Blend films of chitosan/starch

Abstract

Chitosan-starch blend films were prepared, and their structure and properties were studied by FT-IR, X-ray diffraction, SEM and measurement of tensile strength. IR spectra and SEM analysis showed that the two polysaccharides were compatible, when the starch was less than 30% by weight. From X-ray diffraction patterns of blend fllms, it was observed that crystallization of starch was inhibited, and recrystallization of chitosan was also affected by starch. Crystal form I, one of the main two crystal forms of chitosan, drastically increased in 30% starch content films. These results indicated that the interactions between chitosan and starch molecules exist in the blend films. The tensile strength of the film were improved when chitosan and starch were blended by weight ratios of 8∶2 and 7∶3, in which the highest tensile strength (781 kg/cm2) was achieved.