Modification of mechanical and thermal property of chitosan–starch blend films

Chitosan–starch blend films (thickness 0.2 mm) of different composition were prepared by casting and their mechanical properties were studied. To improve the properties of chitosan–starch films, glycerol and mustard oil of different composition were used. Chitosan–starch films, incorporated with glycerol and mustard oil, were further modified with monomer 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) using gamma radiation. The modified films showed improvement in both tensile strength and elongation at break than the pure chitosan–starch films. Water uptake of the films reduced significantly than the pure chitosan–starch film. Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) showed that the modified films experience less thermal degradation than the pure films. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and FTIR were used to investigate the morphology and molecular interaction of the blend film, respectively.

► Chitosan–starch blend films (thickness 0.2 mm) were prepared by casting.
► To improve the properties of chitosan–starch films, glycerol and mustard oil of different composition were used.
► Chitosan–starch films, incorporated with glycerol and mustard oil, were further modified with monomer 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) using gamma radiation.
► Properties of the modified films such as tensile strength, elongation at break, water uptake, TGA, DMA, SEM, FTIR were studied.
► Results indicate that modification of chitosan–starch film with mustard oil improved the properties of the blend films which could be further modified by HEMA using gamma radiation.