| Grant number: | 14/23098-9 |
| Support Opportunities: | Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct) |
| Start date: | June 01, 2015 |
| End date: | May 31, 2017 |
| Field of knowledge: | Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials |
| Principal Investigator: | Luiz Henrique Capparelli Mattoso |
| Grantee: | Caio Gomide Otoni |
| Host Institution: | Embrapa Instrumentação Agropecuária. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA). São Carlos , SP, Brazil |
Abstract The polymers used in packaging industry must fulfill barrier and mechanical properties that assure the conservation and acceptability of the packaged product. Because petroleum-derived polymers match those requirements and are cost-effective, they are the most applied. However, the rising environmental concerns encourage the development of eco-friendly alternatives, such as biodegradable polymers from renewable sources. Polysaccharides (e.g., cellulose and its derivatives) may be combined with fruit and vegetable processing wastes containing vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant compounds, in order to polymerize into edible films with unique nutritional and sensory properties. When incorporated with vegetable purees, however, these biopolymeric films present poor barrier and mechanical properties, which motivate the development of biocomposites through the addition of fillers, such as natural fibers, to act as reinforcements. When processed through microfluidics, these fibers are more evenly distributed within the polymeric matrix, preventing imperfections and enhancing their reinforcing efficiency. In that regard, the present work aims at producing, characterizing, and optimizing films from hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) blends, the microfluidization of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), and innovative edible biocomposites comprising HPMC, MCC, and peach or carrot processing wastes, as well as at scaling up the optimized biocomposites. The films will be obtained by casting and characterized as to the properties which are essential to their applicability (e.g., mechanical, barrier, thermal, structural, and nutritional). The biodegradability degree of these materials will also be studied. For optimization purposes, central composite design (CCD) and surface response methodology (SRM) will be used. (AU) | |
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