The physical, mechanical, thermal and barrier properties of starch nanoparticle (SNP)/polyurethane (PU) nanocomposite films synthesised by an ultrasound-assisted process

Bibliometric study and potential applications in the development of starch films with nanocellulose: A perspective from 2019 to 2023

This study aimed to perform a bibliometric analysis of starch films with nanocellulose, using the Scopus database and VOSviewer and Bibliometrix software. A total of 258 documents were identified between 2019 and 2023, reflecting a growing interest in research, particularly in journals such as the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, Polymers, and Carbohydrate Polymers. The most common terms were "starch" (349 occurrences), "cellulose" (207), and "tensile strength" (175). China (58 articles), Brazil (38), and India (33) led scientific production, with authors like Ilyas (13 articles) and Sapuan (10) at the forefront. Approximately 41.7 % of the studies used corn starch. The analysis revealed that 66 % of the studies investigated films with cellulose nanofibrils (CNF), 32 % with cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), and 2 % with bacterial nanocellulose (CB). The majority of studies (94.1 %) used the casting method for film production. Additionally, 35.44 % focused on reinforcing films with nanocellulose, while 7 % developed blends with other biopolymers. About 59.44 % examined the performance of starch films for food packaging, 11.25 % explored practical applications in various foods. Furthermore, 7.94 % incorporated active agents to improve antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, 1.30 % investigated active packaging. Moreover, 2.36 % explored the use of films in materials engineering, and 2.36 % explored biomedical potential. Only 0.40 % evaluated the impact of films on wastewater treatment. The analysis highlights the potential of starch films with nanocellulose, demonstrating their diverse applications and the growing interest in the field.

Development of Hematite Nano Ellipsoids/Pectin Composite Films for Green Packaging Applications

Synthetic packaging materials are known to cause serious environmental and human health problems. Among the eco-friendly biopolymers from nonfood sources that are suitable for packaging applications, pectin is a promising candidate. However, native pectin films (NPF) exhibit poor mechanical strength, high hydrophilicity, and poor gas diffusion barrier properties. These shortcomings offset the advantages of pectin as a potential packaging material. To address these limitations, in this study, hematite nano ellipsoids (HNEs) were incorporated as fillers to reinforce native pectin films. This reinforcement resulted in substantial improvements in the mechanical properties, hydrophobicity, thermal stability, barrier properties, and optical attributes of pectin films. Compared to NPF, the pectin-hematite composite film exhibited a 35% increase in tensile strength, a 30° increase in contact angle, a 6-fold increase in the oxygen diffusion barrier properties, and a 20% increase in the water vapor barrier properties. This study presents a sustainable, biocompatible, and biodegradable packaging solution by capitalizing on eco-friendly biopolymer and nanoparticle engineering.

Effect of ultrasound/CaCl2 co-treatment on the microstructure, gelatinization, and film-forming properties of high amylose corn starch

The effect of ultrasound/CaCl2 co-treatment on aggregation structure, thermal stability, rheological, and film properties of high amylose corn starch (HACS) was investigated. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images revealed the number of starch fragments and malformed starch granules increased after co-treatment. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results showed the co-treated HACS got a lower gelatinization temperature (92.65 ± 0.495 °C) and enthalpy values (ΔH, 4.14 ± 0.192 J/g). The optical microscope images indicated that lesser Maltase crosses were observed in co-treated HACS. The results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated ultrasound influenced the compactness of amorphous zone and CaCl2 damaged the crystalline region of HACS granules. Additionally, the rheology properties of HACS dispersion demonstrated the apparent viscosity of co-treated dispersion increased as the ultrasound time prolonged. The mechanical strength and structural compactness of HACS films were improved after ultrasound treatment. The mechanism of ultrasound/CaCl2 co-treatment improved the gelatinization and film-forming ability of HACS was that (i) ultrasound wave loosened the HACS granules shell, promoted the treatment of CaCl2 on HACS granules, and (ii) ultrasound wave improved the uniform distribution of HACS dispersion, increased the interaction between CaCl2 and starch chains during the process of film-forming.

Starch Nanoparticles: Preparation, Properties and Applications

Starch as a natural polymer is abundant and widely used in various industries around the world. In general, the preparation methods for starch nanoparticles (SNPs) can be classified into 'top-down' and 'bottom-up' methods. SNPs can be produced in smaller sizes and used to improve the functional properties of starch. Thus, they are considered for the various opportunities to improve the quality of product development with starch. This literature study presents information and reviews regarding SNPs, their general preparation methods, characteristics of the resulting SNPs and their applications, especially in food systems, such as Pickering emulsion, bioplastic filler, antimicrobial agent, fat replacer and encapsulating agent. The aspects related to the properties of SNPs and information on the extent of their utilisation are reviewed in this study. The findings can be utilised and encouraged by other researchers to develop and expand the applications of SNPs.

A Comprehensive Study on Starch Nanoparticle Potential as a Reinforcing Material in Bioplastic

Starch can be found in the stems, roots, fruits, and seeds of plants such as sweet potato, cassava, corn, potato, and many more. In addition to its original form, starch can be modified by reducing its size. Starch nanoparticles have a small size and large active surface area, making them suitable for use as fillers or as a reinforcing material in bioplastics. The aim of reinforcing material is to improve the characteristics of bioplastics. This literature study aims to provide in-depth information on the potential use of starch nanoparticles as a reinforcing material in bioplastic packaging. This study also reviews starch size reduction methods including acid hydrolysis, nanoprecipitation, milling, and others; characteristics of the nano-starch particle; and methods to produce bioplastic and its characteristics. The use of starch nanoparticles as a reinforcing material can increase tensile strength, reduce water vapor and oxygen permeability, and increase the biodegradability of bioplastics. However, the use of starch nanoparticles as a reinforcing material for bioplastic packaging still encounters obstacles in its commercialization efforts, due to high production costs and ineffectiveness.