• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.234-237
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• 2007

Water resistance of three biopolyester films, such as poly-L-lactate (PLA), poly-hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate (PHBV), and Ecoflex, and low density polyethylene (LDPE) film was investigated by measuring contact angle of various probe liquids on the films. The properties measured were initial contact angle of water, dynamic change of the water contact angle with time, and the critical surface energy of the films. Water contact angle of the biopolyester films ($57.62-68.76^{\circ}$) was lower than that of LDPE film ($85.19^{\circ}$) indicating biopolyester films are less hydrophobic. The result of dynamic change of water contact angle also showed that the biopolyester films are less water resistant than LDPE film, but much more water resistant than cellulose-based packaging materials. Apparent critical surface energy for the biopolyester films (35.15-38.55 mN/m) was higher than that of LDPE film (28.59 mN/m) indicating LDPE film is more hydrophobic.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.62-66
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• 2007

Four different biopolyester films, two aliphatic polyesters including polylactides (PLA) and poly(3-hydroxy-butyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate (PHBV), and two aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters including Ecoplex and Biomax, were prepared using by thermo-compression, and their tensile and water barrier properties were determined. Among the films tested, PLA film was the most transparent (T: 95.8%), strongest, and stiffest (TS, 40.98 MPa; E, 1916 MPa), however it was rather brittle. In contrast, Ecoplex film was translucent while being the most flexible and resilient (EB, 766.8%). Biomax film was semitransparent and was the most brittle film tested (EB, 0.03%). All biopolyester films were water resistant exhibiting very low water solubility (WS) values ranging from 0.0.3 to 0.36%. PHBV film showed the lowest water vapor permeability (WVP) value ($1.26{\times}10^{-11}\;g{\cdot}m/m^2{\cdot}sec{\cdot}Pa$) followed by Biomax, PLA, and Ecoflex films, respectively. The water vapor barrier properties of each film were approximately 100 times higher than those of carbohydrate or protein-based films, but about 100 times lower than those of commodity polyolefin films such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE) or polypropylene (PP).