STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF NOVEL ZEIN-BASED BIOPOLYMER NANOCOMPOSITES

这个子项目是利用资源的许多研究子项目之一。 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心拨款提供。对子项目的主要支持 子项目的首席调查员可能是由其他来源提供的， 包括美国国立卫生研究院的其他来源。为子项目列出的总成本可能 表示该子项目使用的中心基础设施的估计数量， 不是由NCRR赠款提供给次级项目或次级项目工作人员的直接资金。 本项目的总体目标是开发基于玉米醇溶蛋白的新型生物降解材料 具有更好的机械和阻隔性能的功能包装材料，以及 抗氧化活性。为了实现这一目标，我们建议使用Pluronic表面活性剂作为 用增塑剂改善玉米醇溶蛋白薄膜的断裂应变。小角x射线散射会 用来研究含有不同量的Pluronic或 反相Pluronic表面活性剂及其结构/力学性能/阻隔性研究 属性关系。一旦这些薄膜达到所需的机械和 渗透性，我们将进一步整合“智能包装”策略，通过 加入微囊化抗氧化剂，进一步增强其功能性和 对食品行业的价值。 在这项建议中，将实现以下目标： (1)开发具有更好的机械和阻隔性能的玉米醇溶蛋白基纳米复合薄膜 加入不同负载水平的Pluronic表面活性剂或反Pluronic表面活性剂 采用溶剂浇注法制成玉米醇溶蛋白基质； (2)表征材料的结构、形貌、吸附等温线、热性能和力学性能。 结合小角X射线散射的纳米复合薄膜的性能研究 (SAXS)、广角X射线散射(WAXS)、透射电子显微镜(TEM)、原子 力显微镜(AFM)、差示扫描量热(DSC)、流变学和基于AFM的 纳米压痕法。SAXS和WAXS将在阿贡的先进光子源中进行 国家实验室，通过与合作研究员郭力宏博士的合作； (3)表征纳米复合材料的阻隔性能(氧气和水蒸气透过率) 关于玉米醇溶蛋白/增塑剂纳米复合材料配方的薄膜，并建立 结构、力学性能、阻隔性能和纳米复合材料之间的相关性 配方。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. The overall goal of this project is to develop novel corn zein protein-based biodegradable functional packaging materials with improved mechanical and barrier properties, as well as antioxidant activity. To achieve this goal, we propose to use pluronic surfactants as plasticizers to improve the strain at break of zein films. Small-angle x-ray scattering will be used to study the structure of zein films containing different amount of either pluronic or reversed pluronic surfactants, and study their structure/mechanical properties/barrier properties relationship. Once these films reach the desired level of mechanical and permeability properties, we will further integrate "smart packaging" strategies by incorporating encapsulated antioxidants that would further increase their functionalities and values to the food industry. In this proposal, following objectives will be accomplished: (1) Develop zein-based nanocomposite films with improved mechanical and barrier properties by incorporating either pluronic or reversed pluronic surfactants of different loading levels into zein matrices using solvent casting method; (2) Characterize the structure, morphology, sorption isotherm, thermal and mechanical properties of the nanocomposite films using a combination of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), rheology, and AFM-based nanoindentation method. SAXS and WAXS will be carried out in Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory through the collaboration with Co-Investigator Dr. L. Guo; (3) Characterize the barrier properties (O2 and water vapor permeability) of the nanocomposite films with respect to the formulation of zein/plasticizer nanocomposites, and establish the correlation among structure, mechanical properties, barrier properties, and nanocomposite formulation.