Effect of cross-linking and enzymatic hydrolysis composite modification on the properties of rice starches

Native rice starch lacks the versatility necessary to function adequately under rigorous industrial processing, so modified starches are needed to meet the functional properties required in food products. This work investigated the impact of enzymatic hydrolysis and cross-linking composite modification on the properties of rice starches. Rice starch was cross-linked with epichlorohydrin (EPI) with different concentrations (0.5%, 0.7%, 0.9% w/w, on a dry starch basis), affording cross-linked rice starches with the three different levels of cross-linking that were named R?, R?, and R?, respectively. The cross-linked rice starches were hydrolyzed by α-amylase and native, hydrolyzed, and hydrolyzed cross-linked rice starches were comparatively studied. It was found that hydrolyzed cross-linked rice starches showed a lower the degree of amylase hydrolysis compared with hydrolyzed rice starch. The higher the degree of cross-linking, the higher the capacity to resist enzyme hydrolysis. Hydrolyzed cross-linked rice starches further increased the adsorptive capacities of starches for liquids and decreased the trend of retrogradation, and it also strengthened the capacity to resist shear compared to native and hydrolyzed rice starches.     

Studies on the properties and characteristics of starch-LDPE blend films using cross-linked, glycerol modified, cross-linked and glycerol modified starch

Corn starch was modified by cross-linking with epichlorohydrin and plasticizer glycerol. X-ray diffraction studies showed that relative crystallinity of the native and cross-linked starch were similar and were not affected by cross-linking. Different films were prepared by blending corn starch, cross-linked starch or glycerol modified starch in LDPE. The mechanical properties of the films were studied for tensile strength, elongation, melt flow index, and burst strength. The properties of the blend films were compared with LDPE films. It was observed that with the blending of 7.5% native starch, there was a decrease in tensile strength, elongation and melt flow index but burst strength increased. The tensile strength, elongation and melt flow index of the films containing cross-linked starch was considerably higher than those containing native starch but the burst strength showed a reverse trend. For native starch and cross-linked starch modified with glycerol, the elongation and melt flow index of the films increased but burst strength decreased. Surface scanning of the blend films were done by scanning electron microscope. Film containing cross-linked starch/glycerol modified starch in the blend was observed to be smoother than the native starch blend films.     

机械活化木薯淀粉氧化产物的结构表征

采用搅拌球磨机对木薯淀粉进行机械活化,以活化60min的木薯淀粉为原料,CuSO4为催化剂,H2O2为氧化剂干法制备氧化淀粉。利用红外光谱、扫描电子显微镜、X-射线衍射等手段对产物的结构进行表征分析,并与原淀粉的氧化产物进行比较。结果表明,机械活化对木薯淀粉的氧化反应有显著的影响。原木薯淀粉的氧化反应主要发生在淀粉颗粒的表面及无定形区,部分发生在结晶区,产物是无定形及结晶状态的结构;活化淀粉的氧化反应在淀粉团粒表面及内部均匀进行,产物是无定形的聚集状态结构。并就机械活化对淀粉氧化的强化机理进行了探讨。     

Response surface methodology (RSM) of chicken skin gelatin based composite films with rice starch and curcumin incorporation

This study aims to optimize the formulation of composite films based on chicken skin gelatin with incorporation of rice starch (10–20%, w/w) and curcumin (0.03–0.10%, w/v). The effect of their interaction on film's tensile strength (TS), elongation at break (EAB), water vapor permeability (WVP) and antioxidant properties (DPPH%) were investigated using a response surface methodology-central composite design (RSM-CCD). The optimized film formulation was further validated to indicate the validity of the prediction model. The optimum conditions of the film were selected with incorporation of rice starch at 20% (w/w) and curcumin at 0.03% (w/v). The optimized film formulation has revealed better mechanical properties with low WVP value and good antioxidant activity. The results showed that optimized composite films formulation based on chicken skin gelatin with the incorporation of rice starch and curcumin has proving good validation of model prediction and can be effectively utilized in food packaging industry.     

