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This study evaluated the effects of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) seed essential oil (PSO) on chitosan-based films. The results showed that the addition of PSO slightly increased thickness, while significantly decreasing the moisture content, and solubility properties. The color values of the composite films containing PSO changed noticeably, with a tendency toward light brown, which was beneficial in resisting food decomposition caused by ultraviolet light. X-Ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and Fourier-transform Infrared (FT-IR) results indicated that the addition of PSO affected the structure of the chitosan films, while the interaction between chitosan and polyphenols in PSO established new hydrogen bonds. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the surface of the PSO-containing blend films was rougher compared to the chitosan control film, and the roughness increased as the PSO content in the blend films increased. Additionally, composite films that contained PSO had substantial antibacterial action, particularly against pathogenic E. coli. In short, the novel active chitosan-based films with incorporated PSO present broad application prospects in the packaging of fresh-cut meat or vegetables. Therefore, this study will also be beneficial in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasonic-assisted extraction of buckwheat bran flavonoids (BBF) was used. The effects of pH, temperature, light condition and metal ions on the stability of flavonoids were determined. The antioxidant activity of flavonoids in vitro was analyzed by DPPH·, iron reductive force, ABTS+·, superoxide anion and other methods. The buckwheat bran flavone-chitosan blend films (BBF-CS) were prepared using BBF and chitosan (CS) as materials. The effects of adding BBF (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 mL) on the thickness, opacity, chroma, solubility and mechanical properties of the blend films were determined. The results showed that BBF was suitable for storing in a weak acid (pH5~7) environment under normal temperature and avoiding the contact of Ca2+, Fe3+and Cu2+. In vitro antioxidant activity assay revealed that BBF had significant scavenging capacity for DPPH, ABTS+ free radicals and superoxide anion, with the maximum scavenging rate of 92.1% and 87.7%, 53.81%, respectively, and the absorbance value of reducing power for iron ion reached 3.54. Compared with CS film, BBF-CS blend films had higher thickness, opacity and yellowness, while L* value, total color difference, water content, solubility, tensile strength and elongation at break was lower. The method is stable and feasible, and can be used to extract BBF with strong antioxidant activity, will provide a basis for the subsequent development of BBF-CS blend films in food active packaging resources.

Currently, food packaging is facing a critical transition period and a major challenge: it must preserve the food products' quality and, at the same time, it must meet the current requirements of the circular economy and the fundamental principles of packaging materials eco-design. Our research presents the development of eco-friendly packaging films based on Opuntia ficus-indica cladodes (OFIC) as renewable resources. OFIC powder (OFICP)-agar, OFICP–agar-gum arabic (GA), and OFICP–agar-xanthan (XG) blend films were eco-friendlily prepared by a solution casting method. The films' properties were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (X-RD), and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). Water solubility and moisture content were also determined. Morphology, thickness, molecular interactions, miscibility, crystallinity, and thermal properties, were affected by adjusting the gums (GA and XG) content and glycerol in the blend films. Moisture content increased with increasing glycerol and XG content, and when 1.5 g of GA was added. Water solubility decreased when glycerol was added at 50% and increased with increasing GA and XG content. FTIR and XRD confirmed strong intermolecular interactions between the different blend film compounds, which were reflected in the shifting, appearance, and disappearance of FTIR bands and XRD peaks, indicating excellent miscibility. DSC results revealed a glass transition temperature (Tg) below room temperature for all prepared blend films, indicating that they are flexible and soft at room temperature. The results corroborated that the addition of glycerol at 30% and the GA to the OFICP increased the stability of the film, making it ideal for different food packaging applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the ellagic acid doped Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), Chitosan (CS), PVA/CS and PVA/CS/Guar-gum blend films were prepared and coded as EA-1, EA-2, EA-3 and EA-4, respectively. The physicochemical properties of prepared films were analyzed by using different instrumental techniques. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) results revealed the good interaction and miscibility among the components of the films. The thermal stability of ellagic acid incorporated PVA film (EA-1) shown more thermal stability in contrast with other films confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) analysis. From the results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) study, the increased amorphous nature was observed for the EA-3 and EA-4 films. Surface morphology was analyzed by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) which illustrates that prepared films exhibits smooth and homogeneous surface after blending with ellagic acid. The results obtained by measuring water contact angles (WCA) revealed that all the films have hydrophilic nature. All the prepared films have exhibited good mechanical properties, hence prepared films can act as promising material for food packaging application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, gelatin-based blend films integrated with zein nanoparticles loaded with Litsea cubeba oil were prepared by solution casting using gelatin, zein and Litsea cubeba oil as film-forming substrates. The effects of nanoparticles incorporation on the opacity, microstructure, thermal stability, mechanical properties, hydrophobicity, antibacterial and antioxidant properties of the blend films were investigated. The results showed that there was hydrogen bonds interaction and good compatibility between nanoparticles and gelatin. With increasing nanoparticles addition, the transparency of the blend films decreased significantly, and their hydrophobicity and antioxidant property were significantly improved (P

