Table Of ContentStarch-based Blends, Composites and Nanocomposites
RSC Green Chemistry
Editor-in-Chief:
Professor James Clark, Department of Chemistry, University of York, UK
Series Editors:
Professor George A. Kraus, Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University,
Ames, Iowa, USA
ProfessorAndrzejStankiewicz,DelftUniversityofTechnology,TheNetherlands
Professor Peter Siedl, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Titles in the Series:
1: The Future of Glycerol: New Uses of a Versatile Raw Material
2: Alternative Solvents for Green Chemistry
3: Eco-Friendly Synthesis of Fine Chemicals
4: Sustainable Solutions for Modern Economies
5: Chemical Reactions and Processes under Flow Conditions
6: Radical Reactions in Aqueous Media
7: Aqueous Microwave Chemistry
8: The Future of Glycerol: 2nd Edition
9: Transportation Biofuels: Novel Pathways for the Production of Ethanol,
Biogas and Biodiesel
10: Alternatives to Conventional Food Processing
11: Green Trends in Insect Control
12: A Handbook of Applied Biopolymer Technology: Synthesis, Degradation
and Applications
13: Challenges in Green Analytical Chemistry
14: Advanced Oil Crop Biorefineries
15: Enantioselective Homogeneous Supported Catalysis
16: Natural Polymers Volume 1: Composites
17: Natural Polymers Volume 2: Nanocomposites
18: Integrated Forest Biorefineries
19: Sustainable Preparation of Metal Nanoparticles: Methods and
Applications
20: Alternative Solvents for Green Chemistry: 2nd Edition
21: Natural Product Extraction: Principles and Applications
22: Element Recovery and Sustainability
23: Green Materials for Sustainable Water Remediation and Treatment
24: The Economic Utilisation of Food Co-Products
25:BiomassforSustainableApplications:PollutionRemediationandEnergy
26: From C–H to C–C Bonds: Cross-Dehydrogenative Coupling
27: Renewable Resources for Biorefineries
28: Transition Metal Catalysis in Aerobic Alcohol Oxidation
29: Green Materials from Plant Oils
30: Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) Based Blends, Composites and
Nanocomposites
31: Ball Milling Towards Green Synthesis: Applications, Projects,
Challenges
32: Porous Carbon Materials from Sustainable Precursors
33: Heterogeneous Catalysis for Today’s Challenges: Synthesis,
Characterization and Applications
34: Chemical Biotechnology and Bioengineering
35: Microwave-assisted Polymerization
36: Ionic Liquids in the Biorefinery Concept: Challenges and Perspectives
37: Starch-based Blends, Composites and Nanocomposites
How to obtain future titles on publication:
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Starch-based Blends,
Composites and
Nanocomposites
Edited by
Visakh P. M.
Tomsk Polytechnic University, Russia
Email: [email protected]
Long Yu
CSIRO, Clayton, Australia
Email: [email protected]
RSCGreenChemistryNo.37
PrintISBN:978-1-84973-979-5
PDFeISBN:978-1-78262-279-6
ISSN:1757-7039
AcataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary
rTheRoyalSocietyofChemistry2016
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Preface
Thisbooksummarizesmanyoftherecentresearchaccomplishmentsinthe
areaofstarch-basedpolymerblends, compositesandnanocompositessuch
asstarch:structure–propertyrelationships,preparationandcharacterization
of starch nanocrystals, natural fibre-reinforced thermoplastic starch com-
posites, applications of starch nanocrystal-based blends, composites and
nanocomposites, chemically modified thermoplastic starches, outstanding
features of starch-based hydrogel nanocomposites, starch-based blends,
fracture and failure of starch-based composites, application of starch
nanocomposites in the food industry and effect of additives on the prop-
erties of starch. As the title indicates, the book emphasizes the various as-
pects of starch-based blends, composites and nanocomposites, and it is
intendedtoserveasa‘‘one-stop’’referenceresourceforimportantresearch
accomplishmentsinthisarea.Thisbookshouldbeaveryvaluablereference
source for university and college faculties, professionals, postdoctoral re-
searchfellows,seniorgraduatestudentsandresearchersinR&Dlaboratories
working in the area of starch-based blends, composites and nanocompo-
sites.Thevariouschaptersinthisbookhavebeencontributedbyprominent
researchers in industry, academia and government/private research labora-
tories across the globe, and provide an up-to-date record of the major
findings and observations in the this subject area.
The first chapter gives an overview of the state-of-the-art, new challenges
and opportunities in starch-based studies and research, preparation and
characterization and applications of starch-based blends, composites and
nanocomposites and also future trends in this area.
