The composite films of sago starch were prepared by incorporation of various amount of kaolinite (K) and kaolinite intercalated by dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (KD) via solution blending method in order to reduce the water vapor transmission and enhance mechanical properties of starch based films. The kaolinite intercalation by DMSO and the composite films were characterized by using X‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscope techniques. The result showed that well‐dispersed kaolinite layers were delaminated in the starch matrix attesting to intercalate and exfoliate composite films. The effect of kaolinite content on the water vapor transmission and tensile properties of the composite films was investigated. The water vapor transmission of the starch film (neat starch film ca. 0.132 g.cm3/h) decreased with the addition of K and KD to the starch. It was also observed that the maximum tensile strength (5.18 MPa) was attained for the composite film with 4% by weight of clay content. The improvement in the tensile strength and modulus of starch‐based composites was due to the strong interfacial interaction between matrix and kaolinite clay, correlating to the change of morphology of the starch composite films as revealed by scanning electron microscopy.
Biocomposite films from cassava starch (CS) blended with natural rubber (NR) compatibilized with nanoclay were prepared. Three types of nanoclays, that is, montmorillonite (MMT), kaolinite (KAO) and intercalated kaolinite (DKAO) were used with various content of 2, 4, 6 and 8 wt%, respectively. The mechanical property, water vapor transmission and water solubility of CS/NR composite films were investigated and the interaction of constituents in the CS/NR composites was also characterized by using x-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope and dynamic mechanical analysis. The results revealed that the addition of clays considerably improved both the tensile property and water resistance over the pristine starch and CS/ NR film. Biocomposite film with 4 wt% of MMT exhibited minimum water vapor transmission and solubility in water content. The tensile strength of CS/ NR composites significantly increased while the elongation at break of composites tended to decrease with the increasing nanoclay content. Both mechanical and physical properties were attributed to strong interaction by forming the intercalated structure of MMT and exfoliated structure of DKAO within biocomposites while less interaction was obtained in the case of KAO. The compatibilizing effect of nanoclay in CS/NR composites was also indicated that the glass transition temperature (T g ) of NR or CS-glycerol phase shifted to higher T g than that of CS/NR film.
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