KTH Royal Institute of Technology3
University of Copenhagen4
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research5
The Danish Polymer Centre, Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark6
Hemicelluloses represent a largely unutilized resource for future bioderived films in packaging and other applications. However, improvement of film properties is needed in order to transfer this potential into reality. In this context, sepiolite, a fibrous clay, was investigated as an additive to enhance the properties of rye flour arabinoxylan.
Composite films cast from arabinoxylan solutions and sepiolite suspensions in water were transparent or semitransparent at additive loadings in the 2.5−10 wt % range. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the sepiolite was well dispersed in the arabinoxylan films and sepiolite fiber aggregation was not found.
FT-IR spectroscopy provided some evidence for hydrogen bonding between sepiolite and arabinoxylan. Consistent with these findings, mechanical testing showed increases in film stiffness and strength with sepiolite addition and the effect of poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether (mPEG) plasticizer addition.
Incorporation of sepiolite did not significantly influence the thermal degradation or the gas barrier properties of arabinoxylan films, which is likely a consequence of sepiolite fiber morphology. In summary, sepiolite was shown to have potential as an additive to obtain stronger hemicellulose films although other approaches, possibly in combination with the use of sepiolite, would be needed if enhanced film barrier properties are required for specific applications.
Language: | English |
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Publisher: | American Chemical Society (ACS) |
Year: | 2012 |
Pages: | 3378-3386 |
ISSN: | 19448252 and 19448244 |
Types: | Journal article |
DOI: | 10.1021/am3002956 |
ORCIDs: | Sárossy, Zsuzsa |