On the representative elementary size concept to evaluate the compatibilisation of a plasticised biopolymer blend

Justin Favero (1, 2, 3, 4) , Sofiane Belhabib (1, 2, 3) , Sofiane Guessasma (4) , Paul Decaen (4, 1, 2, 3) , Anne-Laure Reguerre (4) , Denis Lourdin (4) , Eric Leroy (1, 2, 5)

1 GEPEA - Laboratoire de génie des procédés - environnement - agroalimentaire
2 UBL - Université Bretagne Loire
3 IUT Nantes - Institut Universitaire de Technologie - Nantes
4 BIA - Unité de recherche sur les Biopolymères, Interactions Assemblages
5 GEPEA-MAPS2 - Matrices Aliments Procédés Propriétés Structure - Sensoriel

This study combines experimental and numerical approaches to investigate the microstructure and mechanical behaviour of non-miscible plasticised starchi/zein blends. The concept of Representative Elementary Size (RES) is used to rank the effect of five different plasticisers (cholinium acetate, glycerol, butyl methyl imidazolium chloride, glycerol-choline chloride, urea-choline chloride) inducing microstructural and mechanical changes in the blends. Microstructural and mechanical RESs are derived from microscopy image analysis and Finite Element Modelling of elasticity behaviour of studied blends. Compared to the usual consideration of ultimate mechanical properties (elongation and stress at break), the RES-based approach allows detecting the presence of perfect or imperfect interface between starch and zein particles depending on the nature of plasticiser.

Mots clés: Finite element modelling; Mechanical properties; Ionic liquid; Starch/zein blends; Microstructure

Domaines: Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]

Justin Favero, Sofiane Belhabib, Sofiane Guessasma, Paul Decaen, Anne-Laure Reguerre, et al.. On the representative elementary size concept to evaluate the compatibilisation of a plasticised biopolymer blend. Carbohydrate Polymers, 2017, 172, pp.120-129. ⟨10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.05.018⟩. ⟨hal-01607362⟩