Publications by authors named "Pu-xin Zhu"

This research demonstrated a novel and ecofriendly method for producing regenerated starch (RS)/microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) composite films with a nearly 1.4-fold improvement in tensile strength than traditional gelatinized starch (GS) films. Pure starch was dissolved in 14 wt% urea/4 wt% sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution at 0 °C.

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In this study, one-dimensional (1D) cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) were used to stabilize the dispersion of two-dimensional (2D) montmorillonite (MMT) plates in aqueous system. Then the prepared MMT/CNF solution was simultaneously merged into water soluble corn starch (CS) to obtain CS/MMT/CNF composite freestanding films through a casting method. The reinforcing effect from building blocks of MMT and CNF, interfacial interactions of hydrogen and covalent bonding together led to enhanced tensile strength and Young's modulus, reduced moisture susceptibility and increased transparency of the ternary CS nanocomposites.

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Hyperbranched poly(trimellitic glyceride) (PTG) plasticizers for starch were prepared by using trimellitic anhydride and glycerol as raw materials in a simple one-step synthesis. The structure and branching degree of PTGs were confirmed by Fourier transformed infrared, gel permeation chromatography and H nuclear magnetic resonance. The PTGs as plasticizers were composited with maize starch (S) via cooking and film formation.

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Films of thermoplastic starch (TPS) plasticized with different contents of urea were prepared by using a solution casting method. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and IR spectroscopy were used to characterize structures of the TPS films, respectively. Water vapor sorption isotherms and tensile properties of the films were determined.

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For ink-jet color inks used for the well-known printers, taking Canon, EPSON, HEWLETT PACKARD and LEXMARK as samples, transmittances of the ink solutions were determined, and then the chromaticity analyses were made, in order to calculate the tristimulus values and the chromatic coordinate of each color sample. Also, the gamuts, chroma values, dominant wavelengths and complementary wavelengths were obtained by using the chromatic method for the samples. In this paper, an empirical formula was suggested for the relationship between the complementary wavelengths of the three primary colors: lambda compl, M approximately equal 10/9 (lambda compl, Y) + 10 and lambda compl, M approximately equal 10/9 (lambda compl, Y) - 20.

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