earticle

영어

A series of foamed plastic sheets containing biomass (as HMR container) were developed via different foaming process temperatures, and their density, porosity, WVTR, and pore morphology were evaluated. Thermal stability of samples during re-heating the food in oven, change in morphology, density, porosity, and WVTR were investigated using a simulated thermal shock process according to MIL-STD-883E assay. As such, the pore size of samples was generally increased with increasing temperature of the foaming process. It can be explained that as foaming temperature increased, the viscosity of molten resins and the repulsive force against pore expansion decreased. In addition, an increase in the thermal shock cycle reduced the pore size and WVTR, while density increased because high temperature treatment that softened the sheet matrix was followed by a low temperature incubation, which contracted the matrix, thereby changing the physical and morphological properties of samples. However, an insignificant change in density was observed and WVTR tended to be decreased, indicating that as-prepared foamed plastic sheets could be used as a high thermal stable container for HMR application. Therefore, it found that the properties of newly developed HMR containers containing biomass were dependent on the foaming process temperature. Moreover, to better understanding of these newly developed containers, further investigations dealing with foaming process temperature based on various food items and cooking conditions are needed.