Waterborne aqueous-alcohol soluble protein compositions, applications and methods

Abstract

Waterborne aqueous-alcohol soluble protein compositions, methods of making the compositions, and applications thereof are disclosed. The dispersion compositions include protein, water, acid, and optionally an ester of a carboxylic acid. The methods of making the compositions including combining the protein, water, acid and optionally ester to form a dispersion without the benefit of alcohol. Applications include industrial and food applications, such as binders and coatings, for example paint binders or coatings for paper products and pharmaceuticals.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composition, comprising: a solid portion comprising an amount of an aqueous-alcohol soluble protein, and a liquid portion comprising an amount of water and an amount of acid, wherein the solid portion is dispersible in the liquid portion without the benefit of an alcohol in the liquid portion. 
     
     
         2 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the protein is chosen from proteins derived from milk, proteins derived from soy protein isolate, prolamins and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . A composition according to  claim 2 , wherein the protein is a prolamin. 
     
     
         4 . A composition according to  claim 3 , wherein the prolamin is a zein. 
     
     
         5 . A composition according to  claim 4 , wherein the zein is derived from a corn ethanol fermentation process. 
     
     
         6 . A composition according to  claim 4 , wherein the zein comprises at least one of beta-zeins or gamma-zeins. 
     
     
         7 . A composition according to  claim 6 , wherein the zein comprises a total combined amount of beta-zeins and gamma-zeins of at least about 12% by mass of the zein. 
     
     
         8 . A composition according to  claim 6 , wherein the zein comprises at least a total combined amount of beta-zeins and gamma-zeins sufficient to produce the dispersion. 
     
     
         9 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the acid is more soluble in water than any of sebacic acid, decanoic acid, and oleic acid. 
     
     
         10 . A composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising an amount of an ester of a carboxylic acid. 
     
     
         11 . A composition according to  claim 10 , wherein the acid is chosen from hydrochloric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, malic acid, citric acid, trans-aconitic acid, glycolic acid, levulinic acid, ascorbic acid, D-gluconic acid, tartaric acid, and combinations thereof, and wherein the ester is chosen from trimethyl citrate, dimethyl succinate, triethyl citrate, ethyl lactate, diethyl tartrate, tri-n-butyl citrate, dibutyl succinate, dibutyl sebacate, dibutyl tartrate, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . A composition according to  claim 10 , wherein the amount of protein ranges from 0.2% to about 34.6% by mass of the composition, the amount of water ranges from about 38.1% to about 99.6% by mass of the composition, the amount of acid ranges from about 0.4% to about 48.1% by mass of the composition, and the amount of ester ranges from about 0.0% to about 53.1% by mass of the composition. 
     
     
         13 . A composition according to  claim 12 , wherein the amount of protein ranges from about 2.2% to about 21.3% by mass of the composition, the amount of acid ranges from about 16.3% to about 48.1% by mass of the composition and the amount of ester ranges from about 0.3% to about 53.1% by mass of the composition. 
     
     
         14 . A composition according to  claim 10 , wherein the composition is in the form of a waterborne dispersion and the amount of protein, the amount of water, the amount of acid and the amount of ester are chosen to result in a dispersion having a desired flowability and wherein the solid portion remains dispersed in the liquid portion for a desired time period. 
     
     
         15 . A composition according to  claim 14 , wherein the desired time period is at least about 8 hours. 
     
     
         16 . A composition made by a process, comprising: combining together an amount of water, an amount of acid, an amount of aqueous-alcohol soluble protein, and optionally an amount of an ester of a carboxylic acid to form a dispersion without the need for also adding an amount of an alcohol. 
     
     
         17 . A composition according to  claim 16 , further comprising drying the dispersion after it is formed. 
     
     
         18 . An end-use product comprising a composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the end-use product is chosen from binders and coatings. 
     
     
         19 . An end-use product according to  claim 18 , wherein the protein is a zein comprising at least a total combined amount of beta-zeins and gamma-zeins sufficient to produce the