ABSTRACT This study reports the use of Citrus limon (C. limon ) juice as a natural multifunctional crosslinking agent along with varying glycerol content to develop corn starch‐based bioplastics via an environmentally benign and cost‐effective process. The influence of glycerol content (i.e., 10%, 15%, 20% and 25% wt. percentages) as a plasticizer on the structural, thermal, mechanical, and barrier properties of the films was systematically investigated. Water was used as the solvent to prepare the bioplastic films through the solvent casting technique. The milder acidic profile of C. limon juice effectively facilitated esterification even under mild thermal conditions (105°C).Optimal cross‐linking was achieved at 15% glycerol loading, as confirmed by FTIR, XRD, and FESEM analyses, showing strong interactions between starch hydroxyl groups and organic acids present in the juice. Studies on mechanical results indicate that the films added with 15% glycerol exhibited excellent tensile strength (9.1 MPa), elongation at break (13.2%) and Young's modulus (202 MPa). The thermal stability of the film was apparently improved (up to 328°C) whereas decreasing water vapor permeability (3.58×10 −7 g cm cm −1 s −1 mm Hg −1 ) and swelling degree (100%) indicate the effective enhancement of the physical properties of the starch film. The prepared film exhibited good UV‐shielding capabilities and rapid biodegradation in soil within eight days, highlighting its eco‐friendly nature. The findings demonstrate that C. limon juice can serve as a sustainable, non‐toxic, and economical cross‐linker for producing starch‐based bioplastic films with promising potential for biodegradable packaging applications.
Deka et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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