The effect of starch type and glycerol content on tensile and moisture sorption properties of melt mixing prepared thermoplastic starch films

In this research, wheat, corn and potato thermoplastic starch films were prepared through melt mixing method and the effect of starch type and glycerol plasticizer content on their tensile and moisture sorption properties was investigated. The results depicted that by increasing glycerol content at studied range, the tensile strength and elastic modulus of film of all three starch types decreased significantly, while their percentage of elongation at break first raised up to certain amount and then followed a decreasing trend. Also among three thermoplastic starches, potato thermoplastic starch films had the highest tensile strength and elastic modulus and the lowest percentage of elongation at break values due to having higher amount of amylopectin content than other two thermoplastic starches. For all of three thermoplastic starches, increasing glycerol content increased moisture absorption of films so that by increasing glycerol weight percentage from 25 to 35 , the moisture absorption of wheat, corn and potato thermoplastic starch films conditioned at relative humidity of 84% for 7days, increased from 26.8, 29.9 and 36.8 to 30.8, 34.6 and 41.7 respectively. Indeed at the same environment relative humidity and glycerol content, the potato thermoplastic starch films had higher moisture absorption than wheat and corn thermoplastic starch films. The data of moisture sorption isotherm curves for the three thermoplastic starch films was modeled by Peleg model. The obtained correlation coefficients explained the suitability of this model for prediction of changes of moisture absorption of films versus water activity.