Preparation of chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol blended films containing sulfosuccinic acid as the crosslinking agent using UV curing process

Abstract

This paper reports on a method of preparing chitosan-based films to which sulfosuccinic acid (SSA) is added for crosslinking agent with/without UV curing treatment and applications of a coating materials for foods. The physical, thermal, and optical properties of the UV cured chitosan-based films are investigated including their tensile strength (TS), elongation at break (%E), degree of swelling (DS), solubility (S), and water vapor absorption as well as their biodegradability in soil and applicability of the coating on a fruit. We also evaluated the physical properties of the prepared films to which glycerol (GL), xylitol (XL), and sorbitol (SO) are added to be used as plasticizers. The surface and topography of the prepared films are investigated by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy analysis (AFM). The results indicate that the films UV cured for 20min possess optimal physical and thermal properties compared to that of non-cured films. The mechanical, thermal, and water barrier properties of SO-added film are also found to be superior to other films with added GL and XL. The degree of biodegradability revealed that the films are degraded by about 40–65% after 220days.