Effect of palm pressed fiber (PPF) surface treatment on the properties of rice starch films

The biodegradable rice starch (RS) films reinforced with different concentration of palm pressed fiber (PPF) silane treatments (10, 20, 30 and 40% glysidoxy propyltriethoxy silane/PPF) and content of treated PPF were investigated. Higher tensile strength (TS), water vapor permeability (WVP) and thermal properties of biodegradable RS films were obtained as silane treated PPF was applied. Increasing concentration of silane and content of silane treated PPF resulted in increased TS and WVP but decreased elongation at break (E). The thermal properties behavior of biodegradable RS films reinforced with treated and untreated PPF were investigated by means of Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The glass temperature (Tg) shifted towards higher temperatures with increasing concentration of silane, which can be restriction of the mobility of starch chain due to the establishment of strong interactions between RS and treated PPF. The maximum improvement of RS films in the mechanical and thermal properties obtained when 40% of silane treated PPF films was applied. These results pointed out that the interfacial interactions improved the filler compatibility, mechanical and thermal properties.