Effective intercalation of zein into Na-montmorillonite: role of the protein components and use of the developed biointerfaces.

ABSTRACT: Biohybrid materials based on the intercalation of zein, the major storage protein in corn, into sodium-exchanged montmorillonite were prepared following two synthesis strategies. The first one made use of zein dissolved in 80% (v/v) ethanol/water solution, the usual solvent for this protein, while the second method is new and uses a sequential process that implies the previous separation of zein components in absolute ethanol. This treatment of zein with ethanol renders a soluble yellow phase and an agglomerate of insoluble components, which are able to intercalate the layered silicate when an aqueous dispersion of montmorillonite is added to the ethanol medium containing both phases. The diverse steps in this second route were investigated individually in order to understand the underlyin

SUBMITTER: Alcantara AC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5238646 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature