title: Cold Oxygen Plasma Treatments for the Improvement of the Physicochemical and Biodegradable Properties of Polylactic Acid Films for Food Packaging.
abstract: The effects of cold plasma (CP) treatment on the physicochemical and biodegradable properties of polylactic acid (PLA) films were studied. The PLA films were exposed to CP for 40 min at 900 W and 667 Pa using oxygen as the plasma-forming gas. The tensile, optical, and dynamic mechanical thermal properties, surface morphology, printability, water contact angle, chemical structure, weight change, and biodegradability properties of the films were evaluated during storage for up to 56 d. The tensile and optical properties of the PLA films were not significantly affected by CP treatment (CPT; P > 0.05). The surface roughness and water contact angle of PLA films increased by CPT and further increased during storage for 56 d. The printability of the PLA films increased following CPT and remained stable throughout the storage period. CP-induced hydrophilicity was also sustained during the storage period. The PLA films lost 1.9% of their weight after CPT, but recovered 99.5% of this loss after 14 d in storage. Photodegradation, thermal, and microbial biodegradable properties of the films were significantly improved by CPT (P < 0.05). Accelerated biodegradation of CP-treated PLA sachets with and without cheese was observed in compost. These results demonstrate the potential of CPT for modifying the stiffness, water contact angle, and chemical structure of PLA films and improving the printability and biodegradability of the films for food packaging.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Food Science and Technology, Seoul Women's Univ, Seoul, 139-774, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ah Young
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Food Science and Technology, Seoul Women's Univ, Seoul, 139-774, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yoon Ah
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Food Science and Technology, Seoul Women's Univ, Seoul, 139-774, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Si Hyeon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Food Science and Technology, Seoul Women's Univ, Seoul, 139-774, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Hyeon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Food Science and Technology, Seoul Women's Univ, Seoul, 139-774, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sea C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Min
mesh_terms: D063566:Biodegradable Plastics; D002611:Cheese; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000379:methods*; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods; D061353:Food Storage / Q000379:methods*; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*; D058626:Plasma Gases / Q000737:chemistry*; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012987:Soil; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D063566:Biodegradable Plastics; D058626:Plasma Gases; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D012987:Soil; D014867:Water; D019344:Lactic Acid; C033616:poly(lactide); D010100:Oxygen
keywords: cold plasma; food packaging; nonthermal processing; physical properties; polylactic acid