Effect of Vanillin Concentration on the Properties of Poly(vinyl alcohol)‐Based Films Prepared to Potentially Replace Single‐Use Plastics

Packaging starting materials produced by incorporating vanillin (V) into poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) to obtain biopolymer films to replace single‐use plastics of limited degradation is presented in this work. Very homogeneous films are obtained by the casting technique. Different concentrations of V as an additive to produce the films and the manner in which they affect spectroscopic, thermal, and mechanical properties as well as their hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity balance and permeability behavior are analyzed. It is observed that increasing the concentration of V in the films increases the thermal stability, tensile strength, and tensile strain at failure, but decreases the Tg values, hydrophilicity, and water vapor permeability (WVP). Thus, the combined results suggest that these films show an excellent potential to be used as raw materials to manufacture eco‐friendly packaging materials as a replacement for non‐degradable single‐use plastics. This procedure may be beneficial in several applied areas, such as in the food industry, where PVA is widely used although many properties must yet be enhanced, as accomplishes in the present work. Poly(vinyl alcohol)‐based films containing different concentrations of non‐covalent bonded vanillin are prepared by casting. Vanillin acts as a plasticizer in these systems. Increasing vanillin content increases the films’ thermal stability, tensile strength, and tensile strain at failure, whereas decreases their Tg, hydrophilicity, and water vapor permeability. Hence, these systems might bear great potential as replacements for non‐degradable single‐use plastics.