Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiaoxia Yan, Mengxue Diao, Yali Yu, Feng Gao, Erlei Wang, Zuozhao Wang, Tiehua Zhang
Summary: Starch nanoparticles were prepared by citrate esterification and ultrasound treatment, with the ultrasonic treatment time affecting the size and crystallinity of the particles. The addition of starch nanoparticles significantly improved the mechanical properties of chitosan composite films.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Mingyu He, Meng Zhang, Tian Gao, Le Chen, Yue Liu, Yuyang Huang, Fei Teng, Yang Li
Summary: This study investigated the effect of different concentrations of corn starch (CS) on the gel formation of soybean isolate protein (SPI). It was found that increasing CS concentration led to the transition of the gel from liquid to solid-like. The addition of CS significantly increased the gel strength, water holding capacity (WHC), G', and G''. The composite gels with higher CS concentration had a denser and smaller void network structure. Molecular force interaction and spectroscopic analysis revealed that the added starch promoted the unfolding of SPI molecules, exposure of hydrophobic groups, formation of disulfide bonds, and hydrogen bonding, which together formed the SPI-CS composite gel system.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Chengbin Zhao, Zhenchi Miao, Qi Qi, Qihang Zheng, Yuxuan Mao, Zejun Chu, Hao Zhang, Xiuying Xu, Mingzhu Zheng, Jingsheng Liu
Summary: The study investigated the interactions between soy protein isolate (SPI) and different concentrations of common starch (CS) and waxy starch (WS) from corn, and their effects on the acid-induced cold gelation properties of complexes. It was found that SPI bound to CS more strongly than WS, resulting in increased β-sheet and a more ordered secondary structure. Increasing CS concentration improved the gel strength, water holding capacity (WHC), viscoelasticity, hydrophobic interactions, and thermal stability of SPI-CS complex gels, with the best properties observed at 2% CS. Although adding WS reduced the gel strength, rheological properties, and hydrophobic interactions of SPI-WS complex gels, it improved WHC and thermal stability. Therefore, CS had a broader effect on improving the acid-induced cold gelation properties of SPI compared to WS.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zohreh Mokhtari, Seid Mahdi Jafari, Aman Mohammad Ziaiifar, Ilaria Cacciotti
Summary: In this study, the molecular characteristics of amylose extracted from sago starch using butanol were comprehensively studied. The sago amylose was compared with amylose extracted from corn starch through various techniques, and it was found that sago amylose had higher crystallinity and thermal stability. The purity of the extracted amylose from sago and corn was also determined. The study demonstrated that sago starch can be a novel and cost-effective source of amylose for different applications.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Yu Peng, Tianming Yao, Qin Xu, Srinivas Janaswamy
Summary: Corn, one of the top three consumed grains worldwide, has been developed into ready-to-eat flour with variable starch digestion through high-temperature processing. The study found that processing temperature and moisture levels can modulate the starch structure in the flour, and the presence of oil further influences the digestion of starch.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Congli Cui, Shuangshuang Zhao, Zhao Zhang, Mingju Li, Rui Shi, Qingjie Sun
Summary: This study aims to prepare a new straw from edible and degradable corn starch using twin-screw extrusion combined with starch retrogradation. The retrograded CS straws showed excellent mechanical performance and sufficient hydrostability, while the retrogradation treatment had no significant effect on the thermal properties of starch. It is expected that these corn starch straws strengthened by retrogradation will serve as suitable substitutes to solve the environmental challenges caused by plastic straws.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2023)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Bin Wang, Bin Yu, Chao Yuan, Li Guo, Pengfei Liu, Wei Gao, Dapeng Li, Bo Cui, A. M. Abd El-Aty
