Chitosan film has potential applications in agriculture, food, and pharmacy. However, films made only from chitosan lack
water resistance and have poor mechanical properties. Forming miscible, biodegradable composite film from chitosan with other
hydrophilic biopolymers is an alternative. The objective of this study was to prepare chitosan/starch composite films by combining
chitosan (deacetylated degree, 90%) solution and two thermally gelatinized cornstarches (waxy starch and regular starch with 25%
amylose). The film’s tensile strength (TS), elongation-at-break (E), and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) were investigated.
The possible interactions between the two major components were evaluated by X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared
spectroscopy (FTIR). Regardless of starch type, both the TS and E of the composite films first increased and then decreased with
starch addition. Composite film made with regular starch showed higher TS and E than those with waxy starch. The addition
of starch decreased WVTRs of the composite films. The introduction of gelatinized starch suppressed the crystalline peaks of
chitosan film. The amino group band of chitosan molecule in the FTIR spectrum shifted from 1578 cm−1 in the chitosan film to
1584 cm−1 in composite films. These results indicated that there was a molecular miscibility between these two components.
© 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.