In the study, the loading and desorption properties of four different drug models, namely ibuprofen sodium (IBFNa), diclofenac sodium (DCFNa), gentamicin sulfate (GS), and propranolol hydrochloride (P-HCl), through chitosan (CHI)/poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) based multilayers are monitored using quartz crystal microbalance-dissipation (QCM-D) and UV–vis spectrophotometry. Also, the layer growth of single/blend layer-by-layer (LbL) films is studied as a function of the blend composition. 72.5% DCFNa, 37.5% IBFNa, 34.7% GS, and 23.3% P-HCl (w/w) loadings are achieved for the LbL multilayers. Drug-loaded LbL films start to lose their layer integrity under an acidic medium regardless of the drug type while they show large swelling at pH 11. ΔD values significantly increase with IBF-Na and DCF-Na loading whereas this effect is minimal for GS and P-HCl insertion. In vitro analyses reveal that most of the loaded drug is released within five minutes and the desorption percentages are found to be 20.7% and 20.6% at pH 6.8 and 11 at the end of 120 h, respectively. SEM results show that the LbL films partially shrink and become more rugged during IBF uptake and release. The main findings of this study can provide a basis for controlling the loading and release of the desired drug molecule depending on the multilayer composition and stability as a function of the swelling properties and polyelectrolyte-drugs interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blend copolymers (PVA/S) were grafted with polyethylene glycol methyl methacrylate (PEGMA) with different ratios. Potassium persulfate was used as an initiator. The blend copolymer (PVA/S) was created by combining poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with starch (S) in various ratios. The main idea was to study the effect of different ratios of the used raw materials on the biodegradability of plastic films. The resulting polymers (PVA/S/PEGMA) were analyzed using FTIR spectroscopy to investigate the hydrogen bond interaction between PVA, S, and PEGMA in the mixtures. TGA and SEM analyses were used to characterize the polymers (PVA/S/AA). The biodegradability and mechanical properties of the PVA/S/PEGMA blend films were evaluated. The findings revealed that the mechanical properties of the blend films are highly influenced by PEGMA. The time of degradation of the films immersed in soil and Coca-Cola increases as the contents of PVA and S and the molecular weight (MW) of PEGMA increase in the terpolymer. The M8 sample (PVA/S/PEGMA in the ratio of 3:1:2, respectively) with a MW of 950 g/mol produced the lowest elongation at break (67.5%), whereas M1 (PVA/S/PEGMA in the ratio of 1:1:1, respectively) with a MW of 300 g/mol produced the most (150%). The film's tensile strength and elongation at break were improved by grafting PEGMA onto the blending polymer (PAV-b-S). Tg and Tm increased when the PEGMA MW increased from 300 to 950. Tg (48.4 °C) and Tm (190.9 °C) were the lowest in M1 (300), while Tg (84.8 °C) and Tm (190.9 °C) were greatest in M1 (950) at 209.3 °C. The increased chain and molecular weight of PEGMA account for the increase in Tg and Tm of the copolymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research into sustainable biopolymer films is increasingly focused on finding viable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics. This study aims to address these challenges by examining the performance of a series of films prepared using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with varying degrees of saponification (DS) and polymerization (DP), combined with two modified starch: hydroxypropyl starch (HPS) and sodium octenylsuccinate starch (OctS). The findings demonstrate that increased PVA saponification and polymerization levels greatly improved the physical properties of the PVA/Starch blends because of the interactions and intermolecular entanglement between the PVA and starch chains. By altering the PVA and starch formulations, the blend films' tensile qualities and water resistance were greatly improved; at a 7:3 ratio, the highest tensile strength (TS) is ∼17.4 MPa, and elongation at break (EAB) is ∼476.8 %. The tensile properties and water resistance of the blend films were significantly enhanced by varying the PVA and starch formulations, achieving the highest tensile strength (17.4 MPa) and elongation at break (476.8 %) at a 7:3 ratio. Moreover, the PVA/OctS-7 blend exhibited superior water durability, and high transparency, with the lowest swelling (∼108.6 %) and certain wet strength, as well as varied solubility behaviors in different pH solutions, rendering it appropriate for use in packaging applications. As a result, PVA/Starch blend films' functional qualities can be significantly improved, making them appear as viable substitutes for petrochemical plastic packaging. [Display omitted] • Choosing PVA grades improved the properties of PVA/modified starch films. • High transmittance and extensibility observed in PVA/modified starch films. • PVA-117/Sodium octenylsuccinate starch (OctS) films improved water resistance. • PVA-117/OctS films have different dissolution behavior in various pH solutions. • PVA-117/OctS films offer diverse application scenarios as packaging materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, food packaging is facing a critical transition period and a major challenge: it must preserve the food products’ quality and, at the same time, it must meet the current requirements of the circular economy and the fundamental principles of packaging materials eco-design. Our research presents the development of eco-friendly packaging films based on Opuntia ficus-indica cladodes (OFIC) as renewable resources. OFIC powder (OFICP)-agar, OFICP–agar-gum arabic (GA), and OFICP–agar-xanthan (XG) blend films were eco-friendlily prepared by a solution casting method. The films’ properties were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (X-RD), and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). Water solubility and moisture content were also determined. Morphology, thickness, molecular interactions, miscibility, crystallinity, and thermal properties, were affected by adjusting the gums (GA and XG) content and glycerol in the blend films. Moisture content increased with increasing glycerol and XG content, and when 1.5 g of GA was added. Water solubility decreased when glycerol was added at 50% and increased with increasing GA and XG content. FTIR and XRD confirmed strong intermolecular interactions between the different blend film compounds, which were reflected in the shifting, appearance, and disappearance of FTIR bands and XRD peaks, indicating excellent miscibility. DSC results revealed a glass transition temperature (Tg) below room temperature for all prepared blend films, indicating that they are flexible and soft at room temperature. The results corroborated that the addition of glycerol at 30% and the GA to the OFICP increased the stability of the film, making it ideal for different food packaging applications.

