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A Biodegradable Packaging Material Made From Hybrid Hydrogel of Starch, Granular, Chitosan Fiber, and Polyacrylamide

Published:
Lead Inventor: Bozhi Tian
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SUMMARY

  • Starch and chitosan are abundant, natural, complex polysaccharides. In plants, starch is the carbohydrate energy reserve. Chitosan is the de-acetylated form of chitin, a structural polysaccharide found in the exoskeleton of arthropods. 
  • The invention is a new composite material that consists of starch granular, chitosan fiber, and polyacrylamide composited as a hybrid hydrogel with improved mechanical properties compared to starch or chitosan alone. 
  • Chitosan is miscible in a starch granular matrix. Chitosan, usually only able to be evenly dispersed in acid, has a unique interaction with starch which forms new bonds and allows the chitosan to evenly “dissolve” in the gel. This interaction influences the mechanical properties of the gel. The inventors observed higher tensile and compressive strengths in the composite material than those of each material individually. In addition, the composite material exhibits unique energy dissipation and rate dependence properties. 
  • Additionally, the composite material exhibits a set of unique properties, such as impact absorption and a passive cooling effect that could add to its utility. Perhaps most importantly, the material is biodegradable and could be used as a sustainable alternative to packaging materials for a variety of industries.
  • The inventors propose using this composite material for common packaging applications, such as for food and drugs, to reduce the impact of plastic pollution from those and other industries.

FIGURE

 

Compressive tensile tests show excellent energy dissipation and rate dependence properties of the composite sample, suitable for quick impact absorption. a. True stress-strain curves of the hydrogel samples when compressed to failure or the max limit of 520 kPa. b. Hysteresis curves of the hydrogel samples when compressed to a strain of 60. c. Energy dissipated of the hydrogel samples from one cycle of compression to the max strain of 60%. d. Force strain curves of the composite hydrogel when compressed to the max force threshold of 520 kPa at speeds 2.5 mm/min to 2500 mm/min.

 

ADVANTAGES

ADVANTAGES

  • Composite hybrid hydrogel material has improved mechanical properties compared to starch or chitosan alone.
  • The method of dispersing chitosan in starch is low cost and simple, while preserving chitosan’s intrinsic functionality. 
  • In comparison to petrochemical-based plastic which does not degrade biologically, the composite hybrid hydrogel material is biodegradable and secondly, does not contribute to the problem of plastic pollution.

APPLICATIONS

  • Food packaging
  • Pill packaging
  • Fragile content packaging

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