A Review of Property Enhancement Techniques for Carrageenan-based Films and Coatings

Bakti B Sedayu; Marlene J Cran; Stephen W Bigger

doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.04.021

A Review of Property Enhancement Techniques for Carrageenan-based Films and Coatings

Carbohydr Polym. 2019 Jul 15:216:287-302. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.04.021. Epub 2019 Apr 5.

Authors

Bakti B Sedayu¹, Marlene J Cran², Stephen W Bigger³

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Sustainable Industries and Liveable Cities, Victoria University, PO Box 14428, Melbourne, 8001, Australia; Agency for Marine and Fisheries Research and Development, Republic of Indonesia. Jl. Pasir Putih II, Ancol Timur, Jakarta Utara 14430, Indonesia.
² Institute for Sustainable Industries and Liveable Cities, Victoria University, PO Box 14428, Melbourne, 8001, Australia. Electronic address: marlene.cran@vu.edu.au.
³ Institute for Sustainable Industries and Liveable Cities, Victoria University, PO Box 14428, Melbourne, 8001, Australia.

PMID: 31047069
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.04.021

Abstract

Carrageenan, a polysaccharide extracted from marine algae, is becoming increasingly regarded as a promising renewable biomaterial that has strong potential as a substitute for conventional synthetic plastics. Materials derived from carrageenans have been widely investigated over the recent decades for use in pharmaceutical and biomedical applications through to edible films and coatings. In the area of flexible films, carrageenans suffer from limitations that are primarily a result of their inherent hydrophilicity. Considerable research efforts have been devoted to the improvement of the properties of carrageenan films in order to extend the range of suitable applications. These include blending with other polymers, the use of plasticizers, and reinforcements with nanomaterials. This review comprehensively assesses the current status of carrageenan-based film development including material characteristics and strategies to obtain desirable film properties with particular regard to real applications.

Keywords: Carrageenan; bioplastics; film; material properties; polysaccharides.

Publication types

Review