In this paper, konjac glucomannan (KGM) and zein nanoparticles (NZ) were used as film-forming substrates, and the KGM/NZ blend films (KNZ) were prepared by solution casting. The microstructure, thermal, mechanical, hydrophobic and barrier properties of KNZ were investigated at different drying temperatures (30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 ℃). The results showed that when dried at 40, 50, 60 ℃, KGM and NZ had good compatibility and NZ was uniformly dispersed in KGM matrix, the microstructure of KNZ was denser and its mechanical and hydrophobic properties were enhanced significantly (P

The premise of this work is the modification of the properties of chitosan-based film for possible use in food packaging applications. The biofilm was prepared via thermal and mechanical treatment through blending polymers with chitosan using Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) and loading different types of chemical agents, i.e., citric acid (CA), succinic acid (SA), and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). The modification was carried out under high-speed homogenization at elevated temperature to induce physical cross-linkage of chitosan polymer chains without a catalyst. The findings showed that PVA improved the chitosan films' Tensile strength (TS) and elongation at break (Eb). The presence of chemicals caused an increase in the film strength for all samples prepared, in which a 5% w/w of chemical in the optimum composition CS/PVA (75/25) provided the maximum strength, namely, 33.9 MPa, 44.0 MPa, and 41.9 MPa, for CA-5, SA-5, and TEOS-5, respectively. The chemical agents also increased the water contact angles for all tested films, indicating that they promoted hydrophobicity. The chemical structure analysis showed that, by incorporating three types of chemical agents into the CS/PVA blend films, no additional spectral bands were found, indicating that no covalent bonds were formed. The thermal properties showed enhancement in melting peak and degradation temperature of the blend films, compared to those without chemical agents at the optimum composition. The X-ray diffraction patterns exhibited that PVA led to an increasing crystallization tendency in the blend films. The morphological observation proved that no irregularities were detected in CS/PVA blend films, representing high compatibility with both polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blend films based on sodium alginate (SA) and citrus pectin (P) reinforced with different concentrations of SiO2 (0–10% w/w) were developed in this study. From the morphological (SEM) and structural (FT-IR) evaluation, it was verified that the incorporation of the reinforcing agent did not drastically modify the microstructure of the films, nor did new chemical bonds form. However, the XRD results suggested a slight reduction in the crystallinities of the blends by the incorporation of SiO2. Among the formulations prepared, the addition of a 5% reinforcing agent was responsible for the simultaneous improvement of mechanical and barrier properties. Comparing the control sample (SA/P) with the SA/P/5.0%SiO2 film, the tensile strength increased from 27.7 ± 3.7 to 40.6 ± 4.5 MPa, and the water-vapor transmission rate decreased from 319.8 ± 38.7 to 288.9 ± 23.5 g m−2 day−1. Therefore, SiO2, as a reinforcing agent in SA/P blends, represents a simple and effective strategy for improving the properties of biopolymer-based films in applications, such as packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intrinsically stretchable semiconductors will facilitate the realization of seamlessly integrated stretchable electronics. However, to date demonstrations of intrinsically stretchable semiconductors have been limited. In this study, a new approach to achieve intrinsically stretchable semiconductors is introduced by blending a rigid high-performance donor-acceptor polymer semiconductor poly[4(4,4dihexadecyl4Hcyclopenta [1,2b:5,4b' ] dithiopen2yl) alt [1,2,5] thiadiazolo [3,4c] pyridine] (PCDTPT) with a ductile polymer semiconductor poly(3hexylthiophene) (P3HT). Under large tensile strains of up to 75%, the polymers are shown to orient in the direction of strain, and when the strain is reduced, the polymers reversibly deform. During cyclic strain, the local packing order of the polymers is shown to be remarkably stable. The saturated field effect charge mobility is shown to be consistently above 0.04 cm2 V-1s-1 for up to 100 strain cycles with strain ranging from 10% to 75% when the film is printed onto a rigid test bed. At the 75% strain state, the charge mobility is consistently above 0.15 cm2 V-1s-1. Ultimately, the polymer blend process introduced here results in an excellent combination of device performance and stretchability providing an effective approach to achieve intrinsically stretchable semiconductors.