Summary: With increasing awareness of environmental protection, the development of eco-friendly sustainable biomaterials as alternative strategy to reduce petroleum-based raw materials is necessary. Starch, especially corn starch, has been used as a renewable material for developing biodegradable packaging due to its properties. The addition of plasticizers can improve the mechanical and barrier properties of starch-based films, but may reduce water resistance. This study focuses on changes in starch granules during gelatinization, types of biodegradable films, and the influence of plasticizers on corn starch-based films.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Enrique Javier Jimenez-Regalado, Carolina Caicedo, Abril Fonseca-Garcia, Claudia Cecilia Rivera-Vallejo, Rocio Yaneli Aguirre-Loredo
Summary: The use of starch and chitosan blends for producing biodegradable packaging materials has been explored, and the addition of chitosan has been found to enhance the physical, mechanical properties, as well as the water vapor barrier of the films. The composite films consisting of starch and chitosan are excellent choices for developing biodegradable packaging materials for the food industry.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Chenglong Liu, Bin Yu, Haiteng Tao, Pengfei Liu, Haibo Zhao, Congping Tan, Bo Cui
Summary: The study focused on improving the mechanical properties and moisture barrier of oxidized corn starch (OS) film by incorporating soy protein isolate (SPI) at different ratios and pH values. The increase in SPI ratio and pH led to reduced moisture content and improved moisture barrier, as shown by lower water vapor permeability and higher contact angle. The blended films exhibited denser microstructures and smoother surfaces at higher pH values, suggesting interference with the intermolecular interaction of OS by SPI.
LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Wenhao Xiao, Mingyue Shen, Yanming Ren, Huiliang Wen, Jinwang Li, Liyuan Rong, Wenmeng Liu, Jianhua Xie
Summary: The addition of DWCS to NCS resulted in a linear decrease in pasting properties, while stability ratio, peak time, and peak temperature increased. Moreover, DWCS altered the rheological properties of NCS gels by decreasing consistency coefficient K and increasing flow behavior index n. Additionally, DWCS reduced the values of short-range ordered degree and relative crystallinity, leading to a more disordered microstructure in NCS gels.
FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Lei Zhang, Lingli Zhong, Peiwen Wang, Lei Zhan, Yunzhen Yangzong, Tianqi He, Yi Liu, Dongmei Mao, Xianfeng Ye, Zhongli Cui, Yan Huang, Zhoukun Li
Summary: In this study, porous starches were prepared from native corn starch with different degrees of hydrolysis using a specific raw starch-digesting amylase. The high hydrolysis degree resulted in lower relative crystallinity and promoted interactions involving disordered chains, leading to the formation of sub-microcrystalline structures. Additionally, the highly hydrolyzed starch showed lower hydrolysis rates and higher resistant starch content.
Article
Polymer Science
Ruta Vaitkeviciene, Joana Bendoraitiene, Rimgaile Degutyte, Mantas Svazas, Daiva Zadeike
Summary: This study optimized ultrasound processing parameters for enhanced production of resistant starch in rice bran matrixes. The ultrasound treatment improved the physicochemical properties and mechanical performance of resistant starch, reduced crystallinity, and increased stability. It also enhanced the absorption capacities and reduced the least-gelation concentration. The developed method has the potential to create a sustainable food system.
