Development and characterization of multilayer films based on polyhydroxyalkanoates and hydrocolloids

ABSTRACTNew biodegradable polymeric materials have been developed in order to minimize the environmental impact caused by the traditional packaging found in the market. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biopolymers with important features such as biodegradability and biocompatibility; however, the costs associated with PHAs production and the limited mechanical properties reduce their application. Whey is a residual product from dairy industry and gelatin is a biopolymer with good processing characteristics. In this context, a filmogenic solution based on these two biopolymers was incorporated into pure PHA films to improve their optical, mechanical, and structural properties. The filmogenic solution was prepared from gelatin, cheese whey and PHAs, using glycerol as plasticizer agent. The multilayers films (gelatin concentrations at 3 and 5%, w/v) showed higher values for all properties when compared with the PHA standard film. In this sense, the addition of this solution was responsible for the improvement of the film properties. The 5% gelatin multilayers films added of cheese whey and PHAs showed better results when compared with the multilayers films with gelatin at 3%. The film composed of gelatin 5% and cheese whey showed a water vapor permeability ranging from 0.45 g mm/m2/d/kPa, elongation of 2.18%, and opacity of 14.5%. However, the results of the morphological analysis showed that both films presented a homogeneous surface without cracks. Moreover, the results of the thermal analysis of both films indicate polymeric miscibility. Thus, the choice of the best film will depend on its applicability. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 44458.