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Zein–Laponite nanocomposites with improved mechanical, thermal and barrier properties

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A Correction to this article was published on 19 June 2018

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Abstract

Zein, a prolamin of corn, is a bio-renewable resource that can potentially offer alternatives for petroleum-based polymers in many applications. Nanocomposite formation with the addition of silicate nanoparticles (Laponite) to zein films, cast from 70% ethanol solutions, significantly improved the mechanical, thermal and barrier properties. Based on FTIR findings, a mechanism for zein–Laponite nanocomposite formation is proposed, which suggests Laponite nanoparticles bind to zein molecules through Si–N bond formation. Structural characteristics investigated using AFM and TEM confirmed exfoliation of the nanoparticle. The changes in the surface energy of the films were evaluated using water contact angle measurements and showed an increase in surface hydrophobicity. The Young’s modulus and tensile strength increased with nanoparticle concentration. The glass transition temperature increased, and water vapor permeability decreased with only a small amount of Laponite.

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Change history

  • 19 June 2018

    Laponite® is a registered trademark of BYK Additives & Instruments. Throughout the article, the registered trademark symbol should have been used whenever Laponite® was mentioned.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. Christopher Gilpin and Laurie Mueller for their assistance with TEM experiments, and Dr. Patricia Bishop and Dr. Hartmut Hedderich for their assistance with AFM and FTIR experiments. We would like to acknowledge USDA Hatch funds and the Scholle Endowment for financial support of this work.

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  1. Purdue University, 745 Agriculture Mall Drive, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA

    Tahrima B. Rouf, Gudrun Schmidt & Jozef L. Kokini

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Rouf, T.B., Schmidt, G. & Kokini, J.L. Zein–Laponite nanocomposites with improved mechanical, thermal and barrier properties. J Mater Sci 53, 7387–7402 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-018-2061-6

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