Semiconducting blend heterostructures, composed of conjugated polymer with photoresponsive organic crystals, provide an effective way to achieve promising photodetection devices. Here, solution‐processed n‐type N2200 conjugated polymer and quinoidal thienoisoindigo (TIIQ) small molecule blend is used to construct phototransistors for red light detection. The device performance of the optically switchable phototransistors can be tuned by the relative composition in the blend. The key feature is red light (680 nm) illuminated intensity‐tunable photodetection enabling the highest photoresponsivity (R) of 4065 A W‐1 and specific photodetectivity (D*) of 1.4 × 1013 Jones for an 88% blend device. At the same time, maintaining high mobility (μ) of 1.59 cm2 V‐1 s‐1, since the efficient extraction of photogenerated charges from blend heterointerface, benefiting from blending with higher μ and enhanced absorption of TIIQ, contributes to improvement in the red light photoresponse of the N2200:TIIQ blend phototransistor. This work demonstrates that the semiconducting blend strategies provide opportunities for developing high performance organic phototransistors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the relevant parameters of a pomace olive oil consecutive solvent extraction method using ethanol, and petroleum ether are investigated from dry and wet pomace samples. It is found that, oil extraction from dry samples with petroleum ether showed a high yield (11.72±0.30%) with solvent recovery of 89%, while extraction yield with ethanol is (11.1±0.60%) with solvent recovery of 90%. Moreover, it is found that the oil extraction from wet samples with ethanol is possible but the economic feasibility is not proven as the solvent recovery is of 62%. On the other hand, the possibility of hydrolysis of the crude extracted pomace oil in alkaline medium is demonstrated in this work. In this context, the starch grafting of the obtained long chain mono-fatty acids was accomplished in the presence of Fenton's reagent in a Dimethyl formamide (DMFA)/Water solution. Sonication is used for reaction mixture homogeny and the biopolymer was obtained using domestic microwave heating. After characterizing the obtained grafting polymer, it was employed to prepare a composite material with polyvinyl alcohol. The prepared PVA composite film of grafted starch (PVA/gSt) has tensile strength of (5.84 MPa) while its elongation modulus increased by 123.6%. Moreover, it was observed, in this work, that (PVA/gSt) copolymerization increases both the crystalline structure and the morphological order. This result is contrary to the available literature related to copolymerization of starch with different mono acids. It is found that, the consecutive solvent extraction method is of promising aspect from technical and economic point of view and the grafted starch compatibility with other polymers may be improved. The PVA/gSt films could be applied as packaging films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collagen is essential as a physiological material in wound healing, so it is often used in wound management, mainly as a lyophilisate. Collagen also has excellent film-forming properties; unfortunately, however, its utilisation as a film wound dressing is limited because of its weak mechanical properties, especially in its wet state. For this reason, modifications or combinations with different materials are investigated. The combination of collagen with partially modified microfibrillar carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), which has not previously been described, provided a new possibility for strengthening collagen films and was the aim of this work. The collagen–CMC films based on three types of collagens, two plasticizers and two collagen. Plasticiser ratios were prepared using the solvent casting method; partially modified CMC served here as both a film-forming agent and a filler, without compromising the transparency of the films. The presence of microfibrils was confirmed microscopically by SEM. Organoleptic and physicochemical evaluation, especially in terms of practical application on wounds, demonstrated that all the samples had satisfactory properties for this purpose even after wetting. All the films retained acidic pH values even after 24 h, with a maximum of 6.27 ± 0.17, and showed a mild degree of swelling, with a maximum of about 6 after 24 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, three new di- and tri-organotin(IV) complex Ph3SnL, Bu3SnL, and Me2SnL2 were successfully synthesized by reacting sulfamethoxazole drug as a ligand with different alkyl metal. The synthesized complexes were fully characterized by fourier transform infrared, 1proton nuclear magnetic resonance, 13carbon nuclear magnetic resonance, 119tin nuclear magnetic resonance and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopies. Field emission scanning electronic microscopy was also applied to study the surface morphology of synthesized complexes. Using above techniques it was confirmed the chemical structure and purity of synthesized materials. In this work, these materials have been used as photo-stabilizers of PVC to reduce the photo-degradation of its polymeric chains. Many approaches were exhibited to evaluate the efficiency of prepared organotin(IV) complexes as photo-stabilizers such as FTIR, UV, weight loss, gel content, viscosity average molecular weight, light microscope, atomic force microscope, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-Ray (EDX) mapping. These studies were in agreement and demonstrated that new complexes work as excellent photo-stabilizers of PVC. Thus they reduce the photo-degradation of PVC films containing these complexes compare to blank PVC after irradiation for 300 h by UV light at wavelength 313 nm. It has also demonstrated that Ph3SnL shows the best result as photo-stabilizer. This is because the complex has highly conjugation system by three phenyl groups compare to other complexes. The outcomes have been got in this study is significantly important to decrease the consumption of PVC around the world which is causing huge threaten to the environment especially the marine eco-system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A photosensitive polyimide (BF-CA) and a macromolecular photosensitiser (BB-CA) are successfully synthesised. The BF&BB-CA blend films based on BF-CA and BB-CA can induce uniform alignment of liquid crystal (LC) after the non-polarised ultraviolet light (NPUVL) exposure for 15 min. After exposure for the same time, LC alignment ability of the BF&BB-CA blend films is higher than that of BF-CA films and BB-CA films. The alignment performance of LC and pretilt angles induced by the BF&BB-CA films after