Incorporation of Protein Hydrolysate into Rapeseed Meal-Based Materials to Improve Flexibility

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biotechnology
• Sustainable Chemistry

Background:

• Rapeseed meal (RM) is an underutilized protein-rich byproduct of rapeseed oil extraction.
• Antinutritional compounds limit RM's application, often restricting it to low-value uses like animal feed.
• Developing high-value applications for RM aligns with circular economy principles and waste valorization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential of rapeseed meal protein hydrolysates as plasticizers in developing novel renewable materials.
• To enhance the mechanical properties, water permeability, and thermal stability of RM-based materials.
• To explore the use of collagen hydrolysate as an additive and reduce glycerol content for improved material performance.

Main Methods:

• Enzymatic hydrolysis of rapeseed meal to obtain protein hydrolysates.
• Incorporation of hydrolysates and collagen hydrolysate as plasticizers into RM-based materials.
• Reduction of glycerol content to mitigate permeability and migration issues.
• Characterization using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).
• Assessment of aerobic biodegradation behavior and mechanical properties (e.g., elongation at break, flexibility).

Main Results:

• Rapeseed meal protein hydrolysates significantly modulated the thermal stability, water permeability, and mechanical properties of RM-based materials.
• Material flexibility and elongation at break increased proportionally with the hydrolysate content.
• Reduced glycerol content addressed issues related to hydrophilic plasticizers.
• TGA, DSC, and biodegradation studies confirmed favorable performance characteristics.

Conclusions:

• Rapeseed meal protein hydrolysates are effective plasticizers for creating enhanced, biodegradable RM-based materials.
• The developed materials exhibit improved flexibility and thermal stability, making them suitable for industrial applications.
• This study highlights rapeseed meal as a viable, sustainable alternative feedstock for renewable materials, promoting waste valorization.