Mechanical properties and water vapor permeability of thin film from corn hull arabinoxylan

Isolated corn hull arabinoxylan was dissolved in water and provided a clear solution. Plasticizer (glycerol, propylene glycol, or sorbitol) was added to the arabinoxylan solution at 0–20 wt % (film dry weight), which was cast into stable films. Film thickness ranged from 22 to 32 μm. Mechanical properties, moisture content, and water vapor permeability (WVP) were studied for the arabinoxylan-based films as a function of plasticizer concentration. Measured data for the corn hull arabinoxylan–based films were 13–18 wt % moisture content, 10–61 MPa tensile strength, 365–1320 MPa modulus, 6–12% elongation, and 0.23–0.43 × 10−10 g m−1 Pa−1 s−1 water vapor permeability. Plasticized arabinoxylan films produced in this study had lower WVPs than those of unplasticized films, which is likely attributable to the phenomenon known as antiplasticization. Scanning electron micrographs showed a homogeneous structure on film surfaces. Films containing sorbitol had the best moisture barrier properties. When grapes were coated with arabinoxylan and arabinoxylan/sorbitol films, weight loss rates of the fruit decreased by 18 and 41%, respectively, after 7 days. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 93: 2896–2902, 2004