A novel polysaccharide/zein conjugate as an alternative green plastic

Abstract

Abstract Significant attention has been directed toward the development of sustainable alternatives to traditional petroleum-based plastics in recent years. In this study, we investigated the conjugation of zein protein to flax-mucilage for the purpose of developing a bio-based functional material for packaging applications. Although both flax-mucilage and zein have excellent film-forming properties, they lack the required mechanical properties for industrial processing and are sensitive to high humidity. We present a simple and non-toxic method for developing a novel flax-mucilage/zein conjugate via oxidation of the flax-mucilage, forming aldehyde groups, followed by a glycation process with zein's amino groups. The resulting polymer exhibited promising thermoplastic and elastic properties, with an elastic modulus ranging from 1 to 3 GPa, demonstrating its potential as a sustainable alternative to traditional plastics. Additionally, the developed conjugate has demonstrated excellent processability with various industrial processing techniques, including solvent casting, heat pressing, injection molding, and foaming. This makes it a promising candidate for a wide range of industrial applications.