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Open access
Aug 2026
Effect of Copper-Modified ZSM-5 Zeolite Concentration on the Thermomechanical and Antimicrobial Properties of Compatibilized Native Starch/Polylactic Acid Blends
The development of multifunctional biodegradable materials with improved structural performance and antimicrobial functionality is essential for advancing sustainable packaging. This study evaluates the effect of copper-modified ZSM-5 zeolite (ZCu) concentration (0, 1, and 5 wt%) on thermoplastic starch/polylactic acid (TPS/PLA) blends. The TPS was derived from Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato, SP) and Dioscorea rotundata (diamond yam, DY) starches and compatibilized with 1 wt% citric acid. The ZCu response depended on both ZCu loading and the botanical starch source. Structural analyses showed that SP-based composites reached their highest crystallinity at 1 wt% ZCu (13.70%), whereas DY-based systems exhibited an initial decrease at 1 wt% followed by an increase to 12.75% at 5 wt%, reflecting distinct concentration-dependent crystallization trends. Thermal analyses demonstrated a substantial increase in the degradation onset temperature of SP-based composites, from 132.9 °C to 185.1 °C at 1 wt% ZCu, indicating an effective thermal barrier effect. Nanomechanical mapping revealed concentration- and starch-source-dependent changes in local hardness, reduced modulus, and elastic recovery, without evidence of uniform mechanical reinforcement across all formulations. Antibacterial activity was observed exclusively in composites containing 5 wt% ZCu, with inhibition zones of 5.3 mm against Staphylococcus aureus and 1.0 mm against Escherichia coli. These findings highlight how the structural, thermal, nanomechanical and antimicrobial responses of TPS/PLA blends vary with ZCu concentration and the botanical origin of the starch.
K. Garrido-Miranda, Elizabeth Moreno-Bohorquez, Mary Judith Arias-Tapia et al.
· Polymers · 0 citations
Oct 2026
Formulation and characterization of a corn starch-soy protein isolate coacervate for encapsulation of fennel essential oil and its application in the pre-velveting of chicken cubes.
Pre-velveting foods suffer from significant flavor loss and limited shelf life during storage, motivating a demand for multifunctional starch-based carriers. To address this, corn starch (CS)-soy protein isolate (SPI) coacervates with varying CS ratios were fabricated to encapsulate fennel essential oil (FEO), yielding a pre-velveting material with antimicrobial and flavor-enhancing properties. Results indicated that higher CS/SPI ratios (4,1 and 5,1) enhanced viscoelasticity and reduced particle size by forming a dense polysaccharide-protein network that inhibited FEO aggregation compared with the lower ratios. The resulting microcapsules (CSSP4 and CSSP5) similarly demonstrated improved DPPH radical scavenging capacity (59.49% and 56.15%, respectively) and enhanced thermal stability. SEM and XRD confirmed increased cross-linking of CS upon coacervation with SPI, which provided the basis for the improved encapsulation efficiency of FEO via the dense structure, while FTIR and molecular dynamics simulations indicated that this structure was primarily driven by hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions between CS and SPI, and the starch-protein interface was visualized. Electronic nose combined with GC-MS analyses identified anethole as the primary flavor compound of FEO microcapsules and showed that the stable structure delayed its release, with CSSP4 exhibiting the slowest release due to its higher density. Furthermore, among all formulations, CSSP4 showed the lowest TBARS values and pH increase, as well as the most favorable volatile profile and improved textural properties in cooked chicken cubes. This study presents a novel starch-based carrier designed to improve flavor retention and extend the shelf life of pre-velveting foods.
Hengpeng Wang, Yang Meng, Yiwei Jin et al.
· Food Research International · 0 citations
Open access
Aug 2026
Synthesizing a Calcium Lignosulfonate Composite Water Retention Agent and Evaluating Its Regulatory Effect on Water Evaporation and Crack Evolution in Saline–Alkali Soil
In this study, we synthesized a lignin-based superabsorbent hydrogel (LWR) to relieve severe evaporation and structural degradation in inland saline–alkali soils. The LWR was prepared via free-radical graft copolymerization of calcium lignosulfonate (CL) and acrylic acid (AA), with its swelling performance optimized systematically. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize its chemical and microscopic structure, and the soil column was exposed to three drying–wetting cycles to explore the effects of hydrogel dosage on soil evaporation and crack evolution. CL may graft into polyacrylic acid under optimal conditions (60% AA neutralization, 4% CL, 1% initiator, and 0.03% crosslinker) to form a porous hydrophilic 3D network. Consequently, the optimized LWR achieved swelling capacities of 1480 g/g and 122 g/g in deionized water and a 0.9% NaCl solution, respectively, showing high water absorbency and salt resistance. During cyclic drying and wetting, soil evaporation was first dominated by the hydrogel’s water retention capabilities; then, it was controlled physically by soil surface cracks. A moderate LWR dosage of 0.3% was used to maintain stable water retention in soil and the intact soil structure, which likely occurred due to its strong water absorption and hypothesized calcium ion bridging anti-cracking interactions. This work overturns the traditional view that a higher hydrogel dosage yields better water retention. Instead, it highlights the importance of conducting a long-term joint evaluation of the hydrogel’s water retention capacity and its resistance to soil dry–wet deformation stress, thereby offering theoretical support for eco-friendly water retention agent design and saline–alkali land remediation.
Xiaojing Chen, Baichuan Li, Zhiping Yang et al.