Sago/PVA blend membranes for the recovery of ethyl acetate from water

Sago starch is a relatively new polymeric material for development of a hydrophilic membrane for dehydration of alcohol/water. In this study sago based membranes were developed through casting technique for the dehydration of ethyl acetate at azeotropic conditions via pervaporation. Sago was blended with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to produce blended sago–PVA membranes with improved physical and chemical properties. The membranes were cross-linked using three different approaches; firstly, using glutaraldehyde, secondly using thermal treatment (80 °C) and thirdly by using both glutaraldehyde and thermal treatment. The effects of various cross-linking methods on the intrinsic properties of hydrophilic polymer membrane were investigated. The membranes were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The effect of operating conditions such as feed temperature and concentration on the separation factor and flux was discussed. Sago starch polymer shows very high performance and very good stability after polymer blending and cross-linking, which is promising for use in industrial applications.     

先锋褐煤及其热溶残煤的过氧化氢氧解

利用1-甲基萘（1-MN）对先锋褐煤进行热溶,并在温和条件下分别对原煤及其热溶残煤进行过氧化氢氧化。结合元素分析和FT-IR对各级产物进行结构表征,用GC/MS对氧化反应水溶性产物的甲酯化衍生物进行分析。结果表明,先锋褐煤在1-MN中的热溶率较低,320 ℃下热溶残煤（TR）的收率为81.01%,该煤主要以共价键交联的大分子结构为主,非共价键缔合的小分子含量较低,并以脂肪结构为主,含一定量的羰基以及少量的羟基和芳香结构。原煤和热溶残煤氧化水溶性产物中α,ω-二羧基烷酸含量较高,同时还发现,相当含量的芳香酸及三元羧酸存在,其中,α,ω-二羧基烷酸主要以丙二酸和丁二酸为主;原煤中可溶小分子易被氧化并生成较复杂的产物。与原煤相比,热溶残煤结构更为规整,氧化主要以共价键交联的大分子结构的氧化解聚为主,氧解率较低,水溶性氧解产物也较简单,种类较少,据此推测先锋褐煤的桥键主要以为-CH₂-和-CH₂-CH₂-为主。     

非对称场流分离系统的构建及其在淀粉颗粒粒径表征中的应用

淀粉颗粒粒径与分子尺寸分别在1~100 μm和20~250 nm之间,是影响淀粉功能特性的重要因素之一。非对称场流分离(AF4)是一种基于样品与外力场相互作用机制的分离技术,已应用于表征淀粉分子尺寸分布。商品化的AF4系统的粒径检测范围为1 nm~10 μm,对于淀粉颗粒粒径表征具有一定的局限性。该文研制了AF4分离系统;考察了其在微米尺度下对红薯、莲子和大米淀粉颗粒粒径表征的性能;采用微米尺寸的聚苯乙烯乳化球(PS)标准样品验证了构建的AF4系统的分离性能。实验结果显示,构建的AF4系统对PS混合样品(粒径2、6、12、20 μm)实现了基线分离,同商品化AF4相比提高了检测上线,具有分离表征淀粉颗粒的潜力。此外,该文研究了载液组成对淀粉颗粒分离表征的影响;通过光学显微镜验证了构建的AF4系统在微米尺度上对淀粉颗粒粒径分布的表征能力。最后,采用商品化的AF4系统串联多角度激光光散射检测器和示差折光检测器对3种淀粉分子进行了分离表征,考察了淀粉的溶解温度对其表征结果的影响。在摩尔质量10 ⁶~10⁸ g/mol范围内,红薯和莲子淀粉的回转半径和水合半径的比值(R_g/R_h)在0.9~1.1之间,大米淀粉的R_g/R_h在1.2~1.4之间。实验结果证明构建的AF4系统是一种快速、准确的淀粉颗粒粒径表征方法,与商品化的AF4系统结合可为研究淀粉尺寸分布与其功能性质之间的关系提供技术支持。     

