Deep Eutectic Solvents for Starch Treatment

Abstract

In this review, the application of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) as starch solvents, plasticizers and for other treatment has been described. Starch, as one of the most abundant biopolymers, is considered for forming new biodegradable materials. This new approach, referring to applying deep eutectic solvents for dissolving starch, its plasticization and other modifications, was presented. A DES could be a good alternative for common starch plasticizers (e.g., glycerol, urea) as well as recently considered ionic liquids. The high variety of DES component combinations makes it possible to obtain materials with the properties specific for given applications.

Advances in green solvents for production of polysaccharide‐based packaging films: Insights of ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents

“…ILs and DESs are considered to be excellent solvents of polysaccharides, and also alternative plasticizers of polysaccharide‐based packaging (Khajavian et al., 2022; Skowrońska & Wilpiszewska, 2022; Zhou et al., 2022). Comparing with traditional solvents, many properties (i.e., solubility, toxicity, and biological activity) of ILs and DESs can be calibrated by changing anions and cations, or hydrogen bond donor/acceptor, according to their applications to improve their performance as task‐specific solvents.…”

“…On the contrary, elongation at break increased with the amount of the DESs, and the highest values are about 200% with 80% addition of ChCl/malonic DES (Jakubowska et al., 2020). Applications of DESs in polysaccharides (i.e., starch, chitin/chitosan), especially focusing on their structure and chemical properties, have been outlined (Khajavian et al., 2022; Özel & Elibol, 2021; Skowrońska & Wilpiszewska, 2022). However, regarding polysaccharide‐based films, only limited studies on the production of films with DESs as plasticizers were recently reported.…”

“…Properties that are desired for plasticizers in starch‐based films are that they would impart flexibility and inhibit the retrogradation of TPS during the process of aging. The most studied traditional plasticizers for starch‐based films are polyols (notably glycerol), compounds with amide groups, and sugars (Skowrońska & Wilpiszewska, 2022; Zdanowicz et al., 2018). Co‐plasticizers of these compounds (i.e., glycerol and 10% or 20% sucrose/glucose/fructose) have also been added into TPS‐based film to improve mechanical properties such as flexibility and extensibility (Gao et al., 2019).…”

“…In fact, ILs and DESs can be both green solvents of polysaccharides with excellent dissolving capacity and alternative plasticizers with a good ability to improve flexibility. Further, they have several technological advantages such as low inflammability and negligible vapor pressure, high thermal and chemical stability, low toxicity, and easy recyclability; some of them may even be biocompatible (Khajavian et al., 2022; Ren et al., 2020; Skowrońska & Wilpiszewska, 2022; Zhou et al., 2022). Additionally, some ILs and DESs themselves have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, and the incorporation of these agents probably might complement the packaging's bioactivities to develop innovative active packaging (Fallah et al., 2021; Silva et al., 2018; Tomé et al., 2015).…”

An innovative, low-cost and environment-friendly approach by using a deep eutectic solvent as the water substitute to minimize waste in the textile industry and for better clothing performance

“…Because of its lower cost and great environment-friendliness, deep eutectic solvents are regarded as alternatives to ionic liquids and are widely applied in various fields, including bio-analysis, pharmaceutical synthesis, and gas collection. [30][31][32] The development of natural deep eutectic solvents further highlights the advantages. 33,34 In such a case, both the hydrogen bond donor and hydrogen bond acceptor of the natural deep eutectic solvent are natural materials, such as quaternary ammonium salts, acids and amino acids.…”