The Effect of glycerol on the crystalline, thermal, and tensile properties of CaCl2-doped starch/PVA films

• Published in: Polymer composites 2016-11, Vol.37 (11), p.3191-3199
• Main Authors: Jiang, Xiancai, Luo, Yong, Hou, Linxi, Zhao, Yulai
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0272-8397; 1548-0569
• DOI: 10.1002/pc.23517

Starch/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) films with the addition of 10 wt% CaCl2 and various content of glycerol were prepared. The effect of glycerol on the crystalline, thermal, and tensile properties of CaCl2‐doped starch/PVA films was studied by X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and tensile testing, respectively. The effect of glycerol on the miscibility of CaCl2‐doped starch/PVA films was studied by scanning electron microscopy. The CaCl2‐doped starch/PVA film became more homogeneous after the addition of glycerol. The addition of glycerol would increase the crystallinity of CaCl2‐doped starch/PVA film. With the addition of 10 wt% glycerol and 10 wt% CaCl2, the starch/PVA film showed the highest degree of crystallinity. The TGA results show that the thermal stability of CaCl2‐doped starch/PVA film increased after the addition of glycerol. The toughness of CaCl2‐doped starch/PVA films was enhanced with the addition of glycerol. The starch/PVA film with the addition of 10 wt% CaCl2 and 20 wt% glycerol showed the tensile strength of 17 MPa and the elongation at break of 428%. Moreover, the water sorption of CaCl2‐doped starch/PVA film decreased after the addition of glycerol at the low and intermediate relative humidity of 33 and 54%. POLYM. COMPOS., 37:3191–3199, 2016. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers