Effect of mechanical homogenization on the physicochemical properties of films made from dual modified corn starch prepared by the casting solution method

Films were obtained by casting a solution of succinated hydrolyzed corn starch homogenized using an ULTRA?TURRAX (UF). Glycerol was added as a plasticizer. Films obtained after homogenizing with a magnetic bar by the conventional method (CF) were used as a control. The physicochemical, thermomechanical, and hygroscopic properties were evaluated. UF resulted in a gray color change when heating at 65C during the mechanical homogenization process, while the CF remained white. The thermomechanical properties depended on the conditioning at different relative humidity values. Mechanical properties of the UF showed the lowest values of tensile strength (TS) and percentage of elongation (%E). The mechanical homogenization at high revolutions allowed changing the physicochemical and mechanical properties of the films obtained from dual modified starch, probably due to the dispersion, rearrangement, orientation, and interaction of the macromolecular components of the modified polymers. These films could have a wide array of applications.