Enhancing the Properties of Sodium Alginate with a Glycerol–Silicate Plasticizer

The impact of a glycerol–silicate (GS) plasticizer on the mechanical, thermal and hydrophobic properties pertaining to sodium alginate (NaAlg) and calcium alginate (CaAlg) films were investigated. Spectroscopic and physio-chemical analysis were conducted to evaluate the effects of the GS incorporati...

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Main Authors: Anthony Fasulo, Corradina Towie, Lucie Mouchiroud, Hamza Malik, Daniel Foucher, Guerino Sacripante
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Polysaccharides
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4176/6/1/20
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author Anthony Fasulo
Corradina Towie
Lucie Mouchiroud
Hamza Malik
Daniel Foucher
Guerino Sacripante
author_facet Anthony Fasulo
Corradina Towie
Lucie Mouchiroud
Hamza Malik
Daniel Foucher
Guerino Sacripante
author_sort Anthony Fasulo
collection DOAJ
description The impact of a glycerol–silicate (GS) plasticizer on the mechanical, thermal and hydrophobic properties pertaining to sodium alginate (NaAlg) and calcium alginate (CaAlg) films were investigated. Spectroscopic and physio-chemical analysis were conducted to evaluate the effects of the GS incorporation. The results determine that both NaAlg and CaAlg films exhibited poor mechanical properties which only improved by increasing the GS loading (up to 25 wt%), after which it declined. CaAlg exhibited the highest tensile strength after 25 wt% GS loading was incorporated. The elongation at break varied, with NaAlg films showing a ~10-fold increase, while the CaAlg films remained relatively unchanged. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed that GS reduced the onset decomposition temperature of NaAlg films, whereas CaAlg films maintained a greater onset decomposition temperature. The advancing contact angle measurements indicated a nearly linear decrease (from 54° to 39°) in hydrophobicity for the NaAlg films while the hydrophobicity for CaAlg films initially increased from 65° to 74°, and then became more hydrophilic with greater GS loading. These findings highlight the potential of GS plasticization to enhance and tailor alginate film properties, providing insights into the development of sustainable bioplastics with improved mechanical properties.
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series Polysaccharides
spelling doaj-art-ca7a6ad76a154eac99b1d3b853f850d32025-08-20T02:42:29ZengMDPI AGPolysaccharides2673-41762025-03-01612010.3390/polysaccharides6010020Enhancing the Properties of Sodium Alginate with a Glycerol–Silicate PlasticizerAnthony Fasulo0Corradina Towie1Lucie Mouchiroud2Hamza Malik3Daniel Foucher4Guerino Sacripante5Chemistry and Biology Department, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, CanadaChemistry and Biology Department, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, CanadaEcole Supérieure de Chimie Organique et Minérale, 60200 Compiègne, FranceChemistry and Biology Department, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, CanadaChemistry and Biology Department, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, CanadaChemistry and Biology Department, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, CanadaThe impact of a glycerol–silicate (GS) plasticizer on the mechanical, thermal and hydrophobic properties pertaining to sodium alginate (NaAlg) and calcium alginate (CaAlg) films were investigated. Spectroscopic and physio-chemical analysis were conducted to evaluate the effects of the GS incorporation. The results determine that both NaAlg and CaAlg films exhibited poor mechanical properties which only improved by increasing the GS loading (up to 25 wt%), after which it declined. CaAlg exhibited the highest tensile strength after 25 wt% GS loading was incorporated. The elongation at break varied, with NaAlg films showing a ~10-fold increase, while the CaAlg films remained relatively unchanged. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed that GS reduced the onset decomposition temperature of NaAlg films, whereas CaAlg films maintained a greater onset decomposition temperature. The advancing contact angle measurements indicated a nearly linear decrease (from 54° to 39°) in hydrophobicity for the NaAlg films while the hydrophobicity for CaAlg films initially increased from 65° to 74°, and then became more hydrophilic with greater GS loading. These findings highlight the potential of GS plasticization to enhance and tailor alginate film properties, providing insights into the development of sustainable bioplastics with improved mechanical properties.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4176/6/1/20sodium alginatecalcium alginateglycerol–silicate plasticizermechanical performance
spellingShingle Anthony Fasulo
Corradina Towie
Lucie Mouchiroud
Hamza Malik
Daniel Foucher
Guerino Sacripante
Enhancing the Properties of Sodium Alginate with a Glycerol–Silicate Plasticizer
Polysaccharides
sodium alginate
calcium alginate
glycerol–silicate plasticizer
mechanical performance
title Enhancing the Properties of Sodium Alginate with a Glycerol–Silicate Plasticizer
title_full Enhancing the Properties of Sodium Alginate with a Glycerol–Silicate Plasticizer
title_fullStr Enhancing the Properties of Sodium Alginate with a Glycerol–Silicate Plasticizer
title_full_unstemmed Enhancing the Properties of Sodium Alginate with a Glycerol–Silicate Plasticizer
title_short Enhancing the Properties of Sodium Alginate with a Glycerol–Silicate Plasticizer
title_sort enhancing the properties of sodium alginate with a glycerol silicate plasticizer
topic sodium alginate
calcium alginate
glycerol–silicate plasticizer
mechanical performance
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4176/6/1/20
work_keys_str_mv AT anthonyfasulo enhancingthepropertiesofsodiumalginatewithaglycerolsilicateplasticizer
AT corradinatowie enhancingthepropertiesofsodiumalginatewithaglycerolsilicateplasticizer
AT luciemouchiroud enhancingthepropertiesofsodiumalginatewithaglycerolsilicateplasticizer
AT hamzamalik enhancingthepropertiesofsodiumalginatewithaglycerolsilicateplasticizer
AT danielfoucher enhancingthepropertiesofsodiumalginatewithaglycerolsilicateplasticizer
AT guerinosacripante enhancingthepropertiesofsodiumalginatewithaglycerolsilicateplasticizer