· Gels · 0 citations
Open access
Aug 2026
Tailoring starch-alginate beads for efficient heavy metal removal: the role of dual covalent-ionic crosslinking and drying method.
Sustainable adsorbents derived from renewable feedstocks offer a promising route for heavy metal remediation in water. This study reports the synthesis of hybrid starch-alginate beads dual-crosslinked by citric acid (6-15 mg mL-1) and calcium ions through external gelation. A systematic evaluation was conducted to elucidate the synergistic effects of crosslinking degree and oven- or freeze-drying methodologies on physicochemical properties and adsorption performance of the biopolymer matrices. FTIR confirmed ester bond formation, while TGA indicated that increased crosslinking degree enhances thermal robustness. Morphological characterization revealed that freeze-drying successfully yields a highly porous structure (F6), with a swelling up to 2000% and a specific surface area of 8.56 m2 g-1, over 25 times higher than oven-dried compact beads (SBET = 0.33 m2 g-1). Highly crosslinked formulations (F3 and F6 prepared with 15 mg mL-1 of citric acid) displayed a marked selectivity for cationic metals, following the trend: Pb(II) > Cu(II) > Cr(III) > Cd(II) > Ni(II) > Zn(II) > Mn(II) ≫ Cr(VI). Equilibrium data were best described by the Sips model, indicating heterogeneous binding surfaces and highlighting similar maximum capacities for both F3 and F6 (up to 2.0 mmol g-1 for Pb(II) removal). Kinetic analysis revealed a pronounced structural-functional contrast, as porous F6 reached equilibrium up to 12 times faster than F3, due to reduced intraparticle diffusion resistance. Multicomponent and regeneration assays confirmed excellent operation stability, underscoring that the strategic integration of optimized covalent crosslinking and freeze-dried methods produces high-performance, stable, regenerable, and sustainable bio-based adsorbents for heavy metal remediation.
Talles B Costa, Pedro M. C. Matias, K. C. Toledo et al.
· International Journal of Bio... · 0 citations
Open access
Aug 2026
Effects of Syringaldehyde/Gum Arabic Composite Chitosan Thermochromic Microcapsules on the Coating Properties of Basswood Surface
Thermochromic wood coatings hold promising application prospects, yet conventional thermochromic microcapsules are limited by monotonous color transitions and non-environmentally friendly wall materials. In this study, two formaldehyde-free thermochromic microcapsules were prepared via spray drying using crystal violet lactone (CVL) and bisphenol A (BPA) as the core system, with chitosan–syringaldehyde (SA-MCs, decyl alcohol as solvent, Schiff base crosslinking) and chitosan–gum Arabic (GA-MCs, lauryl alcohol as solvent, electrostatic complex coacervation) as the wall materials, respectively. These microcapsules were incorporated into basswood ultraviolet (UV) coatings at mass fractions of 1%, 3%, 5%, 7%, and 9%. With increasing microcapsule content, the gloss of both coatings decreased progressively, roughness increased gradually, and the color-changing amplitude, expressed as the color difference (ΔE), was continuously enhanced. At 9% addition, the SA-MC coating exhibited a moderate transition from light yellow to yellow-green (ΔE = 7.2), while the GA-MC coating displayed a dramatic reversible change from deep blue to light gray (ΔE = 42.4), both with good reversibility. In terms of mechanical properties, SA-MCs exhibited higher hardness, both systems achieved an impact resistance grade of 3, and GA-MCs demonstrated superior adhesion. After 24 h of short-term UV accelerated aging, GA-MCs still maintained a higher thermochromic response, albeit with more severe gloss loss. In summary, GA-MCs are superior in color-changing amplitude and adhesion, while SA-MCs offer advantages in gloss retention and hardness, providing a reference for material selection in the application of smart wood finishing.
Wen-Jing Chang, Jingyi Hang, Xiaoxing Yan
· Polymers · 0 citations
Open access
Aug 2026
Alcoholic–Alkali Modification of Corn Starch: A Framework for GCWS Design and Functional Tailoring
Granular cold-water-soluble starch (GCWS) offers a major advancement, combining cold-water solubility with retention of native-like granule structure and paste characteristics. Among the various preparation methods, suspending starch granules in alcohol containing a trace amount of alkali─referred to as alcoholic–alkali treatment (AAT)─has been demonstrated to be particularly effective. This study systematically examined the effects of ethanol concentration (50–90%), NaOH content (1–6%), and treatment temperature (30–50 °C) on corn starch. Morphological and optical analyses revealed progressive granule shrinkage, agglomeration, fusion, and birefringence loss, with complete disruption observed in ≥3% NaOH in 50–70% ethanol. Differential scanning calorimetry showed a decline in gelatinization enthalpy under stronger alkaline conditions, culminating in the loss of ordered structures with ≥5% NaOH. Functional assessments confirmed that GCWS achieved cold-water swelling factors up to 19.4, a solubility of 12.8–29.6% at 25 °C, paste transmittance exceeding 70%, and viscosities up to 810 cP at 35 °C, outperforming untreated starch. Statistical analysis identified ethanol concentration as the primary determinant of swelling and viscosity, while NaOH content governed solubility and paste transmittance. Collectively, these findings establish optimized AAT parameters for GCWS production and provide mechanistic insights into processing–functionality relationships. The results demonstrate that precise modulation of AAT conditions enables rational design of GCWS with enhanced solubility, clarity, and viscosity, offering a robust framework for tailoring starch performance to diverse industrial applications.
Yung-Ho Chang, Chia-Long Lin, Xiu-Wen Xue et al.
· ACS Omega · 0 citations