Fabrication and Characterization of Corn Starch-blended Polyhydroxybutyrate Films
J. Environ. Nanotechnol., Volume 14, No 3 (September 2025) pp. 169-178
Abstract
Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a biodegradable polyester from natural resources commonly applied in food packaging due to its fast biodegradation. This study investigates PHB as a primary matrix with corn starch as a supplementary reinforcement. Traditional casting method was used with different weight ratios of PHB and corn starch (50/50, 60/40, and 70/30). Mechanical properties, morphological characteristics and structural analyses were evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. A field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) was employed to study biodegradation in the PHB-corn starch combinations. The SEM images revealed that corn starch is uniformly dispersed within the PHB matrix, particularly in the 50/50 and 70/30 ratios, while the 60/40 ratio showed pore formation due to poor dispersion. Similarly, FTIR indicated that no interfacial intermetallics were present in the PHB-corn starch blends at the 60/40 ratio, which also displayed lower tensile strength compared to the other two blends, attributed to particulate agglomeration. Soil burial tests revealed that the optimal proportion of PHB:Corn starch is 70:30.
Full Text
Reference
Asl, M. A., Karbasi, S., Beigi, B. S., Benisi, S. Z. and Saeed, M., Polyhydroxybutyrate-starch/carbon nanotube electrospun nanocomposite: A highly potential scaffold for bone tissue engineering applications, Int. J. Biol. Macromol., 223, 524–542(2022).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.11.023
Asl, M. A., Karbasi, S., Beigi-Boroujeni, S., Zamanlui Benisi, S. and Saeed, M., Evaluation of the effects of starch on polyhydroxybutyrate electrospun scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications, Int. J. Biol. Macromol., 191, 500–513(2021).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.09.078
Boura, K., Dima, A., Nigam, P. S., Panagopoulos, V., Kanellaki, M. and Koutinas, A., A critical review for advances on industrialization of immobilized cell Bioreactors: Economic evaluation on cellulose hydrolysis for PHB production, Bioresour. Technol., 349, 126757(2022).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2022.126757
Briassoulis, D., Athanasoulia, I. G. and Tserotas, P., PHB/PLA plasticized by olive oil and carvacrol solvent-cast films with optimised ductility and physical ageing stability, Polym. Degrad. Stab., 200, 109958(2022).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2022.109958
Briassoulis, D., Tserotas, P. and Athanasoulia, I.-G., Alternative optimization routes for improving the performance of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) based plastics, J. Clean. Prod., 318, 128555(2021).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.128555
Corradini, E., Marconcini, J. M., Agnelli, J. A. M. and Mattoso, L. H. C., Thermoplastic blends of corn gluten meal/starch (CGM/Starch) and corn gluten meal/polyvinyl alcohol and corn gluten meal/poly (hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (CGM/PHB-V), Carbohydr. Polym., 83(2), 959–965(2011).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2010.09.004
Feng, L., Yan, J., Jiang, Z., Chen, X., Li, Z., Liu, J., Qian, X., Liu, Z., Liu, G., Liu, C., Wang, Y., Hu, G., Dong, W. and Cui, Z., Characterization of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) synthesized by newly isolated rare actinomycetes Aquabacterium sp. A7-Y, Int. J. Biol. Macromol., 232, 123366(2023).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123366
Fernández, J., Saettone, P., Franchini, M.C., Villar, C.J. and Lombó, F., Antitumor bioactivity and gut microbiota modulation of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) in a rat animal model for colorectal cancer, Int. J. Biol. Macromol., 203, 638–649(2022).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.01.112
Florez, J. P., Fazeli, M. and Simão, R.A., Preparation and characterization of thermoplastic starch composite reinforced by plasma-treated poly (hydroxybutyrate) PHB, Int. J. Biol. Macromol., 123, 609–621(2019).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.11.070
Kervran, M., Vagner, C., Cochez, M., Ponçot, M., Saeb, M. R. and Vahabi, H., Thermal degradation of polylactic acid (PLA)/polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) blends: A systematic review, Polym. Degrad. Stab., 201, 109995(2022).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2022.109995
Lai, S. M., Don, T. M. and Huang, Y. C., Preparation and properties of biodegradable thermoplastic starch/poly(hydroxy butyrate) blends, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 100(3), 2371–2379(2006).
