Physicochemical and Morphological Evaluation of Potato Starch-Olive Oil Bio-Composite Films Incorporated with Graphene Oxide

The fabrication of potato starch-olive oil-graphene oxide bio-composite films was prepared via casting films-forming emulsion by adding Graphene Oxide (GO) to the Potato Starch-Olive Oil (PS/OO) matrix. The effects of olive oil and various amounts of graphene oxide on the performance of potato starch films were studied. Based on the results a combination of olive oil and GO was applied to diminish the Water Vapor Permeability (WVP) of the controlled films. Meantime, water solubility and moisture content decreased with olive oil incorporation and further decreased with increasing graphene oxide content. The addition of GO and olive oil into the films decreased the wettability of films. The mechanical strength was increased by the increment of GO and decreased with olive oil incorporation. The color properties and UV transmittance of the neat film were affected by adding olive oil and GO. XRD proved that the GO layers were intercalated in the PS/OO emulsion structure and FT-IR demonstrated that new interactions were formed between PS/OO/GO. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) demonstrated the dispensation of GO sheets inside the emulsion network. The surface roughness of films increased by adding GO and olive oil. Dynamic mechanical tests revealed that the incorporation of GO improves the thermal resistance, and storage modulus of the films, and diminished with olive oil incorporation.