Influence of fibers on the mechanical properties of cassava starch foams

The utilization of renewable resources in packaging can provide solutions to ecological problems such as waste quantity. Agricultural resources are alternative raw materials, among which there is starch, a natural polysaccharide that can be used to form resistant foam under wet and warm conditions. The starch foam is obtained by thermo pressing process where cassava starch, water and additives are processed to form a rigid structure by swelling, gelatinization and network formation. Natural fibers can be used to improve the mechanical properties of starch foams. In this project was investigated the influence of the addition of fibers in the levels of 1, 2 and 3% of cassava (short fiber) and 1, 2 and 3% of wheat fiber (powered fiber) in the starch dough. The foams were characterized by physical methods of strength, flexibility, density and by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The increase in fibers quantity has resulted in foams with higher density and less flexibility, whatever the fiber type. Most fibers quantity did not improve the foam strength. Foam made with 1% of cassava fiber showed higher compression strength; by increasing the percentage quantity there was a decrease on the compression resistance. Foam made with wheat fiber presented a lower result in 2%. The fiber type had no statistical significance in strength, flexibility and density foam. Only the fiber quantity was significant. The results showed that both fibers presented limited dimensions to improve the reinforcement of the starch foams up to 1%.