Article
Polymer Science
Andra-Ionela Ghizdareanu, Alexandra Banu, Diana Pasarin, Andreea Ionita (Afilipoaei), Cristian-Andi Nicolae, Augusta Raluca Gabor, Delia Patroi
Summary: The effects of enzymatic hydrolysis on the mechanical properties of starch-based films were investigated using alpha-amylase from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. The enzymatic hydrolysis process parameters and the degree of hydrolysis (DH) were optimized using a Box-Behnken design and response surface methodology. The resulting hydrolyzed corn starch films showed improved mechanical properties, with higher water absorption index and transparency, as well as a more compact molecular structure and better energy dissipation properties.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Luyu Wang, Meng Wang, Yihan Zhou, Yanwen Wu, Jie Ouyang
Summary: Ultrasound and microwave have different effects on the physicochemical properties of normal maize and potato starches. Ultrasound destroys the structure of starch granules and increases the content of damaged starch, while microwave generates heat through molecular vibration to destroy the structure of starch. In addition, microwave treatment promotes the formation of amylose-lipid complex.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Trinh Thi My Duyen, Pham Van Hung
Summary: This study investigated the physicochemical characteristics and digestibility of starch nanoparticles (SNPs) fabricated from debranched cassava starch varying in degree of polymerization using nanoprecipitation and microemulsion methods. SNPs fabricated from high DP starch were well-dispersed and smaller, while those from medium and low DP starch were larger and more aggregated. The SNPs produced by the microemulsion method were larger and more aggregated compared to those by the nanoprecipitation method, with all SNPs showing higher relative crystallinity and more ordered structure than native starch. SNPs fabricated from low DP starch also had higher resistant starch content and lower blood glucose response in mice.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Mustafa Kalay, Abidin Esidir, Mahmut Ruzi, N. Burak Kiremitler, Mustafa Serdar Onses
Summary: This study proposes stable and addressable polymer PUFs, utilizing a cross-linkable polymer system, which demonstrates high stochastic characteristics and low-cost production. The performance of the polymer features is evaluated through various analyses, and direct image authentication is achieved using feature matching algorithms.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Jingyu Jin, Guoqiang Lu, Jun Nie, Xiaoqun Zhu
Summary: Photopolymerization technology is limited in the fields of food packaging and biomedicine due to the high migration of small molecules from photoinitiators. In this study, a polymerizable 2-vinyl thioxanthone (ETX) was synthesized to improve the migration stability of photoinitiators. Macromolecular photoinitiators (PPI1, PPI2) were also prepared to further reduce migration. The results showed that the ETX/TEOA system had higher initiation performance and PPI2 displayed favorable initiation ability. Additionally, the migration of ETX, PPI1, and PPI2 in photocured film was significantly reduced. These low-migration photoinitiators have potential applications in the fields of food packaging and biological materials.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Weijie Li, Jun Nie, Yingying Zhao, Xiaoqun Zhu
Summary: This study focuses on the development of high-performance, low-migration photoinitiators. A polymerizable photoinitiator (VBP) was synthesized by introducing an ethylene group into benzophenone, and three different molecular weight single-component photoinitiators (PVBN1-3) were synthesized based on VBP. The results show that these new photoinitiators have stronger absorption ability compared to benzophenone and significantly reduce the migration of initiators and co-initiators, addressing the safety concerns caused by migration.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Seira Morimune-Moriya, Yuki Iwahashi, Mitsuru Nakamura, Daisuke Ogawa, Keiji Nakamura
Summary: This study investigates the effect of plasma treatment on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and the structure/properties of polyimide (PI) nanocomposites with ultra-low content of CNTs. The results show that plasma treatment introduces isocyanate groups on the surface of CNTs and enhances the interfacial interaction between PI and treated CNTs. This leads to a significant improvement in the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites, with even a small addition of treated CNTs showing a substantial increase in Young's modulus, tensile strength and toughness.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Yuanlong Li, Chaojie Chen, Guoqing Cui, Li Liu, Chao Zhou, Guangfeng Wu
