PLA and Cornstarch being dissolved separately in chloroform
PLA/Cornstarch hybrids mixed and poured into petri dish
| Pure PLA Films | ||
| Trial | PLA Mass (g) | Chloroform Volume (mL) |
| 1 | 0.4488 | 10.11 |
| 2 | 0.4334 | 10.11 |
| 3 | 0.4612 | 10.11 |
Secondly, another starch film was formed using the same method as in week 3. However, to prevent the previous cracked and rigid films, the ingredient contents were altered. The proportion of glycerin was increased to increase flexibility and plasticity.
The ingredient contents were as follows:
7 mL of corn starch
3 mL of glycerin
30 mL of water
2.5 mL vinegar
As seen in the ingredient list above, the original recipe was halved in order to provide a more manageable polymer quantity, and the glycerin/starch ratio was increased. The resulting film was much more flexible than the original starch film. Due to the use of starch, however, the film was not very durable. It was prone to ripping when removed from the aluminum foil. Pictures of the resulting starch film are shown below.
Completed Starch Film
Video of Completed Starch Film
In addition to the additional starch and PLA films, the first starch-PLA composites were created. In order to synthesize the composites, both starch and PLA were dissolved in chloroform in separate vials. Then, the resulting solutions were mixed together in a petri dish and left to dry for a few days. The starch/PLA ratio was taken according to mass. Composites containing of 6.35% and 29.7% starch were made this week.
| Starch/PLA Composite Films | ||||
| Trial | Starch Mass (g) | PLA Mass (g) | Chloroform Volume (mL) | Mass Percent of Starch/PLA |
| 1 | 0.0275 | 0.4334 | 15.4 | 6.35 |
| 2 | 0.107 | 0.3600 | 14.4 | 29.7 |
Using caution handling Chloroform
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