Influence of various starch types on PCL/starch blends anaerobic biodegradation

Research concentrated on the biodegradable capability of PCL blends with various types of starch in an anaerobic aqueous environment of mesophilic sludge from a municipal wastewater treatment plant. For blend preparation, use was made of a native starch Meritena from maize, another from Waxy – a genetically modified type of maize, as well as Gel Instant, a gelatinized starch, and an amaranth starch. Additional PCL/starch blends were prepared from the same starch types, but these were initially plasticized with glycerol. The biodegradability tests were supplemented with thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC); morphology was identified using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), plus mechanical properties were also tested. While mixtures of PCL with starches plasticized with glycerol exhibited improved mechanical properties and a higher degree of biodegradation in the anaerobic environment, mixtures of PCL with pure forms of starch were ascertained as rather resistant to the anaerobic aqueous environment. TGA and DSC analysis confirmed the removal of starch and glycerol from the PCL matrix. SEM then proved these results through the absence of starch grains in the samples following anaerobic biodegradation.     

Thermal,structural and rheological properties of starch from avocado seeds (Persea americana,Miller) modified with standard sodium hypochlorite solutions

The avocado (Persea americana, Miller) is a tree that is native to Central/North America (Mexico) and it is very popular worldwide due to its food applications. Its seeds contain an important amount of starch and there is lack of study and understanding regarding the physico-chemical properties of this biopolymer. In this research, starch granules were extracted from avocado seeds and oxidised with standard sodium hypochlorite solutions at 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 %. Untreated and modified samples were investigated using the following techniques: simultaneous thermogravimetry–differential thermal analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, non-contact atomic force microscopy, rapid viscoamylographic analysis and X-ray powder patterns diffractometry. The main purpose was to investigate the thermal, structural and rheological behaviour of native and oxidised avocado starch, and it was verified that the treated samples showed a decrease in gelatinisation enthalpy and average roughness as well as in the degree of relative crystallinity and pasting properties.     

Thermoresponsive behavior of poly(n-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogels containing gold nanostructures

We report the changes in the structure and thermoresponsive behavior of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) hydrogels when gold nanostructures are synthesized in situ within the hydrogel matrix. Cross-linked PNIPAm hydrogels were synthesized using NIPAm and 0.00-3.50% (w/w versus NIPAm) of N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBAm) and/or N,N'-cystaminebisacrylamide (CBAm) as cross-linking agents. The hydrogels were soaked in potassium tetrachloroaurate to introduce gold ions. The hydrogels containing Au3+ were then immersed in a sodium borohydride solution to reduce the gold ions. Infrared spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, and equilibrium swelling were used to examine the structural/physical differences between gels of different compositions; UV-visible spectroscopy and mass measurements were used to observe the kinetics and thermodynamics of the hydrogel volume phase transition. These studies revealed several differences in the physical characteristics and thermoresponsive behavior of hydrogels based on cross-linker identity and the presence or absence of gold nanostructures. Hydrogels with gold nanostructures and high CBAm and low MBAm content have equilibrium swelling masses 3-20 times their native analogues. In comparison, gold-containing hydrogels with high MBAm and low CBAm content have swelling masses that are equal to their native analogues. Additionally, the gold-containing PNIPAm hydrogels cross-linked with only CBAm have a deswelling temperature of approximately 40 degrees C, approximately 8 degrees C above the samples cross-linked with only MBAm. Varying the CBAm content and introducing gold enables tuning of the deswelling temperature.     

Stabilization of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoclusters in concentrated brine with cross-linked polymer shells

Iron oxide nanoparticles, in the form of sub-100-nm clusters, were synthesized in the presence of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) or poly(styrene sulfonate-alt-maleic acid) (PSS-alt-MA) to provide electrosteric stabilization. The superparamagnetic nanoclusters were characterized using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and zeta potential measurements. To anchor the polymer shell on the nanoparticle surface, the polymer was cross-linked for a range of cross-linking densities. For nanoclusters with only 12% (w/w) PSS-alt-MA, electrosteric stabilization was sufficient even in 8 wt % NaCl. For PAA, the cross-linked polymer shell was essentially permanent and did not desorb even upon dilution of the nanoparticles for iron oxide concentrations down to 0.014 wt %. Without cross-linking, over half of the polymer desorbed from the particle surfaces. This general approach of the adsorption of polymer stabilizers onto nanoparticles followed by cross-linking may be utilized for a wide variety of cross-linkable polymers without the need to form covalent bonds between the nanoparticles and polymer stabilizer. Thus, this cross-linking approach is an efficient and inexpensive method of stabilizing nanoparticles for large-scale applications, including the electromagnetic imaging of subsurface reservoirs, even at high salinity.     

