User:Douglas M. Fox/Notebook/AU CHEM-571 F2011 Lab Support/2011/08/31

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Project 1: Zein Film Properties Main project page
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Today's Objectives

  • Determine melting properties of zein film using DSC
  • Identify gold in zein film using XRD
  • Measure film tensile strength using DMA

Materials

  • Zein film containing Au Nanoparticles, prepared at 37C
  • Film was prepared by Daniel Catt on August 8, 2011
  • Film formed in a plastic petri dish & cut for analysis

Data Analysis

Thermal Properties of Zein Film
DSC sample prep & thermal program

  • TA Instruments Q-1000 with RCS cooling unit
  • 2.95 mg in TZero Aluminum pans
  • Equilibrate 35C; Ramp 10C/min to 225C; Ramp 10C/min to 35C; Repeat twice

Notes

  • Note the thermal decomposition above 200°C
  • First broad peak very likely solvent
  • melting point at 133°C
  • slow crystallization (small peak), though decomp may affect it as well


Crystalline Properties of Zein Film
Instrumentation Details

  • Rigaku Miniflex II with monochrometer
  • thin film placed on flat low background sample holder
  • 5° to 90° at 1°/min

Notes

  • no evidence of gold nanoparticles in film (Au peaks at 37°, 45°, 65°, 78° & 81°)
  • broad peaks are characteristic of zein protein
  • [Au] may simply be below the limit of detection


Viscoelastic Properties of Zein Film
Notes

  • film was wet, flimsy, & cracked
  • different clamp would be needed to test
  • experiment postponed to a later date