Thermal properties and adhesion strength of modified soybean storage proteins

Soy proteins have shown great potential for adhesive and resin applications. This investigation characterized the thermal and adhesive properties of the major soy protein components conglycinin (7S) and glycinin (11S) after chemical modification. These globulins were extracted from defatted soy flour, then modified with either sodium hydroxide, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), or urea. Modified 7S, 11S, and mixtures of 7S and 11S at varying ratios were evaluated for gluing strength with cherry veneer plywood and for thermal denaturation using DSC. Adhesive strength and water resistance were significantly improved for all proteins modified with sodium hydroxide. Gluing strength and water resistance were improved for SDS- and urea-modified proteins containing greater portions of 7S globulins. The opposite behavior was observed for proteins containing large amounts of 11S globulins. DSC results showed that the temperatures of denaturation (T-d) decreased for the proteins modified with sodium hydroxide or urea, whereas the T-d values of proteins modified with SIDS were similar to the unmodified proteins. These results suggested that, at the concentrations studied, sodium hydroxide or urea could denature soybean protein more effectively than SDS, resulting in lower protein thermal stability. Soybean proteins with high ratios of 11S had more ordered structures, as evidenced by the high enthalpy values of protein denaturation observed in DSC measurements.