tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23681518.post2298991169148708231..comments2023-10-14T04:05:08.546-07:00Comments on Diary of a Technocratic Anarchist: Stumbling across the biopolymer zeinForrest Higgshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208965471464716174noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23681518.post-40330415057872039482010-09-27T01:24:15.538-07:002010-09-27T01:24:15.538-07:00Hi guys,
Thanks for this Blog Forrest, you're ...Hi guys,<br />Thanks for this Blog Forrest, you're on the right path for sure. I've just got into this (so am 7 months behind) but am so keen to see it work please are there any updates?David Bassettihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05227317594140764608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23681518.post-49642824933798752372010-02-28T20:08:02.700-08:002010-02-28T20:08:02.700-08:00I worked with Mr Lawton. He has left the USDA an...I worked with Mr Lawton. He has left the USDA and is working for a company trying to commercialize zein extraction. E-mail me if you would like his contact info.-C.C.Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15044907776525595401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23681518.post-23897719806309903772010-02-22T02:20:15.409-08:002010-02-22T02:20:15.409-08:00For me research should start with, can we design a...For me research should start with, can we design and publish a reliable cost effective process to make it in the average home kitchen.<br /><br />If it is biodegrade-able then recycling is simply put it on the compost heap.<br /><br />Bio-Diesel is so do-able because Joshua Tickel et al published the DIY at home method.<br /><br />Conversion of raw polymer feedstock into filament is for me another discussion. Simply because if we can get that far then the question becomes doe we do filament or do a hopper fed design.<br /><br />The techniques needed to turn polymer feedstock into filament is arguably overkill as the method to use raw polymer must be subset. So why do filament.<br /><br />Given enough demand a commercial producer may produce cost effective filament, the demand needs to be created first though.<br /><br />I take your point though that knowing in advance if the polymer produces the results we need would be advantageous.<br /><br />Chickens and eggs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23681518.post-55733298977168111132010-02-21T11:23:22.871-08:002010-02-21T11:23:22.871-08:00I actually don't think that it would make much...I actually don't think that it would make much difference as long as it didn't get completely out of hand. At various times we've put a bit of oil on our ABS filament to ease its insertion into the extruder. That seems to help unless you get crud forming from overheating the oil in the extruder. That jams your extruder orifice.<br /><br />What I am keying into is the common observation that printing with PLA makes a smell like you get when you make popcorn. :-)Forrest Higgshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17208965471464716174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23681518.post-20768737924900666432010-02-21T11:03:41.008-08:002010-02-21T11:03:41.008-08:00what sort of issues would high corn oil content ca...what sort of issues would high corn oil content cause in this context?Evan Clintonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05744141127901057725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23681518.post-44107520133846220742010-02-21T11:02:54.992-08:002010-02-21T11:02:54.992-08:00Hmmm... I may be able to short circuit those firs...Hmmm... I may be able to short circuit those first two research questions. :-)Forrest Higgshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17208965471464716174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23681518.post-13032227715344951352010-02-21T10:21:08.478-08:002010-02-21T10:21:08.478-08:00There are a number of steps that can be taken to a...There are a number of steps that can be taken to assess the feasibility of zein. The literature I've seen in fuzzy on what its melting point is and similarly on experience with extruding it.<br /><br />It would seem reasonable to acquire a small sample and determine what the actual glass transition temperature, softening point and melting point are.<br /><br />Should the results of that be promising then acquiring a test batch and having it turned into enough filament so that one of better and more obsessive research types like, for example, Nophead or Bogdan, could assess it for viability in our extruders.<br /><br />Should that be promising it would be then worthwhile to see if we could batch the Carter and Reck patent {1970} to get usuable zein. I think the critical question there is how much corn oil we can get by with in the final product. With a single stage we get 2% according to Lawton. If we want less than that we have to multistage the process.<br /><br />I have a feeling that the popcorn smell we are getting whilst extruding PLA currently is occurring because of corn oil content in the PLA filament.Forrest Higgshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17208965471464716174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23681518.post-24978762286947948112010-02-21T08:26:34.683-08:002010-02-21T08:26:34.683-08:00that was interesting i wonder if it will go any wh...that was interesting i wonder if it will go any whereAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11988319309314632650noreply@blogger.com