Composites of thermoplastic cassava starch (TPS) and nanosilica (SiO 2 ) were prepared by the melting method. The effect of nano-SiO 2 on the retrogradation properties and structures of cassava starch was investigated. The retrogradation degree of TPS/ nano-SiO 2 composites increased with increasing retrogradation time. The retrogradation rate of TPS significantly increased after the addition of nano-SiO 2 , but excessive nano-SiO 2 content leads to a decrease in the retrogradation rate of TPS. According to the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results, the retrogradation degree of TPS/nano-SiO 2 composites increased with the increase of retrogradation time and addition of nano-SiO 2 . Scanning electron microscopy analysis indicated that nano-SiO 2 particles were uniformly and finely dispersed in the starch materials, but the nano-SiO 2 particles aggregated in the cassava starch with a further increase in nano-SiO 2 content. X-ray diffraction revealed that the crystalline structure of the starch was gradually altered from A-type to Vtype with the increase of retrogradation time. TPS/SiO 2 composites indicated a mixture of A1V types, and the intensity of the Vtype strengthened with the increase of retrogradation time and SiO 2 content. Polarized light microscopy analysis revealed clear Maltese cross patterns, and the number of spherulites in TPS/nano-SiO 2 composites increased with increasing retrogradation time and nano-SiO 2 content, but the retrogradation of starch was inhibited with further increases of nano-SiO 2 content.
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