Effect of the Incorporation of Lignin on Starch/PVA Blend Films Produced by Casting

Abstract Environmental issues caused by polymeric materials residue are an emerging problem. Biodegradable and biobased materials are great alternatives that need improvement in their properties. The goal is to produce and characterize starch/PVA blend films with lignin to improve the properties of the blend and determine the optimum amount of lignin. Flexible films are produced by casting using 75% starch, 25% polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and varying quantities of lignin (0%, 0.5%, 1%, and 2%). Optical, thermal, and water interaction properties are analyzed. The addition of lignin make the films more translucent and with red and yellow colors. Moisture absorption drops 34% with the incorporation of the additive. The film with 0.5% lignin shows significant improvement in all the properties tested, showing a potential to be applied as a flexible and biodegradable packaging material.