Evaluation of black tea polyphenol extract against the retrogradation of starches from various plant sources

The effects of black tea polyphenol extract (BTPE) on the retrogradation of starches from different plant sources were studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). DSC analysis shows that the gelatinization temperature of maize starch and starches from different rice varieties increased with increasing BTPE level. After storage at 4 °C, BTPE at a concentration of 15% markedly retarded the retrogradation of maize starch and starches from different rice varieties. Native maize starch and starches from different rice varieties showed typical A-type X-ray diffraction patterns, while native potato starch showed a typical B-type X-ray diffraction pattern. Adding BTPE significantly affected the crystalline region and intensities of X-ray diffraction peaks of maize and rice starch granules. It is concluded that adding BTPE markedly inhibits the retrogradation of maize starch and starches from different rice varieties, but has no significant influence on the gelatinization and retrogradation characteristics of potato starch.     

反相毛细管整体柱的制备及其在多肽混合物分离中的应用

采用甲基丙烯酸月桂酯为基础功能单体,乙二醇二甲基丙烯酸酯为交联剂,正十二醇、1,4-丁二醇及二甲基亚砜为致孔剂,在内径为75 μm的石英毛细管内制备了具有良好机械性能及化学稳定性的反相毛细管整体柱。考察了致孔剂的种类、比例以及交联剂在单体混合物中的比例对柱压和分离效果的影响;以单体15%、交联剂15%、致孔剂70%(均为质量分数)作为优化配方,在70 ℃条件下反应24 h;并对所合成的毛细管整体柱进行了电镜表征,测试了流速、柱长与柱压的关系。结果表明,毛细管整体柱的通透性良好,可通过延长柱长的方法提高分离效果。将所制备的毛细管整体柱装于纳升级高效液相色谱仪上进行牛血清白蛋白及血浆样本的胰蛋白酶酶切液的分离,获得了比较理想的分离效果。     

催化氧化木薯淀粉的结构与胶粘性能

考察了催化剂硫酸亚铁对氧化木薯淀粉的绝对分子量及其分布、羧基和羰基含量以及其胶粘性能的影响。结果表明,催化氧化使木薯淀粉的氧化降解时间减少到0.5 h,羧基和羰基含量分别增加了105%和12%以上。用高效凝胶渗透色谱与多角度激光光散射仪联用技术分析氧化淀粉的结果表明,催化氧化淀粉的绝对分子量比无催化氧化淀粉的小,且分布均匀。由催化氧化淀粉制得的淀粉胶粘剂的固含量达28.9%,干燥15 m in时粘接强度达57 N。     

Study on the morphology, crystalline structure and thermal properties of yam starch acetates with different degrees of substitution

This study was carried out to understand and establish the changes in physicochemical properties of starch extracted from Chinese yam (Dioscorea opposita Thunb.) after acetylation. Yam starch acetates with different degrees of substitution (DS) were prepared by the reaction of yam starch with glacial acetic acid/acetic anhydride using sulfuric acid as the catalyst. Their formation was confirmed by the presence of the carbonyl signal around 1750 cm-1 in the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra. The thermal behavior of the native starch and starch acetate were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results reveal that the starch acetates are more thermally stable than the native starch. The starch esters showed 50% weight loss at tem- peratures from 328℃ to 372 ℃ , while the native starch underwent 50% weight loss at 325℃ . The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the starch decreased from 273℃ to 226℃. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns could be classified as typical of the C-type for yam starch. X-ray diffraction also showed the loss of the ordered C-type starch crystalline structure and the degree of crystallinity of starch de- creased from 36.10% to 10.96% with the increasing DS. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) sug- gested that the most of the starch granules disintegrated with many visible fragments with the in- creasing DS.     

