STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF NOVEL ZEIN-BASED BIOPOLYMER NANOCOMPOSITES

这个子项目是许多利用资源的研究子项目之一 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心拨款提供。子项目的主要支持 而子项目的主要调查员可能是由其他来源提供的， 包括其它NIH来源。 列出的子项目总成本可能 代表子项目使用的中心基础设施的估计数量， 而不是由NCRR赠款提供给子项目或子项目工作人员的直接资金。 本项目的总体目标是开发新型的基于玉米醇溶蛋白的可生物降解 具有改进的机械和阻隔性能的功能性包装材料，以及 抗氧化活性为了实现这一目标，我们建议使用普朗尼克表面活性剂作为 增塑剂以改善玉米醇溶蛋白膜的断裂应变。小角X射线散射将 用于研究含有不同量的普朗尼克或 反向Pluronic表面活性剂，并研究了它们的结构/机械性能/阻隔性 属性关系。一旦这些膜达到所需的机械和机械强度水平， 我们将进一步整合“智能包装”战略， 掺入包封的抗氧化剂，这将进一步增加它们的功能， 食品工业的价值观。 在本提案中，将实现以下目标： (1)开发具有改进的机械和阻隔性能的玉米醇溶蛋白基纳米复合膜， 掺入不同负载水平的普朗尼克或反向普朗尼克表面活性剂 采用溶剂浇铸法制备玉米醇溶蛋白基质; (2)表征结构、形态、吸附等温线、热和机械 纳米复合膜的性质，使用小角X射线散射的组合 X射线衍射（SAXS）、广角X射线散射（WAXS）、透射电子显微镜（TEM）、原子吸收光谱（AFM）、透射电子显微镜（TEM）、透射电子显微镜（透射电子显微镜）、透射电子显微镜（ 力显微镜（AFM）、差示扫描量热法（DSC）、流变学和基于AFM的 纳米压痕法SAXS和WAXS将在阿贡先进光子源上进行 国家实验室通过与共同研究者L。郭; (3)表征纳米复合材料的阻隔性能（O2和水蒸气渗透性） 膜相对于玉米醇溶蛋白/增塑剂纳米复合材料的配方，并建立 结构、机械性能、阻隔性能和纳米复合材料之间的相关性 公式化。

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.