Revealing the mechanism underlying the phase transitions of high-amylose maize starch in ethylene glycol: An experimental and molecular dynamics simulation study

The industrial applicability of high-amylose maize starch (HAS) is limited by incomplete gelatinization during conventional hydrothermal treatment, necessitating the use of more efficient plasticizers. In this study, the phase transitions of HAS in ethylene glycol were investigated using differentia...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yu Zhu, Liwei Ying, Xianfeng Du, Li Guo, Guilan Zhu, Hongxia Lu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:Food Chemistry: X
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590157525004444
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849687170664628224
author Yu Zhu
Liwei Ying
Xianfeng Du
Li Guo
Guilan Zhu
Hongxia Lu
author_facet Yu Zhu
Liwei Ying
Xianfeng Du
Li Guo
Guilan Zhu
Hongxia Lu
author_sort Yu Zhu
collection DOAJ
description The industrial applicability of high-amylose maize starch (HAS) is limited by incomplete gelatinization during conventional hydrothermal treatment, necessitating the use of more efficient plasticizers. In this study, the phase transitions of HAS in ethylene glycol were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. DSC revealed higher transition temperatures (To = 223.2 °C, Tp = 226.5 °C, Tc = 233.5 °C) than water-based systems, whereas disappearing birefringence in the CLSM images confirmed the loss of crystallinity. MD simulations and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) demonstrated intramolecular hydrogen bonding disruption, and hence weakened starch–starch interactions. Optimal phase transition conditions (10 % HAS, 7 days storage, 30 min reaction, 400 W ultrasonic power, 234 °C) were established for high-temperature film casting or injection molding. Ethylene glycol acted as both a plasticizer and hydrogen bond competitor. These findings motivate high-performance biodegradable HAS-based materials and applications research.
format Article
id doaj-art-1bbfb2bc48d84223bd79137c55c11ef8
institution DOAJ
issn 2590-1575
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Food Chemistry: X
spelling doaj-art-1bbfb2bc48d84223bd79137c55c11ef82025-08-20T03:22:23ZengElsevierFood Chemistry: X2590-15752025-05-012810259710.1016/j.fochx.2025.102597Revealing the mechanism underlying the phase transitions of high-amylose maize starch in ethylene glycol: An experimental and molecular dynamics simulation studyYu Zhu0Liwei Ying1Xianfeng Du2Li Guo3Guilan Zhu4Hongxia Lu5Department of Biological and Food Engineering, Hefei Normal University, Lian Hua Road, Hefei 230601, China; Anhui Engineering Laboratory of Agro-products Processing, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; Corresponding author at: Department of Biological and Food Engineering, Hefei Normal University, Lian Hua Road, Hefei 230601, China.College of Life Science, Anqing Normal University, Anqing 246133, Anhui, ChinaAnhui Engineering Laboratory of Agro-products Processing, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; Corresponding author.State Key Laboratory of Biobased Material and Green Papermaking, School of Food Sciences and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, ChinaDepartment of Biological and Food Engineering, Hefei Normal University, Lian Hua Road, Hefei 230601, China; Corresponding author.Department of Biological and Food Engineering, Hefei Normal University, Lian Hua Road, Hefei 230601, ChinaThe industrial applicability of high-amylose maize starch (HAS) is limited by incomplete gelatinization during conventional hydrothermal treatment, necessitating the use of more efficient plasticizers. In this study, the phase transitions of HAS in ethylene glycol were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. DSC revealed higher transition temperatures (To = 223.2 °C, Tp = 226.5 °C, Tc = 233.5 °C) than water-based systems, whereas disappearing birefringence in the CLSM images confirmed the loss of crystallinity. MD simulations and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) demonstrated intramolecular hydrogen bonding disruption, and hence weakened starch–starch interactions. Optimal phase transition conditions (10 % HAS, 7 days storage, 30 min reaction, 400 W ultrasonic power, 234 °C) were established for high-temperature film casting or injection molding. Ethylene glycol acted as both a plasticizer and hydrogen bond competitor. These findings motivate high-performance biodegradable HAS-based materials and applications research.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590157525004444High amylose maize starchEthylene glycolPhase transitionsMolecular dynamics simulation
spellingShingle Yu Zhu
Liwei Ying
Xianfeng Du
Li Guo
Guilan Zhu
Hongxia Lu
Revealing the mechanism underlying the phase transitions of high-amylose maize starch in ethylene glycol: An experimental and molecular dynamics simulation study
Food Chemistry: X
High amylose maize starch
Ethylene glycol
Phase transitions
Molecular dynamics simulation
title Revealing the mechanism underlying the phase transitions of high-amylose maize starch in ethylene glycol: An experimental and molecular dynamics simulation study
title_full Revealing the mechanism underlying the phase transitions of high-amylose maize starch in ethylene glycol: An experimental and molecular dynamics simulation study
title_fullStr Revealing the mechanism underlying the phase transitions of high-amylose maize starch in ethylene glycol: An experimental and molecular dynamics simulation study
title_full_unstemmed Revealing the mechanism underlying the phase transitions of high-amylose maize starch in ethylene glycol: An experimental and molecular dynamics simulation study
title_short Revealing the mechanism underlying the phase transitions of high-amylose maize starch in ethylene glycol: An experimental and molecular dynamics simulation study
title_sort revealing the mechanism underlying the phase transitions of high amylose maize starch in ethylene glycol an experimental and molecular dynamics simulation study
topic High amylose maize starch
Ethylene glycol
Phase transitions
Molecular dynamics simulation
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590157525004444
work_keys_str_mv AT yuzhu revealingthemechanismunderlyingthephasetransitionsofhighamylosemaizestarchinethyleneglycolanexperimentalandmoleculardynamicssimulationstudy
AT liweiying revealingthemechanismunderlyingthephasetransitionsofhighamylosemaizestarchinethyleneglycolanexperimentalandmoleculardynamicssimulationstudy
AT xianfengdu revealingthemechanismunderlyingthephasetransitionsofhighamylosemaizestarchinethyleneglycolanexperimentalandmoleculardynamicssimulationstudy
AT liguo revealingthemechanismunderlyingthephasetransitionsofhighamylosemaizestarchinethyleneglycolanexperimentalandmoleculardynamicssimulationstudy
AT guilanzhu revealingthemechanismunderlyingthephasetransitionsofhighamylosemaizestarchinethyleneglycolanexperimentalandmoleculardynamicssimulationstudy
AT hongxialu revealingthemechanismunderlyingthephasetransitionsofhighamylosemaizestarchinethyleneglycolanexperimentalandmoleculardynamicssimulationstudy