Wettability and Functionality of Extruded Potato Starch Films Enriched with Edible Oil

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Science
• Surface Chemistry

Background:

• Potato starch extrudates were chemically modified using potassium carbonate (K2CO3).
• Previous studies investigated analogous extrudates as dry powders and liquid solutions.
• Edible oils (rapeseed, sunflower) were incorporated at 3%, 6%, and 9% concentrations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the surface properties of polysaccharide films.
• To evaluate the influence of oil type and concentration on film characteristics.
• To assess wettability, biocompatibility, transparency, color, thickness, flexibility, and solubility.

Main Methods:

• Measurement of advancing and receding contact angles for water, formamide, and diiodomethane.
• Determination of surface free energy using the contact angle hysteresis (CAH) model.
• Surface morphology and roughness evaluation via optical profilometry.
• Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis.

Main Results:

• Oil enrichment significantly impacted the wettability and surface free energy of the starch films.
• Optical profilometry corroborated wettability findings through surface morphology analysis.
• FTIR analysis provided insights into chemical modifications and oil incorporation.

Conclusions:

• Combining contact angle measurements, profilometry, and FTIR offers comprehensive characterization of starch films.
• Improved control over film stability and wettability is achievable through oil modification.
• These findings are crucial for optimizing starch films in food and pharmaceutical industries for enhanced product preservation.