treatment at 120°C for 4 h are nearly unchanged, indicating that the prepared films have excellent thermal stability. Furthermore, the pretilt angle of the LC cells is 0.5°, which can be used in In-Plane Switching mode LCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we prepared a series of edible blend films of xanthan and curdlan by mixing different ratios of these two biopolymers. Characterization techniques like FTIR, XRD, TGA and SEM analysis were applied to investigate the newly formed films. Moreover, mechanical properties, moisture absorbance properties and water solubility of these films were also determined. The obtained results demonstrated that the strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding was observed between xanthan and curdlan at pH 5. At this pH, the xanthan-curdlan hydrogel retained the original structure of xanthan and sustained self-aggregation of xanthan chains via hydrogen bonding, which led to strong intermolecular bonding between xanthan and curdlan. Furthermore, the 5:5 and 4:6 ratios of xanthan and curdlan showed greater interaction in the blend films that resulted in their excellent miscibility. Moreover, highest tensile strength of 28.13 and 26.45 MPa were also found in the same rational of XG/CG blend films. In addition, it was observed that the curdlan incorporation improved the water solubility properties of XG/CG blend films. Conclusively, this xanthan/curdlan nexus with excellent mechanical and moisture barrier properties confirm its potential application and prospective use as food packaging material. Unlabelled Image • Xanthan-Curdlan nexus for preparing edible food packaging films • Exploration of optimum pH for the synthesis of XG/CG blend films • Curdlan incorporation improved water solubility properties of XG/CG blend films. • Enhancement in the Tensile strength of XG/CG blend films [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In present communication, an attempt is made to prepare and study structural, optical, and electrical properties of biocompatible polyvinylchloride (PVC)-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) blend films taken in ratio of 1:1 doped with conducting polymer Polypyrrole (PPy).The XRD spectra revealed amorphous nature of all the films under investigation. The Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) study of conducting polymer doped blend films indicate a significant change in the intermolecular/intramolecular interactions taking place. The study on electrical properties of conducting polymer doped blend films show better conduction of current as compared to that of blend film without conducting polymer and dopant concentration dependent electrical conductivity and conduction mechanism. The results of optical study of conducting polymer doped blend films revealed the possibility of band gap modification from wide band gap to small band gap with suitable doping concentration. These biocompatible blend films with tuneable optical and electrical properties can be potential material for use in fields of photonic biosensors, solar cell and optoelectronics field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulose derivate phase separation in thin films was applied to generate patterned films with distinct surface morphology. Patterned polymer thin films are utilized in electronics, optics, and biotechnology but films based on bio-polymers are scarce. Film formation, roughness, wetting, and patterning are often investigated when it comes to characterization of the films. Frictional properties, on the other hand, have not been studied extensively. We extend the fundamental understanding of spin coated complex cellulose blend films via revealing their surface friction using Friction Force Microscopy (FFM). Two cellulose derivatives were transformed into two-phase blend films with one phase comprising trimethyl silyl cellulose (TMSC) regenerated to cellulose with hydroxyl groups exposed to the film surface. Adjusting the volume fraction of the spin coating solution resulted in variation of the surface fraction with the other, hydroxypropylcellulose stearate (HPCE) phase. The film morphology confirmed lateral and vertical separation and was translated into effective surface fraction. Phase separation as well as regeneration contributed to the surface morphology resulting in roughness variation of the blend films from 1.1 to 19.8 nm depending on the film composition. Friction analysis was successfully established, and then revealed that the friction coefficient of the films could be tuned and the blend films exhibited lowered friction force coefficient compared to the single-component films. Protein affinity of the films was investigated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and depended mainly on the surface free energy (SFE) while no direct correlation with roughness or friction was found. BSA adsorption on film formed with 1:1 spinning solution volume ratio was an outlier and exhibited unexpected minimum in adsorption.

Poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) was blended with acrylonitrile/diallyl amine derivatives [diallyl amine (DAA), diallyl amine acetate (DAAA), diallyl guanidine (DAGA)] copolymers for the improvement of thermal and photo stabilization of the polymer as well as the improvement of its mechanical properties. Thermal properties are investigated using thermal gravimetry (TG). The determination of Young's modulus, which is considered as a measure of the crystallinity of the polymeric matrix occurred using testometric machine. The plasticity of the film will be investigated by the determination of the elongation at the break value. The ESEM is used to determine the homogeneity of the blend films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Plastics / Zhongguo Suliao is the property of Journal Office of CHINA PLASTICS and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Thermoplastic starch (S) and polylactic acid (PLA) blend films were obtained by melt blending and compression moulding using grafted polycaprolactone with maleic anhydride and/or glycidyl methacrylate (PCL MG or PCL G) as compatibilizers. The effect of both the PLA ratio in the blend (20 and 40% with respect to starch) and the amount of both compatibilizers (2.5 and 5%) on the film properties was analysed. Compatibilized blends presented a better dispersion of the PLA in the continuous starch phase, but the use of PCL G provoked a phase inversion in the matrix when 40% of the starch was substituted by PLA. The compatibilized blend films exhibited higher values of elastic modulus than pure starch films, but were less extensible. The use of compatibilizers did not affect the film's water vapour permeability, which was reduced by up to 33 or 