ARS | Publication request: CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF MELT PROCESSED- AND SOLUTION-CROSS LINKED CORN ZEIN

Submitted to: American Chemical Society National Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: August 20, 2007
Publication Date: August 20, 2007
Citation: Sessa, D.J., Mohamed, A., Byars, J.A. 2007. Chemistry and physical properties of melt processed- and solution-cross linked corn zein [abstract]. American Chemical Society National Meeting. Paper No. PMSE 280.

Technical Abstract: Corn zein was cross linked with glutaraldehyde (GDA) and with glacial acetic acid (HAc) as catalyst with the objective to enhance the mechanical properties of poured films which were compared with the physical properties of compression molded tensile bars from melt processed zein with GDA. A reaction mechanism for acid catalyzed GDA cross linking of zein is proposed based on results from IR spectroscopy, DSC and DMA. Insolubility of tensile bars in HAc from either process defined cross linking of zein. Mechanical properties of tensile bars cut from film or compression molded from melt processed GDA zein yielded similar results when tested for their respective mechanical properties using an Instron Universal Testing Machine. The reacted samples from either process showed increased tensile strength, ductility and stiffness when compared with controls. The reacted samples retained their integrity when tensile bars from either process were subjected to boiling water for 10 min or soaked for 24 hrs.