Chemical mapping analysis of compatibility in gelatin and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose blend films

Blending different polymers for composite formulations can improve the functionalities of the products. The compatibility between hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and gelatin was studied using Chemical mapping analysis such as synchrotron micro-infrared spectroscopy (mu SR-FTIR) and confocal Raman microscopy. The interface and phase composition of the blend films with varying ratios of gelatin and HPMC were analyzed in detail. It was found that the distribution patterns of continuous matrices and dispersed phases changed with varying concentrations of the components. Raman spectroscopy based imaging analysis showed that HPMC easily aggregated to form continuous phases. Both mu SR-FTIR and Raman microscopic analysis confirmed the existence of intermediate phases in the composites from the molecular interactions between the two components. Overall, the Chemical mapping techniques were useful to study the phase composition of composites of polysaccharides and proteins.