Rice starch–activated carbon composite films for potential cosmetic facial sheet mask applications: physicochemical and mechanical characterization
Abstract
The widespread use of synthetic facial sheet masks has raised concerns about their environmental impact. In this study, rice starch (RS)–activated carbon (AC) composite films were prepared by solution casting and characterized to assess their potential as biodegradable cosmetic mask substrates. The surface morphology of the films changed after AC incorporation, with thicknesses ranging from approximately 0.2 to 0.3 mm and the moisture content increasing with increasing AC loading. The water contact angles ranged from 48.95° to 63.85°, indicating hydrophilic surfaces, with the RS + AC (0.4 g) film exhibiting the lowest measured contact angle. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy suggested predominantly physical interactions between the RS and AC, whereas differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction characterized their thermal transitions and structural features. Compared with the neat RS film, the RS + AC (0.4 g) film exhibited lower tensile strength and elongation at break. MTT assays performed on AC powder revealed that the cell viability of L929 fibroblasts and HaCaT keratinocytes was above 90% under the tested conditions; the complete composite films were not evaluated for cytotoxicity. Soil burial testing revealed approximately 68.7% mass loss for the RS + AC film after 30 days. These findings support further investigations of RS + AC films as biodegradable cosmetic mask substrates. Their biocompatibility, water uptake, serum retention, and performance during skin application remain to be established.
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BibTeX
@article{jain2026rice,
title = {{Rice starch–activated carbon composite films for potential cosmetic facial sheet mask applications: physicochemical and mechanical characterization}},
author = {Siya Jain and Shreya Shahapur and N. Pooja and J. E. Madhusree and Sib Sankar Mal and T. M. Sampath Udeni Gunathilake and Mallikarjun Bhavanari and Bhisham Narayan Singh and Alevoor Srinivas Bharath Prasad and Nirmal Mazumder},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-77095-3},
url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-77095-3},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Rice starch–activated carbon composite films for potential cosmetic facial sheet mask applications: physicochemical and mechanical characterization
AU - Siya Jain
AU - Shreya Shahapur
AU - N. Pooja
AU - J. E. Madhusree
AU - Sib Sankar Mal
AU - T. M. Sampath Udeni Gunathilake
AU - Mallikarjun Bhavanari
AU - Bhisham Narayan Singh
AU - Alevoor Srinivas Bharath Prasad
AU - Nirmal Mazumder
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/25
JO - Scientific Reports
DO - 10.1038/s41598-026-77095-3
UR - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-77095-3
AB - The widespread use of synthetic facial sheet masks has raised concerns about their environmental impact. In this study, rice starch (RS)–activated carbon (AC) composite films were prepared by solution casting and characterized to assess their potential as biodegradable cosmetic mask substrates. The surface morphology of the films changed after AC incorporation, with thicknesses ranging from approximately 0.2 to 0.3 mm and the moisture content increasing with increasing AC loading. The water contact angles ranged from 48.95° to 63.85°, indicating hydrophilic surfaces, with the RS + AC (0.4 g) film exhibiting the lowest measured contact angle. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy suggested predominantly physical interactions between the RS and AC, whereas differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction characterized their thermal transitions and structural features. Compared with the neat RS film, the RS + AC (0.4 g) film exhibited lower tensile strength and elongation at break. MTT assays performed on AC powder revealed that the cell viability of L929 fibroblasts and HaCaT keratinocytes was above 90% under the tested conditions; the complete composite films were not evaluated for cytotoxicity. Soil burial testing revealed approximately 68.7% mass loss for the RS + AC film after 30 days. These findings support further investigations of RS + AC films as biodegradable cosmetic mask substrates. Their biocompatibility, water uptake, serum retention, and performance during skin application remain to be established.
SN - 2045-2322
ER -