50% for 20 and 40% PLA, respectively, although inverted films with 40% PLA and 5% PCL G , exhibited marked reduction (67%). Compatibilizers decreased the oxygen permeability of the films by about 50%, regardless of the ratio of PLA and the kind and amount of compatibilizer. Therefore, substituting 20% of the starch by PLA and incorporating 5% of PCL G would be a good strategy to obtain films useful for food packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of human hair keratin/calcium alginate blend films was used of calcium chloride as coagulation bath. Two components in the blend film have good compatibility due to the presence of calcium bridges and hydrogen bonds. However, large molecular aggregates were increased with the increase of the protein content of human hair, which was also affected the light transmittance, the tensile strength, the elongation at break and the liquid absorption of the blend films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Basic Sciences Journal of Textile Universities / Fangzhi Gaoxiao Jichu Kexue Xuebao is the property of Basic Sciences Journal of Textile Universities and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract Currently, there is an enduring tendency towards the application of biodegradable packaging to substitute synthetic plastics. Therefore, the aim of the present work was to study the effect of the addition of different concentrations of carotenoproteins extract into the blue crab chitosan-based films matrix. Structure, light barrier, mechanical, optical, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of developed composite films were evaluated. Data displayed that the incorporation of carotenoproteins extract into the chitosan matrix engendered modifications in films ultrastructure, making them more heterogeneous and rough. With the increase of carotenoproteins concentration, the films became darker, redder, with lower transparency, mainly ascribed to carotenoproteins original color, which might aid to protect the packaged foods from alterations caused by visible and ultraviolet light. Compositing carotenoproteins with chitosan, led, similarly, to an improvement of films thermal stability until a concentration of 15% (g/100 g polymer), whereas, mechanical properties, based on tensile strength and elongation at break values, were conversely correlated with carotenoproteins added. Moreover, the addition of carotenoproteins significantly improved composite films bioactivities, suggesting that films developed in this work could be helpful in developing a novel biotechnological alternative for food and pharmaceutical industries. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Composite films were developed based on blue crab chitosan and carotenoproteins. • Carotenoproteins extract was added to the film matrix at different amounts. • Blend films were darker, redder, with lower transparency. • Carotenoproteins improved composite films bioactivities and thermal stability. • Developed films could be helpful as a novel alternative for food and healthcare applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports on the synthesis and characterization of sericin-dimethylolurea films (SS-DMU) and the immobilization of Burkholderia cepacia LTEB11 lipases through the so-called "sandwich" adsorption method, wherein the enzyme is deposited on the film, forming an enzyme-film-enzyme surface. Measured film thicknesses were between 230 and 309 μm. Resistance to traction was approximately double in comparison to the film with no enzyme applied. Scanning electron microscopy images attest the formation, after the enzyme immobilization, of aggregate deposits, possibly proteins, over the film surface. Catalytic efficiency was ascertained in ethyl oleate esterification reactions. Ester yield was practically equal (96%, 24 h) for the free and immobilized enzymes. Film samples with different quantities of lyophilized enzyme deposits (56, 122 and 156 mg) were analyzed; during the first 5 h of observation the sample with the largest quantity showed faster reaction speeds. The immobilized lipase (56 mg) was reused, and catalytic efficiency decreased to 58% after seven reaction cycles. The results point to SS-DMU film as a promising biocatalysis material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alginate and fucoidan are unique polysaccharides present in brown algae and widely used in food and medical technologies. Alginate and fucoidan were sequentially extracted from Sargassum latifolium and used for the preparation of alginate and alginate-fucoidan blend films with or without Ca-crosslinking. The incorporation of fucoidan and Ca 2+ decreased water solubility, but increased film thickness, water vapor permeability and oxygen permeability. The films showed good properties against ultraviolet light, however, incorporation of fucoidan and/or Ca 2+ decreased the color parameter L * value and increased the a * and b * values of the films. The interaction of Ca 2+ and fucoidan with alginate was investigated using FTIR analysis which confirmed the presence of hydrogen bonded interaction. Kinetics of moisture sorption and polyphenol release exhibited a good fit to Peleg's model. Ca 2+ crosslinking decreased initial moisture sorption and increased the maximum sorption capacity of the films. Additionally, the water vapor diffusion and polyphenol release were expressed in terms of effective diffusion coefficient based on simplified Fick's law. The developed films showed good antioxidant properties as measured by total antioxidant assay, ferric reducing antioxidant power and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity. Both film type and the type of the food simulant markedly affected the polyphenol release and the antioxidant activity of the films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a donor-acceptor copolymer poly[(5,6-difluoro-2,1,3-benzothiadiazol-4,7-diyl)- alt(3,3‴-di(2-decyltetradecyl)-2,2'; 5′,2''; 5″,2‴-quaterthiophene-5,5‴-diyl)] (PffBT4T-2DT) has been blended with the insulating polystyrene (PS) to fabricate the field-effect transistors (FETs). The blend films deposited on the SiO 2 dielectric by the octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) modification, exhibit the FET mobility 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than those on the unmodified dielectric, as well as a 10–100 folds enhancement of mobility with decreasing the PffBT4T-2DT ratios at the concentration range of 30 wt %-5 wt. %. Detailed microstructural characterizations reveal that the OTS modification induces the change of phase-separation structure in the blend film, in which more aggregates of the PffBT4T-2DT are enriched near the semiconductor/dielectric interface. Furthermore, the OTS