Barrier Properties of Starch - Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol Nanocomposites

Replacement of plastics used in the food industry
seems to be a serious issue to overcome mainly the environmental
problems in recent years. This study investigates the hydrophilicity
and permeability properties of starch biopolymer which ethylene
vinyl alcohol (EVOH) (0-10%) and nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC)
(1-15%) were used to enhance its properties. Starch -EVOH
nanocomposites were prepared by casting method in different
formulations. NCC production by acid hydrolysis was confirmed by
scanning electron microscopy. Solubility, water vapor permeability,
water vapor transmission rate and moisture absorbance were
measured on each of the nanocomposites. The results were analyzed
by SAS software. The lowest moisture absorbance was measured in
pure starch nanocomposite containing 8% NCC. The lowest
permeability to water vapor belongs to starch nanocomposite
containing 8% NCC and the sample containing 7.8% EVOH and 13%
NCC. Also the lowest solubility was observed in the composite
contains the highest amount of EVOH. Applied Process resulted in
production of bio films which have good resistance to water vapor
permeability and solubility in water. The use of NCC and EVOH
leads to reduced moisture absorbance property of the biofilms.

• Farid Amidi-Fazli
• Neda Amidi-Fazli

• Starch
• EVOH
• nanocrystalline cellulose
• Hydrophilicity.

[1] S. K. Park, N. S. Hettiarachchy and L. Were, Degradation behavior of
soy protein-wheat gluten films in simulated soil conditions. J. Agr.
Food. Chem. 2000, 48: 3027-3031.
[2] A. Sorrentino, G. Gorrasi and V. Vittoria, Potential perspectives of
bionanocomposites for food packaging applications. J. Trends. Food.
Sci. Tech. 2007, 18: 84-95.
[3] S. Fischer, J. De Vliegar, T. Kock, L. Batenburg and H. I, Fischer. Green
nanocomposite materials-new possibilities for bioplastics. Mater. Res.
Soc. Simp. 2001, 661: 221-226.
[4] M. G. Pereda, Amica, I. R. and N. E. Marcovich, Structure and
properties of nanocomposite films based on sodium caseinate and
nanocellulose fibers. J. Food. Eng. 2011, 103 (1): 76-83.
[5] E. M. Teixeira, D. Pasquini, A.A.S. Curvelo, E. Corradini, M.N.
Belgacem and A. Dufresne, Cassava bagasse cellulose nanofibrils
reinforced thermoplastic cassava starch. Carbohyd. Polym. 2009, 78 (3):
422-431.
[6] G. Gong, J. Pyo, A. P. Mathew and K. Oksman, Tensile behavior,
morphology and viscoelastic analysis of cellulose nanofiber-reinforced
(CNF) polyvinyl acetate (PVAc). Compos. Part A-Appl. S. 2011, 42 (9):
1275-1282.
[7] P. R. Chang, R. Jian, P. Zheng, J. Yu and X. Ma, Preparation and
properties of glycerol plasticized starch (GPS)/cellulose nanoparticle
(CN) composites. Carbohyd. Polym. 2010, 79: 301-305.
[8] X. Cao, Y. Chen, P. R. Chang, A. D. Muir and G. Falk, Starch-based
nanocomposites reinforced with flax cellulose nanocrystals. Exp. Polym.
Let. 2008, 2 (7): 502-510.
[9] M. N. Angles and A. Dufresne, Plasticized starch/tunicin whiskers
nanocomposites. Macromolecules. 2011, 34: 2921-2931.
[10] ASTM Standard test methods for water vapor transmission of
material.E96-95 Annual book of ASTM, Philadelphia, PA: American
Society for Testing and Materials, 1995.
[11] W. E. Gacitua, A. A. Ballerini and J. Zhang, Polymer nanocomposites:
synthetic and natural fillers a review. Cienciay. techn. 2005, 7 (3): 159-
178.
[12] D. Bondeson, A. Mathew and K. Oksman, Optimization of the isolation
of nanocrystals from microcrystalline cellulose by acid hydrolysis.
Cellulose. 2006, 13: 171-180.