https://doi.org/10.1002/app.23085
Lee, J., Park, H. J., Moon, M., Lee, J. S. and Min, K., Recent progress and challenges in microbial polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) production from CO2 as a sustainable feedstock: A state-of-the-art review, Bioresour. Technol., 339, 125616(2021).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2021.125616
Lin, Y., Guan, Y., Dong, X., Ma, Y., Wang, X., Leng, Y., Wu, F., Ye, J. W. and Chen, G. Q., Engineering Halomonas bluephagenesis as a chassis for bioproduction from starch, Metab. Eng., 64, 134–145(2021).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymben.2021.01.014
Ma, P., Xu, P., Chen, M., Dong, W., Cai, X., Schmit, P., Spoelstra, A. B. and Lemstra, P.J., Structure–property relationships of reactively compatibilized PHB/EVA/starch blends, Carbohydr. Polym., 108, 299–306(2014).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2014.02.058
Moreira, J. B., Kuntzler, S. G., Vaz, B. da S., da Silva, C. K., Costa, J. A. V. and de Morais, M. G. Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)-based blends and composites. Biodegradable Polymers, Blends. Compos., 389–413 (2022).
https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-823791-5.00007-7
Movahedi, M. and Karbasi, S., Electrospun halloysite nanotube loaded polyhydroxybutyrate-starch fibers for cartilage tissue engineering, Int. J. Biol. Macromol., 214, 301–311(2022).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.06.072
Nygaard, D., Yashchuk, O., Noseda, D. G., Araoz, B. and Hermida, É. B., Improved fermentation strategies in a bioreactor for enhancing poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) production by wild type Cupriavidus necator from fructose, Heliyon., 7(1), e05979(2021).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e05979
Park, S. L., Cho, J. Y., Choi, T. R., Song, H. S., Bhatia, S. K., Gurav, R., Park, S. H., Park, K., Joo, J. C., Hwang, S.Y. and Yang, Y. H., Improvement of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) plate-based screening method for PHB degrading bacteria using cell-grown amorphous PHB and recovered by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), Int. J. Biol. Macromol., 177, 413–421(2021).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.02.098
Plavec, R., Hlaváčiková, S., Omaníková, L., Feranc, J., Vanovčanová, Z., Tomanová, K., Bočkaj, J., Kruželák, J., Medlenová, E., Gálisová, I., Danišová, L., Přikryl, R., Figalla, S., Melčová, V. and Alexy, P., Recycling possibilities of bioplastics based on PLA/PHB blends, Polym. Test., 92, 106880(2020).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymertesting.2020.106880
Reis, K. C., Pereira, J., Smith, A. C., Carvalho, C. W. P., Wellner, N. and Yakimets, I., Characterization of polyhydroxybutyrate-hydroxyvalerate (PHB-HV)/maize starch blend films, J. Food. Eng., 89(4), 361–369(2008).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2008.04.022
Saratale, R. G., Cho, S. K., Saratale, G. D., Ghodake, G. S., Bharagava, R. N., Kim, D. S., Nair, S. and Shin, H. S., Efficient bioconversion of sugarcane bagasse into polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) by Lysinibacillus sp. and its characterization, Bioresour. Technol., 324, 124673(2021).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2021.124673
Sirohi, R., Sustainable utilization of food waste: Production and characterization of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) from damaged wheat grains, Environ. Technol. Innov., 23, 101715(2021).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eti.2021.101715
Sirohi, R., Prakash, P. J., Kumar Gaur, V., Gnansounou, E. and Sindhu, R., Critical overview of biomass feedstocks as sustainable substrates for the production of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), Bioresour. Technol., 311, 123536(2020).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2020.123536
Song, Y., Matsumoto, K., Tanaka, T., Kondo, A. and Taguchi, S., Single-step production of polyhydroxybutyrate from starch by using α-amylase cell-surface displaying system of Corynebacterium glutamicum, J. Biosci. Bioeng., 115(1), 12–14(2013).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiosc.2012.08.004
Thiré, R. M. S. M., Ribeiro, T. A. A. and Andrade, C. T., Effect of starch addition on compression‐molded poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate)/starch blends, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 100(6), 4338–4347(2006).
https://doi.org/10.1002/app.23215
Tian, L., Li, H., Song, X., Ma, L. and Li, Z. J., Production of polyhydroxyalkanoates by a novel strain of Photobacterium using soybean oil and corn starch, J. Environ. Chem. Eng., 10(5), 108342(2022).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2022.108342
Zhang, G., Xie, W. and Wu, D., Selective localization of starch nanocrystals in the biodegradable nanocomposites probed by crystallization temperatures, Carbohydr. Polym., 227, 115341(2020).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.115341
Zhang, M. and Thomas, N. L., Preparation and properties of polyhydroxybutyrate blended with different types of starch, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 116(2), 688–694(2010).
https://doi.org/10.1002/app.30991
Zoghbi, L., Argeiti, C., Skliros, D., Flemetakis, E., Koutinas, A., Pateraki, C. and Ladakis, D., Circular PHB production via Paraburkholderia sacchari cultures using degradation monomers from PHB-based post-consumer bioplastics as carbon sources, Biochem. Eng. J., 191, 108808(2023).
