Industrial applications of starch films are limited due to their poor mechanical properties. Crosslinking is one of the common methods to enhance the mechanical properties of starch films. However, most of the crosslinkers, such as gluteraldehyde, phosphorus oxychloride, sodium trimetaphosphate, and epichlorohydrin, are either toxic, expensive or with low crosslinking efficiencies. In this research, the approach of using oxidized sucrose to crosslink corn starch films to improve their strength and stability was studied. The chemical and molecular structures of the films were examined using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), H-NMR, Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Mechanical properties of crosslinked films and non-crosslinked films were studied to verify the crosslinking effects of oxidized sucrose.

Crosslinking of starch films with a bio-based crosslinker

248th National Meeting (2014)

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