Thermal analysis for evaluation of biodegradable films: a review

Plastic packaging has been widely used in utensils, equipment, packaging, among others. However, the widespread use of plastic materials, which originate from non-renewable sources, has generated a global pollution crisis due to its non-biodegradable profile, thus leading the scientific community and consumers to evaluate their choices. Therefore, studies on alternatives to prevent environmental damage have been carried out. The development of biodegradable packaging, produced with raw materials from renewable sources, such as polysaccharides, proteins, and others, has shown to be a viable alternative to minimize these problems. However, many challenges arise when using biodegradable compounds as a polymer matrix; thus, techniques that allow better knowledge of the materials can contribute significantly to improving the properties of interest in these packages, with an emphasis on thermal analysis. This review addressed the use of thermal analysis and experimental conditions to evaluate biodegradable films of different compositions, with an emphasis on thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), derivative thermogravimetry (DTG), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Small variations were observed for the experimental conditions, which can be associated with the different film constituents (polymer matrix, presence of nanocomposites and essential oils, etc.).