Production of textile fibers from zein and a soy protein-zein blend

• Published in: Cereal chemistry Vol. 74; no. 5; pp. 594 - 598
• Main Authors: Zhang, M.L, Reitmeier, C.A, Hammond, E.G, Myers, D.J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: St. Paul, MN The American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc 01-09-1997; American Association of Cereal Chemists
• Subjects: ABSORCION DE AGUA; ABSORPTION D'EAU; ACETIC ACID; ACETIC ANHYDRIDE; ACIDE ACETIQUE; ACIDIFICACION; ACIDIFICATION; ACIDO ACETICO; ALDEHIDOS; ALDEHYDE; ALDEHYDES; AMIDAS; AMIDE; AMIDES; ANALYTICAL METHODS; Applied sciences; BENZOQUINONE; BREAKING STRENGTH; CALIDAD; COAGULACION; COAGULATION; COMPOSE ORGANOSOUFRE; COMPUESTO ORGANICO DEL AZUFRE; DIMETHYL SULFOXIDE; DIMETHYLFORMAMIDE; ENZYME INHIBITORS; Exact sciences and technology; EXTRUSION; FIBER QUALITY; FILAGE; FINISHES; FLEXIBILITY; GLUTARALDEHYDE; HILADO; HUMEDAD RELATIVA; HUMIDITE RELATIVE; INHIBIDORES DE ENZIMAS; INHIBITEUR D'ENZYME; Machinery and processing; MANMADE FIBERS; MECHANICAL PROPERTIES; MELANGE; MEZCLADO; MIXING; MODIFICATION; MODULUS; MOISTURE REGAIN; ORGANOSULPHUR COMPOUNDS; PLANT PROTEIN; Plastics; Polymer industry, paints, wood; PROLAMINAS; PROLAMINE; PROLAMINES; PROPIEDADES MECANICAS; PROPRIETE MECANIQUE; PROTEINAS VEGETALES; PROTEINE VEGETALE; QUALITE; QUALITY; QUINONAS; QUINONE; QUINONES; RELATIVE HUMIDITY; RESISTANCE MECANIQUE; RESISTENCIA MECANICA; SOJA; SOYBEANS; SPINNING; STRENGTH; STRESS STRAIN CURVES; TECHNIQUE ANALYTIQUE; Technology of polymers; TECNICAS ANALITICAS; TENACITY; WATER UPTAKE; Artificial fiber; Mechanical properties; Crosslinking; Experimental study; Property processing relationship; Wet spinning; Mixture; Soy protein; Chemical modification; Moisture regain; Plant protein; Zein; Acetylation; Textile finishing; Textile fiber
• ISSN: 0009-0352; 1943-3638
• DOI: 10.1094/CCHEM.1997.74.5.594

Zein fibers were successfully prepared by a wet-spinning technique from a zein suspension formulated with 15% zein, 60% water, 22% 0.4N sodium hydroxide, and 3% urea by weight. Tenacities were with an Instron machine, and flexibility was determined by noting the smallest diameter rod around which a fiber could be looped without breaking. After spinning, the tenacity of the zein fibers was improved by modification with several agents: acetic anhydride for acetylation, glutaraldehyde, and dialcohols for cross-linking and physical stretching. The tenacity and flexibility of the fibers were measured at 11.65, and 100% rh. Untreated fibers had tenacities of 3.41, 2.65, and 0.17 g/tex at 11, 65, and 100% rh, respectively. A combination of chemical treatments (20% glutaraldehyde and 95% acetic anhydride) and 115% stretching increased tenacities to 6.89, 6.56, and 1.17 g/tex at 11, 65, and 100% rh, respectively. Control zein fibers had flexibilities of 5 and 2.5 mm at 11 and 65% rh, respectively, whereas the treated fibers had flexibilities of 1.5 mm at both humidities. Extrusion of zein fibers was not successful. Zein-soy protein mixture could be extruded, but properties of wet-spun fibers of zein-soy blends were not much improved over those of soy protein alone. The tenacity of blended soy protein-zein fibers was greater than that of soy protein fibers at 11% rh