Preparation and Thermoplastic Processing of Modified Plant Proteins

Native plant proteins such as gluten, zein, soy and pea protein were chemically modified by acylation reactions using palmitic acid chloride and alkenyl‐substituted succinic anhydrides, respectively. The goal of this work was the development of novel, biodegradable protein materials, which are processable by thermoplastic shaping in extruders. Structures and properties of modified plant proteins were characterized by elementary analysis, IR, DSC, TGA, water retention analysis, and tensile tests. The biodegradability of the acylated protein derivatives has been demonstrated. It can be concluded that the chosen plant proteins are suitable for acylation reactions leading to fusible thermoplastic materials with improved water‐resistance. However, resultant extruded articles possess mostly high brittleness combined with low tensile strength. An improved processability and mechanical performance of the acylated products can be achieved by addition of only 10% glycerol.