Physicochemical and morphological properties of plasticized poly(vinyl alcohol)–agar biodegradable films

The effects of the addition of glycerol (GLY) on the physicochemical and morphological properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)–agar films were reported. PVA–agar films were prepared by solution cast method, and the addition of GLY in PVA–agar films altered the optical properties, resulting in a decrease in opacity values and in the color difference (ΔE) of the films. Structural characterization using Fourier transformation infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicated that the presence of GLY altered the intensity of the bands (from 1200 to 800 cm−1) and crystallinity. The characterization of the thermal properties indicated that an increase in the agar content produces a decrease in the melting temperature and augments the heat of fusion. Similar tendencies were observed in plasticized films, but at different magnification. The formulation that demonstrated the lowest mechanical properties contained 25 wt.% agar, whereas the formulation that contained 75 wt.% agar demonstrated a significant improvement. The water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) and surface morphology analysis demonstrated that the structure of PVA–agar films is reorganized upon GLY addition. The physicochemical properties of PVA–agar films using GLY as a plasticizer provide information for the application of this formulation as packaging material for specific food applications.

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