Improving wheat gluten materials properties by Kraft lignin addition

The industrial production of wheat gluten (WG)-based biomaterials implies to improve their actual mechanical properties as well as to reduce their water sensitivity. In this study, the effect of Kraft lignin (KL) content on the processability and on the physical properties of WG materials was investigated. WG plasticized with glycerol was blended with KL, and processed into materials by mixing and thermomolding. Materials were characterized by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, tensile test, and water absorption measurements. The introduction of KL in plasticized WG resulted in an increase of the material glass transition temperature (Tg) and in a strong decrease of the rubbery storage modulus, which will favor industrial processing. The increase in Tg did not follow a simple mixing rule, demonstrating specific interaction between KL and WG. The resulting materials effectively showed improved properties when compared with pure WG-based materials: they exhibited higher tensile strength and lower water sensitivity in ambient conditions. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012