Síntese e caracterização de fibras de zeína produzidas via rotofiação

Abstract

The accumulation of plastics in the environment represents one of the biggest contemporary challenges, directly threatening not only nature, but also human health. Short-term global initiatives aim to promote plastic reuse, while long-term measures seek the gradual replacement of these materials with natural alternatives. In this context, zein, a protein derived from corn endosperm, emerges as a promising sub stitute for synthetic plastics, being considered safe for consumption, biodegradable, and sourced from renewable origins. Processed into fibers, zein exhibits unique characteristics, making it a promising option for applications of varying complexity. The centrifugal spinning method, an efficient and recent technique, stands out for enabling the simple, rapid, and large-scale production of zein fibers. Thus, in this study, zein fibers were developed via centrifugal spinning to assess the potential of this method in transforming zein into a functional material for engineering. The viscosity of the zein polymeric solution was measured, in order to determine its rheological behavior according to the variation in polymer concentration. The resulting fibers were characterized by several techniques, including Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Contact Angle and tests to evaluate their antioxidant properties. The results indicated that the processing of zein through centrifugal spinning was effective, resulting in hydrophilic fibers with micrometer-scale diameters and antioxidant properties. No significant difference in diameter was observed between samples produced with different parameters of zein concentration in the solution and rotation speed. Finally, this research paves the way for future studies exploring the application of these fibers in the manufacture of bioplastics.