Highly strengthened mechanical, morphological, IR vibrational and optical properties of rationally tailored wheat starchchitosan blends crosslinked with dual UV/acetic acid system for sustainable green packaging
Mechanical properties; Morphological analysis; Starch/chitosan composite films; Tensile strength; UV-assisted solution casting
Through this study, wheat starch/chitosan composite (SCB) films were successfully developed via a UV/acetic acid-assisted solution?casting approach with varying chitosan ratios. Tensile testing shows that stress at break remains nearly unchanged at lower chitosan content (1030?wt%) but increases abruptly beyond 30?wt%, reaching an optimum value at 50?wt% due to intensified hydrogen bonding and cross-linking between chitosan NH?? and starch OH? groups. Strain at break follows a similar trend, with markedly elevated elongation and elasticity. Youngs modulus exhibits the highest rigidity at 50?wt%, while stiffness decreases thereafter, consistent with enhanced elastic deformation. Morphological analysis reveals that chitosan incorporation transforms starch films from brittle, cracked surfaces to densely compact structures with fewer pore defects, resulting in superior adhesion and integrity. UVvis results show improved UV shielding, higher transparency, and tunable absorption, while FTIR analysis confirms only physical interactions with no new bonds formed between the components. Overall, chitosan incorporation significantly fortifies the SCB films by improving mechanical strength, structural stability, and optical performance, extending their application as green, multifunctional materials for sustainable packaging, coatings, and wastewater treatment. 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Sheng, Chan Kok; Thomas, Sabu; Hassan, Mohd Faiz
Next Materials;Volume;12;Issue;;Article No.;102167;
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nxmate.2026.102167 https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105037122095?origin=resultslist
Sheng C.K., Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, 21030, Malaysia, International and Inter University Centre for Nano Science and Nanotechnology, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, Kottayam, 686560, India; Thomas S., International and Inter University Centre for Nano Science and Nanotechnology, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, Kottayam, 686560, India, Department of Physics and Electronics, CHRIST (Deemed to Be University), Karnataka, Bengaluru, 560029, India, Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 17011, Doornfontein, Johannesburg, 2028, South Africa, Center of Excellence in Polymeric Materials for Medical Practice Devices, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand; Hassan M.F., Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, 21030, Malaysia