Conversion of corn gluten into a solid article

Abstract

Disclosed are fast-curing, inexpensive corn-gluten resin compositions, methods for making them, methods for forming them into solid articles. In some embodiments, the resin composition includes corn meal gluten and a non-toxic organic acid.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A resin composition for molding formed articles with crosslinked corn meal gluten, the composition comprising:
 a resin component itself consisting of:
 about 87.5% to about 99% w/w corn meal gluten, 
 about 1% to about 12.5% non-toxic, crosslinking organic acid, and an optional solvent. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The resin composition of  claim 1  further comprising a reinforcement filler component, the reinforcement filler component comprising up to about 40% by weight of the resin composition. 
     
     
       3. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the organic acid is selected from lactic acid, citric acid, sorbic acid, malic acid, succinic acid, and maleic acid. 
     
     
       4. The resin composition of  claim 1 , wherein the corn meal gluten resin component comprises at least about 98% corn meal gluten by weight of the resin component. 
     
     
       5. The resin composition of  claim 1 , wherein the corn meal gluten resin component comprises at least about 97% corn meal gluten by weight of the resin component. 
     
     
       6. The resin composition of  claim 1 , wherein the corn meal gluten resin component comprises at least about 92.5% corn meal gluten by weight of the resin component. 
     
     
       7. The resin composition of  claim 1 , wherein the corn meal gluten resin component comprises at least about 90% corn meal gluten by weight of the resin component. 
     
     
       8. The composition of  claim 2 , wherein said reinforcement filler component is selected from natural fibers, sawdust, inorganic fibers, inorganic particles, foaming agents, clays, zeolites, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       9. A fast-cured, crosslinked corn meal gluten article formed at low pressures from a resin composition comprising:
 a resin component itself consisting of:
 about 87.5% to about 99% w/w chemically crosslinked corn meal gluten, and 
 about 1% to about 12.5% non-toxic chemical crosslinker wherein the chemical crosslinker is an organic acid 
 
 wherein the article is formed within about 20 minutes at temperatures between about 180 F to about 350 F and under pressures between about 3 to about 5 MPa. 
 
     
     
       10. The formed article of  claim 9 , further comprising a reinforcement filler component, the reinforcement filler component comprising up to about 40% by weight of the resin composition. 
     
     
       11. The formed article of  claim 9 , wherein the organic acid is selected from lactic acid, citric acid, sorbic acid, malic acid, succinic acid, and maleic acid. 
     
     
       12. The formed article of  claim 9 , wherein the corn meal gluten resin component comprises at least about 98% corn meal gluten by weight of the resin component. 
     
     
       13. The formed article of  claim 9 , comprising wherein the resin component comprises at least about 97% corn meal gluten by weight of the resin component. 
     
     
       14. The formed article of  claim 9 , comprising wherein the resin component comprises at least about 92.5% corn meal gluten by weight of the resin component. 
     
     
       15. The formed article of  claim 9 , comprising wherein the resin component comprises at least about 90% corn meal gluten by weight of the resin component. 
     
     
       16. The formed article of  claim 10 , wherein said reinforcement filler component is selected from natural fibers, sawdust, inorganic fibers, inorganic particles, foaming agents, clays, zeolites, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       17. A method for forming a fast-cured article with chemically crosslinked corn meal gluten comprising the steps of:
 filling a mold heated to between about 180 F to about 350 F with a resin composition according to  claim 1 ; 
 applying pressure to the mold between about 3 to about 5 MPa; and 
 curing the resin composition within the mold for about 10 to about 20 minutes to form the article with chemically crosslinked corn meal gluten within the mold. 
 
     
     
       18. A fast-cured, crosslinked corn gluten polymer article formed in a heated mold from a resin composition consisting essentially of corn gluten, wherein the corn gluten is crosslinked in the mold forming the article at a temperature between about 180 F to about 350 F and under a pressure sufficient to minimize voids within the mold. 
     
     
       19. The formed article of claim 18, wherein the article is formed under a pressure between about 3 to about 5 MPa. 
     
     
       20. The formed article of claim 18 further comprising a reinforcement filler component. 
     
     
       21. The formed article of claim 20, wherein the reinforcement filler component comprises up to about 40% by weight of the resin composition. 
     
     
       22. The formed article of claim 20, wherein the ratio of reinforcement filler material to corn gluten in the resin composition is about 30:70. 
     
     
       23. The formed article of claim 20, wherein the ratio of reinforcement filler material to corn gluten in the resin composition is about 25:75. 
     
     
       24. The formed article of claim 20, wherein the ratio of reinforcement filler material to corn gluten in the resin composition is about 10:90. 
     
     
       25. The formed article of claim 20, wherein said reinforcement filler component is selected from natural fibers, sawdust, inorganic fibers, inorganic particles, foaming agents, clays, zeolites, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       26. A method for forming a fast-cured cross-linked article with corn gluten comprising the steps of:
 filling a mold heated to between about 180 F to about 350 F with a resin composition consisting essentially of corn gluten;   applying a pressure to the mold sufficient to minimize voids within the mold; and   crosslinking the corn gluten within the mold to form the article.   
     
     
       27. The method of claim 26, wherein the article is formed under a pressure between about 3 to about 5 MPa.