Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40808208›Full record

ArticlePolymers2025

Tuning Corn Zein-Chitosan Biocomposites via Mild Alkaline Treatment: Structural and Physicochemical Property Insights.

Nagireddy Poluri, Creston Singer, David Salas-de la Cruz, Xiao Hu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Polymers, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Nagireddy PoluriDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA.ORCID 0009-0003-6571-045X
Creston SingerCenter for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ 08102, USA.
David Salas-de la CruzCenter for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ 08102, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-5835-4325
Xiao HuDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-2579-2820

Funding

U.S. National Science Foundation CMMI- 2037097
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This study investigates the structural and functional enhancement of corn zein-chitosan composites via mild alkaline treatment to develop biodegradable protein-polysaccharide materials for diverse applications. Films with varying zein-to-chitosan ratios were fabricated and characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Both untreated and sodium hydroxide (NaOH)-treated films were evaluated to assess changes in physicochemical properties. FTIR analysis revealed that NaOH treatment promoted deprotonation of chitosan's amine groups, partial removal of ionic residues, and increased deacetylation, collectively enhancing hydrogen bonding and resulting in a denser molecular network. Simultaneously, partial unfolding of zein's α-helical structures improved conformational flexibility and strengthened interactions with chitosan. These molecular-level changes led to improved thermal stability, reduced degradation, and the development of porous microstructures. Controlled NaOH treatment thus provides an effective strategy to tailor the physicochemical properties of zein-chitosan composite films, supporting their potential in sustainable food packaging, wound healing, and drug delivery applications.

Indexed as

chitosancomposite filmhydrogen bondingNaOH treatmentsecondary structurezein

Identifiers

PMID40808208
PMCPMC12349156

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.