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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Western Regional Research Center » Bioproducts Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #346686
Research Project: Bioproducts from Agricultural Feedstocks

Location: Bioproducts Research

Title: Biodegradable baked foam made with chayotextle starch mixed with plantain flour and wood fiber

Author
item VARGAS-TORRES, APOLONIO - Autonomous Agricultural University Antonio Narro
item PALMA-RODRIGUEZ, HEIDI - Autonomous Agricultural University Antonio Narro
item Berrios, Jose
item Glenn, Gregory - Greg
item SALGADO-DELGADO, RENE - Instituto Tecnológico De Zacatepec
item OLARTE-PAREDES, ALFREDO - Instituto Tecnológico De Zacatepec
item PRIETO-MENDEZ, JUDITH - Autonomous Agricultural University Antonio Narro
item HERNANDEZ-URIBE, JUAN - Autonomous Agricultural University Antonio Narro

Submitted to: Journal of Applied Polymer Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/18/2017
Publication Date: 8/9/2017
Citation: Vargas-Torres, A., Palma-Rodriguez, H.M., Berrios, J.D., Glenn, G.M., Salgado-Delgado, R., Olarte-Paredes, A., Prieto-Mendez, J., Hernandez-Uribe, J.P. 2017. Biodegradable baked foam made with chayotextle starch mixed with plantain flour and wood fiber. Journal of Applied Polymer Science. 134(48):45565. https://doi.org/10.1002/app.45565.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/app.45565

Interpretive Summary: Packaging that is good for the environment is of wide interest due to the volume of packaging used in the U.S. ARS scientists from Albany, CA in collaboration with scientists from Mexico developed a biodegradable foam material using starch and plantain flour which is common in regions of Mexico. The plantain flour made the starch foams more dense and less moisture sensitive. The research could help develop new packaging materials using locally available agricultural products such as plantains.

Technical Abstract: New renewable materials are needed to reduce petroleum-based plastic packaging. The effect of plantain flour (PF) and wood fiber (WF) on the properties of starch-based foams (SBFs) were investigated. The SBFs were characterized using physical, thermal, and mechanical methods to better understand the relationship between PF and WF concentration. Contact angle values showed that the addition of WF or PF increased the hydrophobic character of the SBFs. Also, the addition of PF increased the heat transfer resistance and density of the foams, while their solubility decreased. The values of tensile strength and Young's modulus increased with increasing concentrations of PF in the SBFs. However, the addition of PF and WF promoted a decrease on the elongation at break of the SBFs. An increase in concentration of PF also showed a decrease in water vapor permeability, and an increase in the thickness of the cell wall layer of the SBFs.