Preparation of Zein-Based Biodegradable Materials and Investigation of Their Physical Properties

239 p.Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1997.Plasticization was improved by dissolving zein and fatty acids in warm aqueous alcohol solutions. Resins were obtained through precipitation and kneading treatments. Inclusion of palmitic and stearic acid in the formulation resulted in harder resins that were suited for rolling into sheets; whereas plasticization with oleic or linoleic acid gave a softer resin that could be stretched into thin films. Films were found to be a matrix of zein fibrils. Coating sheets and films with heated flax oil not only improved the water resistance but also the tensile properties of films.U of I OnlyRestricted to the U of I community idenfinitely during batch ingest of legacy ETD