Characterization of edible gum cordia film: Effects of plasticizers

- Stand-alone film from gum cordia was fabricated using different plasticizers.
- All plasticizers were found to be miscible with the polymer.
- Gum cordia film was found to be good in tensile properties.
- Glycerol was found to be most influential on film properties.

Gum Cordia based edible films were fabricated as a function of plasticizer type and concentration and their thermal, mechanical and gas permeation were investigated. Solution casting method was adopted for film fabrication. Glycerol, sorbitol, PEG 200 and PEG 400 in the range of 0.1-0.3 g g−1 dry polymer weight basis were used as plasticizer. Film properties were found to be dependent on the plasticizer type and concentration. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy revealed some interaction between plasticizers and the polymer. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) supported that plasticizers were miscible with the polymer. The glass transition temperature was found to be between −66 and −11 °C. Mechanically, gum Cordia films were found to have good tensile strength (>10 MPa) and elongation at break (>10%). The most pronounced change in tensile property was exerted by glycerol followed by sorbitol, PEG 200 and PEG 400 respectively. Water vapor permeability was found to be in the range 0.91-5.5 × 10−10 g m−1 s−1 Pa−1. Oxygen permeability was found to be between 0.16 and 5.31 × 10−15 g m−1 s−1 Pa−1.