Fabrication and Characterization of Poly(hydroxybutyrate)- and Poly(caprolactone)-Based Active Biodegradable Films...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Food Science

Background:

• Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) films suffer from fragility and high cost.
• Polycaprolactone (PCL) offers complementary properties to PHB.
• Active compounds can impart additional functionalities to biodegradable films.

Purpose of the Study:

• To overcome the limitations of PHB-based films by blending with PCL.
• To incorporate allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) as an active component.
• To evaluate the physicochemical, mechanical, barrier, thermal, morphological, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties of the developed films for food packaging applications.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of PHB, PCL, and PHB/PCL composite films via the casting method.
• Incorporation of allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) into the films.
• Comprehensive analysis including mechanical testing (tensile strength, elongation at break), barrier property evaluation (water vapor permeability), thermal analysis (DSC), morphological studies (SEM), and assessment of antimicrobial and antioxidant activities.

Main Results:

• PHB/PCL blend films exhibited lower tensile strength but significantly higher elongation at break compared to neat PHB films.
• AITC incorporation enhanced antimicrobial and antioxidant activities remarkably, with significant inhibition zones and antioxidant capacity observed.
• PHB/PCL blend films showed higher water vapor permeability, while neat PHB and PCL films offered better barrier properties individually.

Conclusions:

• Successfully developed AITC-activated PHB, PCL, and PHB/PCL films with enhanced functionalities.
• The developed active films demonstrate significant potential for active biodegradable food packaging applications.
• Blending PHB with PCL and incorporating AITC offers a promising strategy to improve film properties and add value for food packaging.