Preparation of Sustainable Alginate/Chitosan Blend Films by Thermo-Compression for Diverse Applications

In this work, sodium alginate/chitosan (SA/CS) blend films were prepared by thermo-compression for the first time. Glycerol and lactic acid were used as de-structuring agents for SA and CS, respectively. The chemical structures, thermal stability, phase morphology, mechanical properties, water resistance, film opacity, film color, and soil burial test of thermo-compressed SA/CS films were investigated. The results indicate that intermolecular interactions in polyelectrolyte complexes in SA/CS blends were detected. Blending with CS improved the thermal stability of SA-based films. The SA/CS films showed excellent phase compatibility between SA and CS. The addition of CS improved the tensile properties of the SA-based films. The incorporation of CS in SA films resulted in enhanced water resistance and opacity and a decrease in biodegradability under soil burial. Thermo-compressed SA/CS films show promise for development and increased production capacity. These films can be tailored by varying the SA/CS ratios to display different properties. This versatility makes them suitable for a range of sustainable and diverse applications, including wound dressing, drug delivery, biosorbents, and packaging.