In Situ Esterification and Hydrogen Bonding Synergy: Ternary Deep Eutectic Solvent for Reinforced PBAT /Starch Composites

Dual-function ChCl:MEA deep eutectic solvent for plasticization and compatibilization of starch–lignin blends: enhanced mechanical and thermal properties

Abstract Starch–lignin (CS–Lig) blends commonly suffer from low ductility and poor interfacial compatibility, which limit their performance and processability. In this study, a choline chloride:monoethanolamine (ChCl:MEA, 1:3 molar ratio) deep eutectic solvent (DES) was investigated as a single dual-function additive for simultaneous plasticization of the starch-rich matrix and compatibilization of the starch–lignin interface, using glycerol as the reference plasticizer. Relative to glycerol, the DES system reduced mixing torque, melt temperature, and processing energy, indicating easier melt processing. It also produced a stronger depression of the glass-transition temperature, decreasing T g to 48.4 °C at the highest DES loading, and markedly increased elongation at break to 192.47 %. In addition, DES-plasticized blends showed a more homogeneous morphology, fewer interfacial defects, and higher onset thermal stability than the glycerol-plasticized counterpart (196.08 °C vs. 166.88 °C for the representative 2.0-part formulations). Overall, these results demonstrate that ChCl:MEA acts not only as an efficient plasticizer for the starch-rich matrix but also as an effective compatibilizer for the starch–lignin interface, providing a practical route to more processable and performance-balanced CS–Lig biocomposites.

Barium Crosslinking in Bio‐Based Sodium Alginate Films: Improved Barrier and Thermal Performance Toward Biodegradable Packaging Applications

Growing environmental concerns associated with petroleum‐based plastics have intensified the demand for sustainable, biodegradable materials for packaging applications. Sodium alginate is a natural polysaccharide with excellent biodegradability, biocompatibility, and film‐forming ability; however, its high moisture sensitivity and moderate thermal stability limit its application. In this study, sodium alginate films were produced by solvent casting and ionically cross‐linked with BaCl 2 solutions at concentrations of 1%, 2%, and 5% (w/v) to evaluate the influence of Ba 2+ on their structural, barrier, and thermal properties. The films were characterized by SEM/EDS, FTIR‐ATR, TGA, and measurements of water vapor absorption, swelling, and mass loss. Cross‐linking promoted denser polymer networks, reducing water vapor absorption from 20% ± 0.55% to 10.5% ± 0.56% at 75% relative humidity, while swelling decreased from 40% ± 2.5% to 29% ± 0.9% after 400 min. TGA indicated improved thermal stability, and mass loss after 24 h in water ranged from 11% to 13%. SEM revealed a more compact morphology with crystalline deposits, while FTIR confirmed ionic interactions between alginate carboxylate groups and Ba 2+ ions. Overall, Ba 2+ cross‐linking significantly improved the physicochemical, barrier, and thermal properties of sodium alginate films, highlighting their potential as biodegradable packaging materials.

Next-generation sustainable food packaging: Development of functional PLA/PHBV/EVOH blend films

Hydrophilicity Improvement of LDPE Films With an Amphiphilic Copolymer

An amphiphilic copolymer (SAP‐37) was synthesized from stearyl acrylate (SA) and poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA) via free‐radical copolymerization and incorporated into low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) through melt blending to prepare LDPE/SAP‐37 blend films with regulated surface characteristics and water‐interaction behavior. Structural, thermal, morphological, molecular‐weight, mechanical, and surface‐property characterizations were conducted to evaluate the incorporation of SAP‐37 into the LDPE matrix and its effect on film properties. The results showed that SAP‐37 was successfully synthesized and remained stable under the blending conditions. Compared with neat LDPE, the blend films exhibited improved surface wettability, higher surface energy, enhanced water uptake and moisture absorption, increased tensile strength, and good durability of hydrophilic performance. Among the investigated compositions, the 6 wt% SAP‐37 film showed the best overall performance, combining relatively high tensile strength, the lowest water contact angle, and the strongest water‐interaction behavior. This study provides a simple and effective melt‐blending strategy for the surface functionalization of nonpolar polyolefin films, and the resulting materials show potential in packaging films and polymer films with tunable moisture absorption.

Optimization of Boric Acid Content in PU–PLA Electrospun Nanocomposites: A Multifunctional Approach to Mechanical, Thermal, and Bioactive Performance

Deep eutectic solvent plasticization of chitosan/distiller's grains prolamin films: Hydrogen bond-driven structural regulation and enhanced food preservation performance.

Developing sustainable, high-performance hydrocolloid packaging remains challenging because polysaccharide films are typically brittle and provide limited barrier protection. Here, we present a synergistic strategy combining distiller's grains prolamin (DGSP) and deep eutectic solvents (DES) to tailor the structure and performance of chitosan (CS) films. CS/DGSP composites were first optimized for protein incorporation, and subsequently plasticized with three choline chloride-based DES (ChCl-glycerol, ChCl-xylitol, and ChCl-urea) at 0.5-2 wt%. Among the ratios tested, a CS/DGSP mass ratio of 2:1 was selected primarily for its superior barrier performance, with favorable film-forming stability and optical properties. DES plasticization, particularly 0.5 wt% ChCl-urea, further enhanced extensibility, UV shielding, and thermal stability, most notably increasing elongation at break to 70.93%, approximately 14-fold higher than that of the non-plasticized control. Structural characterizations indicated that DES-mediated multipoint hydrogen bonding partially replaced polymer-polymer interactions, enabling dual regulation of chain mobility and network densification. This flexible yet compact network suppressed water permeation while maintaining integrity and homogeneity. Strawberry preservation tests confirmed the superior ability of the optimized film to retard moisture loss, shrinkage, and microbial spoilage without compromising sensory quality. These findings provide a DES-assisted protein-polysaccharide design strategy that enables high-value DGSP utilization and offers mechanistic insights into structure-property relationships for sustainable packaging.