As NCAUR is located in the USA Corn Belt, our goal has always been to enhance the utilization of corn and soybean. In this talk, we will highlight our research on the expanded uses of the components of corn and soybean, such as starch, protein, fiber, and oil.  Past and ongoing research work include chemical and enzymatic modifications of these renewable materials to produce new biobased, value-added products. A particular emphasis will be given to the development of “green” methods of production of bio-based lubricants and caulking agents.  We have discovered rapid and environmentally friendly processes to attach selected amines (nitrogen atom) to vegetable oil without producing byproducts or side reactions. With the help of model compounds, the products have been fully characterized via several analytical techniques, including elemental analysis, NMR, IR, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and size exclusion chromatography. These innovative technologies can lead to potential new applications for surplus agro-based products, thereby advancing U.S. farmers and farm-related industries.

Plants to plastics

256th National Meeting (2018)

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