Synthesis and properties of corn zein/montmorillonite nanocomposite films

The objectives of this study were to apply fabrication techniques for the zein montmorillonite (MMT) nanocomposite films and characterize the obtained nanocomposite films. Zein MMT nanocomposite films were successfully produced from solvent casting and blown extrusion methods. The two methods could mix the zein MMT resulting in partially exfoliated nanocomposite structures according to X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The thermal resistant of the zein nanocomposite films fabricated from both methods improved as the MMT content increased. However, the mechanical and barrier properties showed non-linear relationships with the MMT loadings. The impact of MMT on properties of zein films strongly depended on the preparation techniques. This can be the good starting point to further study in depth insight of the controllable MMT rearrangement in zein films which will remarkably improve zein film properties for packaging applications.

[1]  W. Feng,et al.  Polymerization compounding: Epoxy-montmorillonite nanocomposites , 2002 .

[2]  Sanghoon Kim,et al.  Characterization of zein modified with a mild cross-linking agent , 2004 .

[3]  Munir Cheryan,et al.  Zein: the industrial protein from corn , 2001 .

[4]  G. Padua,et al.  Tensile Properties of Extruded Zein Sheets and Extrusion Blown Films , 2003 .

[5]  N. Gontard,et al.  Water and Glycerol as Plasticizers Affect Mechanical and Water Vapor Barrier Properties of an Edible Wheat Gluten Film , 1993 .

[6]  Tianxi Liu,et al.  Biopolymer chitosan/montmorillonite nanocomposites: Preparation and characterization , 2005 .

[7]  G. Padua,et al.  Water Vapor Barrier Properties of Zein Films Plasticized with Oleic Acid , 1998 .

[8]  P. Chalier,et al.  Functional properties of wheat gluten/montmorillonite nanocomposite films processed by casting , 2007 .

[9]  L. Slade,et al.  Beyond water activity: recent advances based on an alternative approach to the assessment of food quality and safety. , 1991, Critical reviews in food science and nutrition.

[10]  L. Robeson,et al.  Polymer nanotechnology: Nanocomposites , 2008 .

[11]  R. E. Smallman,et al.  An assessment of high voltage electron microscopy (HVEM). An invited review , 1977 .

[12]  E. Giannelis,et al.  Poly(lactic acid) nanocomposites: comparison of their properties with montmorillonite and synthetic mica (II) , 2003 .

[13]  U. Gedde,et al.  Morphology and diffusion properties of whey/montmorillonite nanocomposites , 2006 .

[14]  M. Bousmina,et al.  Biodegradable polymers and their layered silicate nanocomposites: In greening the 21st century materials world , 2005 .

[15]  Mehdi Hojjati,et al.  Review article: Polymer-matrix Nanocomposites, Processing, Manufacturing, and Application: An Overview , 2006 .

[16]  P. Dubois,et al.  Polymer-layered silicate nanocomposites: preparation, properties and uses of a new class of materials , 2000 .

[17]  P. Degée,et al.  New nanocomposite materials based on plasticized poly(l-lactide) and organo-modified montmorillonites: thermal and morphological study , 2003 .

[18]  K. Yao,et al.  Gelatin/montmorillonite hybrid nanocomposite. I. Preparation and properties , 2002 .

[19]  D. R. Paul,et al.  Nylon 6 nanocomposites by melt compounding , 2001 .

[20]  A. Netravali,et al.  Characterization of nano-clay reinforced phytagel-modified soy protein concentrate resin. , 2006, Biomacromolecules.

[21]  R. Ruseckaite,et al.  Nanocomposites based on gelatin and montmorillonite , 2007 .

[22]  Y. Rao.  Gelatin–clay nanocomposites of improved properties ☆ , 2007 .

[23]  P. Geil,et al.  X-ray diffraction characterization of the structure of zein–Oleic acid films , 1999 .

[24]  Lina Zhang,et al.  Interaction and properties of highly exfoliated soy protein/montmorillonite nanocomposites. , 2006, Biomacromolecules.

[25]  Ke-Ke Yang,et al.  Progress in Nanocomposite of Biodegradable Polymer , 2007 .

[26]  Jong-Whan Rhim,et al.  Natural Biopolymer-Based Nanocomposite Films for Packaging Applications , 2007, Critical reviews in food science and nutrition.

[27]  R. Bharadwaj.  MODELING THE BARRIER PROPERTIES OF POLYMER-LAYERED SILICATE NANOCOMPOSITES , 2001 .

[28]  G. Padua,et al.  Properties and Microstructure of Plasticized Zein Films , 1997 .

[29]  B. Ghanbarzadeh,et al.  Thermal and mechanical behavior of laminated protein films , 2009 .

[30]  N. Gontard,et al.  Proteins as Agricultural Polymers for Packaging Production , 1998 .

[31]  Richard A. Vaia,et al.  Microstructural Evolution of Melt Intercalated Polymer−Organically Modified Layered Silicates Nanocomposites , 1996 .

[32]  J. Krochta,et al.  Thermoplastic processing of proteins for film formation--a review. , 2008, Journal of food science.

[33]  J. Rhim,et al.  Tensile, water vapor barrier and antimicrobial properties of PLA/nanoclay composite films , 2009 .