A Novel Plasticizer for the Preparation of Thermoplastic Starch

TPS was a biodegradable material based on starch. Starch was an inexpensive and natural renewable polysaccharide, which was widely investigated as the substitute of petroleum-derived plastics. Native starch commonly existed in granule structure with about…     

Arabinoxylan networks as affected by ovalbumin content

Solutions (1% w/v) of water-extractable arabinoxylans (WEAX) from wheat were mixed with ovalbumin solutions at different concentrations in order to obtain different protein/polysaccharide ratios (0, 0.6, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0). These mixtures were oxidized by a laccase (Pycnoporus cinnabarinus). The kinetics of gelation was monitored by rheological measurements of the storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″) at 25°C during 2 h. In the different ovalbumin/WEAX mixtures, WEAX cross-linking occurred as shown by an increase in G′. However, final G′ decreased as a function of protein concentration from 17.2 Pa (WEAX) to 7.1 Pa (ovalbumin/WEAX=10), following a sigmoidal relationship. Ovalbumin is probably entrapped in a WEAX covalent network, which explains the changes in rheological properties, but it does not participate in the network formation. Ferulic acid oxidation and diferulic acid formation was delayed at ovalbumin/WEAX=5.0 until 40 min but not at the end of gelation. In the same mixture SH groups from ovalbumin oxidized more rapidly than the protein alone. Ovalbumin via SH groups are probably responsible for the FA oxidation delay and the weaker WEAX gel formed by blocking the enzymatically formed free radicals.     

Effect of Silk Fibroin Reinforcement on the Properties of Potato Starch-Polyvinyl Alcohol Blend Films

Starch and polyvinyl alcohol composite films, reinforced with raw and methylmethacrylate-grafted silk fibroin particles, were prepared by the solution-casting method on leveled plates. Silk fibroin was used as reinforcement for starch and polyvinyl alcohol (St/PVA) blends in order to improve their mechanical and water-resistance properties. The composites were plasticized with citric acid and cross-linked with gluteraldehyde. The reinforced films showed an increase in tensile strength with decrease in elongation at break. The optimized samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and were studied for their antibacterial properties. The biodegradable behavior was studied by the soil burial method.     

The influence of halide-mediated oxidation on algae-born adhesives

Adhesive materials extracted from the brown algae Fucus Serratus were studied. These adhesives are composed of cross-linked alginate and polyphenols oxidized in the presence of KI or KBr. All formulations were capable of adhering to a variety of surfaces, however the adhesion properties were influenced by the halide used. SAXS and TEM experiments revealed that oxidized polyphenols self-assemble into chain-like objects, irrespective of the oxidation conditions. Yet, slight differences in the aggregate size were detected. QCM-D results showed that the kinetics of the oxidation was faster with iodide than with bromide. Moreover, oxidation with iodide generates stiffer networks, suggesting that the interaction between the alginate and the polyphenol could be the cause of the reduced adhesion.     

Synthesis, porous structure, and underwater acoustic properties of macroporous cross-linked copolymer beads

The macroporous and elastomeric beads from polyurethane acrylate (PUA), ethyl methacrylate (EMA), and styrene (St) are prepared by suspension polymerization using n-heptane as porogen and 1,2-divinylbenzene (DVB) as cross-linking agent. The scanning electronic microscope results show that the beads of PUA–EMA–St cross-linked copolymers have many large pores on their surfaces and interiors, and the macroporous sizes are dependent of the copolymer composition and the dosages of cross-linking agents and porogen. Average porous diameters decrease as the dosages of DVB increase and the contents of PUA and porogen decrease. The cross-linked copolymers have two kinds of beads (one with many larger holes on the surface and another with much smaller pores or without pore), when the ratio of PUA to EMA and St is from 6/4 to 4/6. The macroporous and elastomeric beads can improve the underwater acoustic absorption properties of the polyurethane/epoxy (PU/EP) blend elastomer, and the underwater acoustic properties of the composites based on PU/EP blend elastomer and the beads depend mainly on the amounts of the beads and the dosages of porogen.