Temperature effect on the complex formation between Pluronic F127 and starch

•Interactions of starch and/or Pluronic F127 with silica surface is measured by QCM.•Temperature has a major effect on the interaction between Pluronic F127 and starch.•Inclusion complex formation is reported by two independent measuring techniques.•Pluronic F127-starch inclusion complexes are formed only in the solution at 30°C. In this study a systematic investigation of the temperature effect on the interactions between Pluronic F127 and hydroxypropylated oxidised potato starch by surface tension titrations and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) analysis is presented. The binary mixture examined was subjected to 20°C and 30°C and the results indicated no presence of binary complexes at the lower temperature. However, at elevated temperature, an ability for inclusion complex formation was detected by the here used independent techniques. The formed inclusion complexes at 30°C are presumably a product of hydrophobic interaction between Pluronic F127 and starch, where starch acts as a host molecule and Pluronic F127 due to its increased hydrophobicity is the guest molecule in this complex.