Biodegradable baked foam made with chayotextle starch mixed with plantain flour and wood fiber

Abstract

New renewable materials are needed to reduce petroleum-based plastic packaging. The effect of plantain flour (PF) and wood fiber (WF) on the properties of starch-based foams (SBFs) were investigated. The SBFs were characterized using physical, thermal, and mechanical methods to better understand the relationship between PF and WF concentration. Contact angle values showed that the addition of WF or PF increased the hydrophobic character of the SBFs. Also, the addition of PF increased the heat transfer resistance and density of the foams, while their solubility decreased. The values of tensile strength and Young's modulus increased with increasing concentrations of PF in the SBFs. However, the addition of PF and WF promoted a decrease on the elongation at break of the SBFs. An increase in concentration of PF also showed a decrease in water vapor permeability, and an increase in the thickness of the cell wall layer of the SBFs.

Effect of size and amount of sugarcane fibers on the properties of baked foams based on plantain flour

“…This effect was evidenced by the decrease in CA values, showing values of 10.85 (º), 97.38 (º) and 84.77 (º) at concentrations of 10, 7.5 and 5 g of SF respectively, only with mesh number 30, but similar behavior was showed by mesh number 45 and 70 ( Table 2 ). The increase of the wood fiber content in the baked foams increases the crystalline portion of the foams, which in turn increased their hydrophobicity causing greater resistance to water permeability ( Vargas-Torres et al., 2017 ). In the present study, a similar phenomenon was observed.…”

“…The decrease in TC as the concentration of SF was increased indicates that SF provides higher resistance to heat transmission. Other studies report that the rate of heat transfer also depends on a better distribution of the fibers and the size of the cell in the matrix of the cooked foam materials ( Vargas-Torres et al., 2017 ). In the present study, the statistical analysis (α = 0.05) showed that the concentration of SF influenced the rate of heat transfer through the different BBF samples.…”

“…Due in part to the large volume of non-biodegradable plastic used globally, researchers are looking for renewable and degradable materials that can replace plastics. This is particularly true in the manufacture of household items such as plates, packaging foams, cups and containers ( Du et al., 2012 ; Palma-Rodríguez et al., 2016 ; Vargas-Torres et al., 2017 ). One of the most biodegradable, inexpensive, and abundant renewable polymer available for use in making containers is starch ( Du et al., 2012 ; Mello and Mali, 2014 ; Palma-Rodríguez et al., 2016 ; Shey et al., 2006 ; Shogren et al., 1998 ).…”

“…Adding malt bagasse to a foam material is reported to improve mechanical properties and increase moisture resistance ( Mello and Mali, 2014 ). Vargas-Torres et al. (2017) reported that adding increasing concentrations of plantain flour to formulations based on chayotextle starch, used as a reinforcement material in baked foams, increased the hydrophobic properties of the foam, decreased its solubility and water vapor permeability, and improved its mechanical properties.…”

Starch-Based Foam Packaging Developed from a By-Product of Potato Industrialization (Solanum tuberosum L.)

“…Tests concerning the solubility of the forms were performed in triplicate following the methodology proposed by Torres et al [21]. More specifically, 3 × 3 cm samples were cut and stored for seven days in a desiccator with silica, with an ambient temperature of approximately 24 • C. The samples were then weighed and placed in glass beakers containing 80 mL of distilled water.…”