title: Effect of montmorillonite on morphology, glass transition and crystallinity of the xylitol-plasticized bionanocomposites.
abstract: High amylose based nanocomposites plasticized by xylitol were prepared via twin-screw extrusion. The synergistic interaction in the xylitol-plasticized nanocomposite was studied via various characterization methods and the unique behavior of the xylitol-plasticized nanocomposite had been discussed. As revealed in the XRD and TEM results, good intercalated/exfoliated morphology had been achieved in all the nanocomposites. Furthermore, the expansion of nanoclay basal spacing was related to the xylitol/nanoclay ratio. DSC analysis clearly proved the unique crystallization process of xylitol-plasticized samples. Moreover, in the crystallization domain results, two domains sized at approximately 93.7 Å and 346 Å were found. This observation points to a two-level complex effect from two aggregate domains; one, the re-aggregation of certain number of silicate layers into domains which trap some of the amylose polymer chains, and two, the bulk drying process which combines smaller amylose crystalline domains within a larger amorphous high amylose matrix.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, University of Ballarat, Mount Helen, VIC 3350, Australia. h.liu@ballarat.edu.au
authors.forename: Huihua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Deeptangshu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chaudhary
mesh_terms: D001546:Bentonite / Q000737:chemistry*; D003460:Crystallization; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry*; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry*; D044367:Phase Transition; D010969:Plastics / Q000737:chemistry*; D017356:Synchrotrons; D014993:Xylitol / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics; D001546:Bentonite; D014993:Xylitol
keywords: DSC; Nanocomposite; SAXS; Starch; XRD; Xylitol