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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #209622
Title: MELT AND THERMAL PROPERTIES OF INJECTION MOLDED MILK-PROTEIN-BASED BIOPOLYMERS

Author
item Onwulata, Charles
item CARVAHLO, CARLOS - EMBRAPA AGROINDUS.-RIO -B
item Tomasula, Margaret

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/4/2007
Publication Date: 5/28/2007
Citation: Onwulata, C.I., Carvahlo, C.W., Tomasula, P.M. 2007. Melt and thermal properties of injection molded milk-protein-based biopolymers. In: The Polymer Processing Society 23rd Annual Meeting. May 27-31, 2007 Salvador, Brazil p.1-5.

Interpretive Summary: n/a

Technical Abstract: The need to reduce the use of petroleum products has focused research efforts on using agricultural materials as substitutes for petroleum based plastics. Dairy proteins, such as whey and casein, offer significant property advantages over other agricultural materials and are compatible with biosynthesized polymers such as polylactic acid (PLA). Dairy proteins, combined with starch by reactive extrusion, form an extensible product called dairy bioplastic blend (DBP) that can be substituted with PLA up to 10% for injection molding without changing the physical properties of the products. Above 10%, DBP can be used to extend the volume of PLA based materials, keeping them completely biodegradable but with increased mechanical flexibility and decreased melt point.