Physical and Mechanical Properties of Biobased Materials Starch, Polylactate and Polyhydroxybutyrate

✍ Scribed by Karina Petersen; Per V. Nielsen; Mette B. Olsen

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2001
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 95 KB
• Volume: 53
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0038-9056
• DOI: 10.1002/1521-379x(200108)53:8<356::aid-star356>3.0.co;2-7

✦ Synopsis

Physical and Mechanical Properties of Biobased Materials -Starch, Polylactate and Polyhydroxybutyrate*

Commercial and semi-commercial biobased materials (Polylactate, PLA, polyhydroxybutyrate, PHB, wheat starch and corn starch) were investigated. Physical and mechanical characterisation (tensile strength, elongation, tear strength, compression, gas permeability (CO 2 and O 2 ) and water vapour permeability (WVP)) was examined. Tests on both films and cups show potential use of these materials for primary food packaging, especially PLA and PHB. An interesting O 2 :CO 2 permeability ratio (1:7 to 1:12) was seen, which make these materials suitable for packaging of food with high respiration. The mechanical properties were comparable to conventional materials such as polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS). The WVP measured on films ranged from 12.6 to 18.6 [g H 2 O/(m 2 × 24 h)], and on cups the range was 2.2 to 10.5 [g H 2 O × 700 µm/(m 2 × 24 h)]. The WVP for the starch-based materials seems to be the most crucial parameter, and needs improvement if these materials are to be used as food packaging.