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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Plant Polymer Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #180119
Title: IONIC LIQUIDS AS SOLVENTS FOR BIOPOLYMERS: ACYLATION OF STARCH AND ZEIN PROTEIN

Author
item Biswas, Atanu
item Shogren, Randal
item Stevenson, David
item Willett, Julious
item BHOWMILK, PRADIP - UNIV OF NEVADA

Submitted to: Polymer Preprints
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/28/2005
Publication Date: 8/28/2005
Citation: Biswas, A., Shogren, R.L., Stevenson, D.G., Willett, J.L., Bhowmilk, P. 2005. Ionic liquids as solvents for biopolymers: acylation of starch and zein protein. Polymer Preprints. 46(2):924-925.

Interpretive Summary: In this work, we sought to find an inert solvent for biopolymers, such as starch and zein, so that they can be reacted in homogenous reaction media. This would enable us to improve the biopolymer properties by modifying them with many reagents that would have been impossible otherwise. To our knowledge, there is no prior report of the use of ionic liquid (IL) as a solvent for starch and zein. ILs are a new class of non-volatile, non-flammable, non-toxic and environs friendly solvents. Our goal is to investigate the solubility and reactions of biopolymers in ionic liquid. This IL method that we discovered would help the starch/zein ester manufacturers to prepare starch or zein acetate in an environment friendly way. IL could be recycled easily and this method eliminates the use of hazardous solvents.

Technical Abstract: A novel method for preparation of esters of starch and zein is described herein, involving the use of ionic liquid. The method is simple, rapid, efficient, and ionic liquid could be recycled. With this method, starch and zein acetates have been synthesized.