Evaluation of Composition on Processability and Water Absorption of Wheat Gluten-Based Bioplastics
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Evaluation of Composition on Processability and Water Absorption of Wheat Gluten‑Based Bioplastics María Alonso‑González1 · María Ramos1 · Carlos Bengoechea2 · Alberto Romero1 · Antonio Guerrero2 Accepted: 10 November 2020 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract The nature of the plasticizer fraction within a bioplastic matrix is of extreme importance. Thus, brittleness has sometimes been observed when water has been used. The goal of the present manuscript has been to assess the effects of the addition of sucrose and trehalose in gluten-based bioplastics either in presence or absence of water. It was found that the role of the disaccharides in the samples studied depended on whether water was present or not in the formulation. Therefore, when water was included in the formulation together with glycerol, sugars were solubilized within the aqueous fraction, and then played a plasticizer role in the bioplastics. In that case, lower torque and temperatures during mixing, as well as lower viscoelastic properties and greater water absorption ability were generally observed in the presence of sugars. On the other hand, when no water was added, sugars acted as fillers, especially sucrose, which reinforced the blends as denoted by lower loss tangents and higher viscoelastic moduli. In this case, a microporous structure is formed after water immersion, observing smaller pore sizes in the positions previously taken by those sugars. The present manuscript highlights the importance of the procedure followed when introducing sugars in the formulation on the eventual properties of the bioplastics. Graphic Abstract
Keywords Wheat gluten · Bioplastic · Sugars · Injection-moulding * María Alonso‑González [email protected] Extended author information available on the last page of the article
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Introduction Plastic materials are one of the most used and studied materials nowadays because of their excellent performance and properties over traditional materials [1]. However, most of them are petroleum-based, exhibiting low degradability and leading to various well-known environmental issues, among them plastic accumulation. One of the solutions to these problems might be bioplastic materials, defined as either bio-sourced (from biomass), biodegradable materials, (including those based on fossil resources), or both [2]. Of course, most interesting bioplastics are those accomplishing both criteria. Certain developments in their physical structure as well as the increasing reduction in their industrial production costs make them a suitable alternative to traditional plastics [3]. A wide range of applications has emerged recently where bio-based, biodegradable bioplastics are sustainable options (e.g. in biomedical products, textiles, agriculture and household use, etc. [4]). Among these applications, food packaging is gaining increasing popularity, together with construction and consumer products [5]. Bioplastics also may be used in agriculture and horticul
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