title: Plasticized chitosan/polyolefin films produced by extrusion.
abstract: Plasticized chitosan and polyethylene blends were produced through a single-pass extrusion process. Using a twin-screw extruder, chitosan plasticization was achieved in the presence of an acetic acid solution and glycerol, and directly mixed with metallocene polyethylene, mPE, to produce a masterbatch. Different dilutions of the masterbatch (2, 5 and 10 wt% of plasticized chitosan), in the presence of ethylene vinyl acetate, EVA, were subsequently achieved in single screw film extrusion. Very small plasticized chitosan domains (number average diameter <5 μm) were visible in the polymeric matrix. The resulting films presented a brown color and increasing haze with chitosan plasticized content. Mechanical properties of the mPE films were affected by the presence of plasticized chitosan, but improvement was observed as a result of some compatibility between mPE and chitosan in the presence of EVA. Finally the incorporation of plasticized chitosan affected mPE water vapor permeability while oxygen permeability remained constant.
authors.affiliation: Chemical Engineering, Research Center for High Performance Polymer and Composite Systems-CREPEC, Polytechnique Montréal, 2500 chemin de Polytechnique, Montreal, QC, Canada H3 T 1J4. Electronic address: marie.matet@polymtl.ca.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matet
authors.affiliation: Chemical Engineering, Research Center for High Performance Polymer and Composite Systems-CREPEC, Polytechnique Montréal, 2500 chemin de Polytechnique, Montreal, QC, Canada H3 T 1J4. Electronic address: marie-claude.heuzey@polymtl.ca.
authors.forename: Marie-Claude
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Heuzey
authors.affiliation: Chemical Engineering, Research Center for High Performance Polymer and Composite Systems-CREPEC, Polytechnique Montréal, 2500 chemin de Polytechnique, Montreal, QC, Canada H3 T 1J4. Electronic address: abdellah.ajji@polymtl.ca.
authors.forename: Abdellah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ajji
authors.affiliation: Chemical Engineering, Research Center for High Performance Polymer and Composite Systems-CREPEC, Polytechnique Montréal, 2500 chemin de Polytechnique, Montreal, QC, Canada H3 T 1J4. Electronic address: pierre.sarazin@polymtl.ca.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sarazin
mesh_terms: D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D005990:Glycerol / Q000737:chemistry; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D055620:Optical Phenomena; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D010539:Permeability; D010968:Plasticizers / Q000737:chemistry*; D011090:Polyenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D014753:Vinyl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D014835:Volatilization; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D010968:Plasticizers; D011090:Polyenes; D014753:Vinyl Compounds; D014867:Water; C035051:PL 732; D048271:Chitosan; C011566:vinyl acetate; D005990:Glycerol; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Extrusion; Melt processing; Plasticized chitosan; Polymer blend