Preparation and properties of plasticized chitosan/starch cast films using AlCl3·6H2O aqueous solution as the solvent

In this paper, the chitosan/starch (CS/ST) cast films were prepared using AlCl 3 ·6H 2 O aqueous solution as the solvent for CS. AlCl 3 ·6H 2 O was retained in the CS/ST film acting as the plasticizer and glycerol were added to form the complex plasticizer with AlCl 3 ·6H 2 O. The effect of the complex plasticizer of AlCl 3 ·6H 2 O and glycerol on the crystalline, thermal stability, and mechanical properties of CS/ST films was studied by X-ray diffraction, thermal gravity analysis, and tensile testing, respectively. The results showed that AlCl 3 ·6H 2 O aqueous solution was a better solvent for CS than acetic acid aqueous solution which is the most commonly used solvent of CS. With AlCl 3 ·6H 2 O aqueous solution as the solvent, the thermal degradation of CS and ST in the dissolving process was weakened. Glycerol could form the synergism plasticizing effect with AlCl 3 ·6H 2 O. With the complex of AlCl 3 ·6H 2 O and glycerol as the plasticizer, the CS/ST film with the good mechanical properties could be obtained.