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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Western Regional Research Center » Bioproducts Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #164362
Title: BIOPOLYMER NANOCOMPOSITES CONTAINING NATIVE WHEAT STARCH AND NANOCLAYS

Author
item Chiou, Bor-Sen
item Yee, Emma
item Glenn, Gregory - Greg
item Orts, William
item Wood, Delilah - De
item Imam, Syed

Submitted to: American Chemical Society National Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/20/2004
Publication Date: 8/26/2004
Citation: Chiou, B., Yee, E., Glenn, G.M., Orts, W.J., Wood, D.F., Imam, S.H. 2004. Biopolymer nanocomposites containing native wheat starch and nanoclays. American Chemical Society National Meeting, August 22-26, 2004, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Abstract.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: We formed bio-based polymer nanocomposites made from renewable resources by adding montmorillonite nanoclays to native wheat starch. We produced these polymer composites by using a twin-screw extruder and characterized their properties by using rheology, x-ray diffraction, tensile, water absorbance, and water vapor transmission tests. We first examined the interactions between the nanoclays, wheat starch, and water by measuring the formulation's rheological properties during gelatinization. The sample with the most hydrophilic nanoclay, Cloisite Na+, had the largest elastic modulus, indicating the Cloisite Na+ nanoclays became better intercalated than the other nanoclays. We then produced the nanoclay and starch composites by using a twin-screw extruder. From X-ray diffraction results, the solid to liquid ratio had the greatest effect on the nanoclay intercalation. Adding the nanoclay reduced the water absorbance by as much as 29% for some samples. In addition, the samples had higher modulus and lower stress and strains at break.