title: Effect of film multi-scale structure on the water vapor permeability in hydroxypropyl starch (HPS)/Na-MMT nanocomposites.
abstract: To improve the water vapor resistance of starch-based films, Na-MMT (Na-montmorillonite) as nanofillers were fabricated into hydroxypropyl starch and the multi-scale structural changes (including intermolecular interaction, short-range conformation, long-range ordered structure and the aggregated structure of the film) were revealed. The elongation of the water vapor molecule pathway by tortuous path is generally recognized as the main reason for the improvement of water resistance. However this study observed the lowest water vapor permeability (WVP) was at the 3% Na-MMT/hydroxypropyl starch (HPS) ratio instead of 5% even nanofillers were partially exfoliated at both ratio. Except for the "tortuous path" caused by nanofillers, this observation proposed that the short-range conformation of HPS chains, long-range ordered structure and the aggregated structure likely influenced the water barrier property. The relationship between WVP and multi-scale structure of the film was investigated. The results suggested that a good balance of short-range conformationin the amorphous region, long-range ordered structure and the aggregated structure of the film was required for the improvement of water vapor barrier property.
authors: Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Starch & Protein Processing, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Natural Products and Product Safety, School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors: Siyuan
authors: S
authors: Liu
authors: Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Starch & Protein Processing, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Natural Products and Product Safety, School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors: Panfu
authors: P
authors: Cai
authors: Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Starch & Protein Processing, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Natural Products and Product Safety, School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China. Electronic address: xxlee@scut.edu.cn.
authors: Xiaoxi
authors: X
authors: Li
authors: Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Starch & Protein Processing, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Natural Products and Product Safety, School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors: Ling
authors: L
authors: Chen
authors: Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Starch & Protein Processing, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Natural Products and Product Safety, School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China. Electronic address: felinli@scut.edu.cn.
authors: Lin
authors: L
authors: Li
authors: Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Starch & Protein Processing, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Natural Products and Product Safety, School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors: Bing
authors: B
authors: Li
keywords: Hydroxypropyl starch; Montmorillonite; Multi-scale structure; Starch-based nanocomposite film; Water vapor permeability