modification of substrate and the addition of PS facilitate the conversion from face-on to edge-on stacking orientation so that the edge-on packing structure dominates in the films with a semiconductor content of 5–10 wt %. Based on these results, we propose that the remarkably elevated mobility at low PffBT4T-2DT contents is attributed to the enhanced edge-on arrangement of PffBT4T-2DT as well as the favorable interconnect network of chain aggregates formed at the semiconductor/dielectric interface for efficient carrier transport pathway. [Display omitted] • The blend films deposited on the OTS-modified dielectric exhibit a 10-fold enhancement of FET mobility with decreasing the PffBT4T-2DT content in the range of 30–5 wt %. • OTS-modification of the substrate induces the change of phase-separation structure in the blend film, in which the PffBT4T-2DT aggregates are enriched near the semiconductor/dielectric interface. • Both substrate treatment by OTS and the cooperation of PS facilitate the conversion from face-on to edge-on stacking of the PffBT4T-2DT chains. • The dominance of edge-on stacking in blend films with low semiconductor content contributes to the remarkably enhanced mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, cuttlefish skin gelatin (CSG) and protein isolate (CSPI) blend films were prepared and their physicochemical and antioxidant properties were characterized. CSG (4%, w/v) was blended with CSPI (3%, w/v) at different ratios and 15% of glycerol (w/w, plasticizer/polymer dry matter). Results showed that increasing of CSPI content induced lower lightness but higher redness, yellowness and color difference values compared to CSG film. In addition, CSPI film had the lowest tensile strength (TS) and elongation at break (EAB) values. The FTIR spectra of blend films showed a shift in the position of peaks related to the amide-I group, suggesting that they were involved in the interaction between the biopolymers. The structural properties evaluated by DSC showed a total miscibility between both polymers. This result was also confirmed by the SEM study, revealing a compact and homogenous structure in the blend films. Moreover, the water contact angle decreased in blend films, especially for those having higher proportion of CSPI. The antioxidant activity of films was markedly favored by the CSPI incorporation. Therefore, CSPI addition into gelatin matrix allowed to improve the blend films properties, mainly governed by the CSG/CSPI ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(vinyl alcohol- co -ethylene) was compounded with 2–10% post-harvest tomato (PHT) plant powder and processed by single-screw extrusion to yield composite films. Upon increasing the filler content, the values of the mechanical properties indicators were found to decrease as follows: Young's modulus from 1797 to 750 MPa, stress at yield from 36 to 15 MPa, maximal stress from 39 to 15 MPa, stress at break from 35 to 14 MPa, and strain at break from 6.6 to 4.3%. The results are discussed in comparison with other composite films containing poly(vinyl alcohol- co -ethylene) and water soluble biopolymers obtained by alkaline hydrolysis of fermented municipal biowastes, and with other commercial materials, such as starch based and low density polyethylene mulch films. Depending on the intended application, the post-harvest tomato blend films may be competitive for cost, performance and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effectively stimulating angiogenesis is great challenge in wound care management. It’s necessary to develop a new wound dressing with angiogenic capacity. Therefore, strontium loaded SF/SA blend films were prepared as a potential wound dressing material, and their physicochemical and bioactive properties were evaluated. The strontium loaded SF/SA blend films (especially the strontium loaded SF/SA blend films prepared by treating with 5 mg/ml Sir solution) could meet the needs of a wound dressing such as water absorption, water vapor transmission rate, mechanical properties and fibroblasts-cytocompatibility. What’s more, these films had a potential to induce angiogenesis by improving vascular VEGF and bFGF protein secretion, which was important for wound dressings. Based on the previous studies, we could infer this novel wound dressing possesses the antibacterial activity. The present study suggests that the strontium loaded SF/SA blend film prepared by treating with 5 mg/ml Sr solution are a promising biomaterial for wound dressing application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blends of poly (1, 8-octanediol citrate) (POC) and chitosan (CS) were prepared through solution casting technique. Films with different component fractions (POC/CS: 100/0, 90/10, 80/20, 70/30, 60/40, and 0/100) were successfully prepared and characterized for their mechanical, thermal, structural and morphological properties as well as biocompatibility. The incorporation of CS to POC significantly increased tensile strength and elastic modulus and presented limited influences on pH variation which is important to the biocompatibility of biomaterial implants. The assessment of surface topography indicated that blending could enhance and control the surface roughness of the pure films. POC/CS blends well-supported human dermal fibroblast cells attachment and proliferation, and thus can be used for a range of tissue engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein-based composites have always been desirable biomaterials as they can be fabricated into a wide range of biomaterials with tunable properties, including modulation of mechanical properties and control of cell responses. Both egg white protein (EW) and silk fibroin (SF) are biocompatible, biodegradable, non-toxic and naturally abundant biopolymers. In order to obtain biocompatible composite films with tunable performance, EW and SF were blended at various ratios. Raising the SF ratio in the composite films significantly increased breaking strength, but impaired flexibility. Conversely, increasing the EW ratio remarkably enhanced elasticity of the composite films. Furthermore, the biological assays based on endothelial cells showed that the incorporation of EW promoted cell viability. These make them potential materials with controllable mechanical property and enhanced bioactivity, providing useful options for the fabrication of tissue engineering scaffolds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the biomineralization potential and cellular response of novel blend films of the anionic sulfated polysaccharides kappa-carrageenan (KCG) and fu co idan (FUC) derived from seaweeds with semi-crystalline polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and polyhydroxybutyrate- co -valerate (PHBV), respectively, were analyzed. The incorporation of KCG and FUC into PHB and PHBV, which has been studied here for the first time, led to an overall decrease in crystallinity, enhanced surface hydrophilicity, reduced brittleness and faster degradation of the polymer blend films. All PHB/KCG, PHBV/KCG and PHBV/FUC films exhibited a two-stage mass loss profiles with pH stabilization. PHBV/KCG film showed the highest biomineralization activity due the presence of sulfate groups on the surface of the films. NIH3T3 cells attached and proliferated well on all blend films on account of enhanced surface hydrophilicity and improved flexibility. PHBV/KCG led to a promoted cellular activity compared to PHBV/FUC, presumably due to phase separation and higher amount of biopolymer on the film surface that was a consequence of the immiscibility of the polymers in the blend films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and xyloglucan (XG) crosslinked with citric acid over a range of HPMC/XG weight ratios formed sustainable blend films characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, tensile tests, circular dichroism and determination of inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli . Both in solution and in the crosslinked films, HPMC chains lost the original ordered conformation upon interacting with XG, giving rise to an entropic gain. The highest values of tensile strength (25 MPa) and Young’s modulus (689 MPa) occurred for the 50:50 HPMC/XG blend films. In vitro loading of gentamicin sulfate (GS) in the films amounted to 0.18 ± 0.05 −0.37 ± 0.05 g of GS per g polymer. At pH 7.4 and 37 °C, the GS release kinetics from the films fitted with the Korsmeyer–Peppas model revealed a non-Fickian release mechanism with diffusional coefficient n ∼ 0.7. The cross-linked films of HPMC, XG and their blends loaded with GS showed outstanding antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli , disclosing their potential for novel biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Films made of a blend of polyaniline (PAni) and a nonpolar polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymer matrix were obtained by the mechanical mixing of both, with subsequent melting and quenching. Using the current versus voltage (IxV) measurements, the percolation threshold (concentration in which some conducting particles are connected to form at least one conductor path, related to one direction of the film) was determined to be between 40 and 45 % in volume along the surface. Related to the film thickness, a small amount of PAni (0.5 % in volume) was enough to transform the blend in a conducting material. Strain-stress tests indicated that a small amount of PAni can reinforce the polymer matrix. Furthermore, the immiscible blend obtained changes in its electrical conductivity, according to the pH of the solution in which it was immersed, indicating the possibility of the real application of that material as a resistor with variable electrical resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, blends of N-(2-hydroxyl) propyl-3-trimethylammonium chitosan chloride (HTCC), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) were prepared by the solution-casting method to develop films. The blend films were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and light-transmission measurements. The results revealed that in the blend films, HTCC, PVA, and CMC interacted by hydrogen bonding and were partly miscible. The effects of varying amounts of CMC on the mechanical properties, water absorption, swelling properties, and moisture permeability of HTCC/PVA blend films were also examined. Improved strength and flexibility of the blend films were observed with the inclusion of CMC. Moreover, the incorporation of CMC resulted in enhanced water absorption capacity, improved swelling ratio, and appropriate moisture permeability. Furthermore, all the ternary blend films showed good antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcal aureus . Sponges of HTCC/PVA/CMC blend films with these properties have the potential to be used as biomaterials in medical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhanced film water resistance of paper cups was achieved by physically blending sodium alginate (NaAlg) and gellan gum with crosslinking treatment. Pure and blended films were prepared and characterized via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS). Results demonstrated excellent compatibility between the two polysaccharides. Total mixed solution concentration, component ratio, glycerol content, Ca 2+ concentration, crosslinking time, and dry temperature affected water resistance. Water permeability (WP) and swelling degree (SD) were tested. Optimal conditions were as follows: total mixed solution concentration, 2.4% (m/v); component ratio, 2:1; glycerol content, 0.5% (m/v); Ca 2+ concentration, 5% (m/v); crosslinking time, 5 min; and dry temperature, 50 °C. WP and SD values were 78.1 × 10 −8 g/msPa and 66.3%, respectively. Properties of the films showed the synergistic effect between NaAlg and gellan, which can be used for water-resistant film coating on paper cups for hot drinks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solution processing of pinhole-free methylammonium lead triiodide perovskite-C70 fullerene (MAPbI3:C70) blend films on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)-coated glass substrates is presented. Based on this approach, a simplified and robust protocol for the preparation of efficient electron-transport layer (ETL)-free perovskite solar cells is described. Power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 13.6 % under AM 1.5 G simulated sunlight is demonstrated for these devices. Comparative impedance spectroscopy and photostability analysis of the MAPbI3:C70 and single MAPbI3 films compared with conventional compact TiO2 ETL-based devices are shown. The beneficial impact of using MAPbI3:C70 blend films is emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pure and blend films from chitosan (CH) and soy protein isolate (SPI) were produced in varying compositions (CH/SPI 75/25, 50/50, 25/75 w/w) based on the solvent type (acetic and formic acids). Glycerol was used as a plasticizer. The interactions between the two biopolymers was confirmed by FTIR and TGA, indicating miscibility and compatibility. Increasing the amount of soy protein decreased the tensile strength and absorptive properties, but improved the ability of the film to withstand thermal degradation. Blend films cast using acetic acid gave higher hydrophobicity, better internal blend miscibility, and better tensile properties than blend films cast from formic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]