Summary: In this study, a novel ion-conducting hydrogel was fabricated using a straightforward approach. The hydrogel showed excellent tensile properties and high toughness due to physical interactions and covalent binding. Additionally, the introduction of hydroxyethyl cellulose and lithium chloride improved the biocompatibility, mechanical properties, electrical conductivity, and frost resistance of the hydrogel, demonstrating its potential for cold climate applications.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Dengwei Yan, Jinxian Yang, Xuejun Pan, Xiaozheng Duan, Lianwei Li, Mo Zhu
Summary: The influence of backbone length on grafting efficiency during the graft-onto reaction process was investigated. It was found that the polydispersity effect of backbone length does not affect the final grafting efficiency, indicating that the local dynamics of chain segments dominate the graft-onto process.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Zhaoyi Luo, Xianjie Pan, Fanqi Liu, Quanxi Yi, Yanning Zeng, Yunhua Chen, Chaoyang Wang
Summary: This study provides a method to prepare high-performance epoxy materials with good malleability and thermal stability. The materials have self-healing and welding capabilities, thanks to the addition of specific chemical bonds and network structures. They exhibit mechanical properties comparable to commercial epoxy resins and show great potential for sustainable industrial development.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Chaoji Xiong, Hao Wang, Lihua Deng, Kun Liang, Chunhua Wu, Wei Wu, Qian Chen
Summary: In this study, four polyamides were synthesized and their adsorption performances for Hg2+ in aqueous systems were investigated. The polyamides exhibited high adsorption capacities and excellent reusability, with the involvement of sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen in the chemical adsorption process of Hg2+.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Siim Laanesoo, Olivier Bonjour, Rauno Sedrik, Iris Tamsalu, Patric Jannasch, Lauri Vares
Summary: The insertion of rigid aliphatic or aromatic building blocks in polymer structures is an effective way to synthesize high -Tg polymer materials. In this study, a series of isosorbide-2-aryl carboxylate-5-methacrylate monomers (ArIMAs) were synthesized by functionalizing isosorbide 5-methacrylate with various aromatic lignin-inspired esters. These monomers were polymerized to obtain high molecular-weight poly(aryl carboxylate isosorbide methacrylates) (PArIMAs). The resulting polymers showed high glass transition temperatures and thermal stability, making them suitable for use as high-performance plastics and coatings.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Yuqian Wu, Weijie Xu, Jianliang Li, Zhangfeng Zhong, Liqing Huang, Shengke Li, Huaping Tan
Summary: This study investigates the improvement of degradation and drug release characteristics of dynamic Schiff base-mediated natural polysaccharide hydrogels using tannic acid (TA), leading to enhanced stability and functionality.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Xi Zhang, Xiangli Kong, Xin Zhou, Yiyan Gao, Yibo Sun, Guanghui Gao, Wei Liu, Kai Shi
Summary: Conductive hydrogels have great development prospects in flexible strain sensors, but long-term direct contact with human skin can cause bacterial infection. A hydrogel with antibacterial, biocompatibility, and toughness was designed and manufactured using a freeze-thaw method. The hydrogel maintains tensile properties and fatigue resistance at low temperatures and is resistant to bacteria. Therefore, hydrogel sensors can be used to monitor human movements.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Wei Zhang, Jiangang Yu, Mingyang Wu, Rui Li, Anqiang Zhang, Yaling Lin
Summary: In this study, polyacrylamide containing quaternary ammonium salts (PAM-X) were synthesized and found to effectively inhibit soil-borne pathogenic fungi while maintaining the balance of microbial population in soil. PAM-X also showed low toxicity to earthworms and fish, providing a new method for the prevention and control of soil-borne fungal diseases.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Jiawen He, Haojie Yu, Li Wang, Jian Yang, Yanhui Zhang, Wenbing Huang, Chenguang Ouyang
Summary: This review discusses the use of polymeric hydrogels for atmospheric water harvesting (AWH), including the mechanism of water sorption, fabrication methods, and strategies for optimizing the structure of hydrogels. The extended applications of hygroscopic photothermal hydrogels, such as agricultural irrigation and dehumidification, are also explored. The challenges and prospects of using polymeric hydrogels for AWH are summarized.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Ying Du, Shuaishuai Lu, Yuanna Sun, Qingshan Li, Xinhai He
Summary: This study introduces a method to improve the performance of hydrogels by incorporating proline, resulting in hydrogels with excellent stretchability, high conductivity, and long-term stability. The hydrogel remains flexible and conductive even at ultra-low temperatures.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
