Effects of Plasticizers on Characterization of Biodegradable Film Based on Tamarind Kernel Polysaccharide

Tamarind kernel polysaccharide-based film was formulated to study the effects of polyethylene glycol 400, glycerol, sorbitol, tween 80, tween 40, tween 20 and span 20 on mechanical, optical, and thermal properties. Addition of plasticizers to tamarind kernel polysaccharide led to changes in tensile strength, elastic modulus, and elongation at break of the films. The tensile strength of films containing polyethylene glycol 400, glycerol, sorbitol, tween 20 and span 20 was lower than films containing tween 80, tween 40 and non-plasticized film. Sorbitol-plasticized film exhibited the best mechanical properties with lowest tensile strength, 6.07 MPa and highest elongation at break 5.91%. Film containing sorbitol also showed highest optical transparency, while polyethylene glycol 400 and glycerol exhibited lowest transparency and highest whiteness index. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed that incorporation of plasticizers increased the mobility of the polymer chains. The addition of sorbitol, glycerol, and tween 20 reduced the glass transition temperature of tamarind kernel polysaccharide film from 49.81 to 20.97, 42.41 and 42.92 °C, respectively. Sorbitol proved to be an effective plasticizer for improving flexibility and enhancing the optical property of tamarind kernel polysaccharide film. As a result of the research, it was discovered that tamarind kernel polysaccharide film plasticized with sorbitol has the potential to be used in the creation of biopolymer film for culinary and biomedical applications.