Chapter2providesup-to-dateinformationaboutstarchanditsstructure–
property relationships. The complexes of starch with other components,
starch hydrolysis, starch modification methods (chemical, physical, en-
zymatic and genetic/biotechnological modification), industrial production
RSCGreenChemistryNo.37
Starch-basedBlends,CompositesandNanocomposites
EditedbyVisakhP.M.andLongYu
rTheRoyalSocietyofChemistry2016
PublishedbytheRoyalSocietyofChemistry,www.rsc.org
vii
viii Preface
ofstarchesandtheirusesarealso discussed. Chapter 3,onthepreparation
and characterization of starch nanocrystals, critically reviews recent ad-
vancesinthepreparationofstarchnanocrystalsandreportsthecriticalsteps
neededtomodifythemchemicallyfornewapplications.Novelandimproved
techniques are outlined in order to optimize the preparation of starch
nanocrystalsfromawiderangeofstarchsources.Advancedmethodsusedto
characterize starch nanocrystals and to understand their interactions with
polymer matrices are also discussed. In addition, the physicochemical
properties, including mechanical, barrier, morphological, thermal, and
swellingandemulsification,arepresentedwithpotentiallynewinsightsinto
the development of starch nanocrystals for industrial applications. Chapter
4, on natural fibre-reinforced thermoplastic starch composites, covers as-
pects such as natural fibre, starch, thermoplastic starch and natural fibre-
reinforced thermoplastic starch composites. Of interest here is that the
authors prepared an environmentally friendly composite where the matrix
(sugar palm starch) and fibre (sugar palm fibre) were derived from one
source, i.e. the sugar palm tree. The resulting materials are termed ‘‘bio-
composites’’ or ‘‘green’’ composites, which are considered to be totally
biodegradable.
Chapter 5 concentrates mainly on applications of starch nanocrystal-
based blends, composites and nanocomposites and highlights recent re-
search on the preparation, characterization and properties of polymeric
matrix–starch nanocrystal nanocomposites. The results discussed indicate
that starch nanocrystals were able to improve the properties of polymers
because strong interactions between the matrix and the nanofillers were
formed. The particular characteristics, such as the polymer used as the
matrix and the amount of nanofillers, that also affected the properties of
the nanocomposites are discussed. Chapter 6 considers the chemical
modification of thermoplastic starch. Topics covered include starch as an
industrial raw material, destructuring of starch by extrusion, chemical
modification of starch by reactive extrusion, depolymerization of starch by
reactiveextrusionofthermoplasticstarchandstarchmodificationwithcitric
acid.Theaimofthischapteristoreviewthechemicalmodificationofstarch
asthermoplastic starchbyextrusionprocessingorothersimilar techniques
in which the material is in the melt state. Generally, this process is con-
ducted in the presence of plasticizers such as glycerol, glycols and urea.
Chapter 7 discusses the outstanding features of starch-based hydrogel
nanocomposites and is focused on the formulation of functional materials
with enhanced properties for more suitable applications in different fields.
Relevant aspects of the current knowledge of starch-based hydrogel nano-
composites are discussed, mainly those based on structure–property rela-
tionships, and also specific functionalities for a given application. Further
comprehensive studies will broaden the understanding of structure–
property relationships. Chapter 8, on starch-based blends, includes topics
such as the preparation, modification and applications of starch-based
blends.Chapter9coversthefractureandfailureofstarch-basedcomposites
Preface ix
withtopicssuchasthefractureandfailureofstarchreinforcedwithnatural
fibers and the fracture and failure of starch-based nanocomposites (starch
reinforced with carbon nanotubes and with nanoclays), and summarizes
future trends. Chapter 10 surveys the applications and potential of starch
nanocomposites in the food industry. The major topics include nano-
technology in foods, starch as the matrix with different nanofillers and
starch nanoparticles. The final chapter, on the effects of additives on the
properties of starch, provides an overview of recent progress in the inter-
actionbetweenstarchanditsadditives.Itincludestheeffectofadditiveson
the properties of starch, the mechanism of the interactions between starch
andadditivesandrecentapplicationsofadditivesinstarch-basedproducts.
The editors would like to express their sincere gratitude to all the con-
tributors to this book, whose excellent support ensured the successful
completionofthisventure.Wearegratefultothemforthecommitmentand
the sincerity they have shown towards their contributions. Without their
enthusiasmandsupport,thecompilationofthisbookwouldhavenotbeen
possible.Wealsothankallthereviewerswhodevotedtheirvaluabletimeto
make critical comments on each chapter. Finally, we thank the publisher,
theRoyalSocietyofChemistry,forrecognizingthedemandforsuchabook,
for realizing the increasing importance of the area of starch-based blends,
composites and nanocomposites and for initiating this new project.
Visakh P. M.
