Open Access

ARTICLE

Influence of Honey on Structural, Morphology and Thermal Behavior of Zein-Based Polymer Systems

Nurrul Asyiqin K. Shamsuri¹, Shujahadeen B. Aziz², Siti Nadiah Halim³, Hashlina Rusdi⁴, Mohd Fakhrul Zamani Kadir^1,5,*

1 Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
2 Turning Trash to Treasure Laboratory (TTTL), Research and Development Center, University of Sulaimani, Qlyasan Street, Sulaymaniyah, 46001, Iraq
3 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
4 Centre for Foundation Studies in Science, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
5 Universiti Malaya Centre for Ionic Liquids (UMCiL), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia

* Corresponding Author: Mohd Fakhrul Zamani Kadir. Email:

Journal of Polymer Materials 2025, 42(4), 1111-1123. https://doi.org/10.32604/jpm.2025.070939

Received 28 July 2025; Accepted 08 December 2025; Issue published 26 December 2025

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of honey concentration on the crystallinity, morphology, and thermal behavior of zein-based polymer systems, aiming to assess honey’s role as a natural plasticizer. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis confirmed the presence of strong intermolecular interactions and hydrogen bonding between zein and honey, indicating good miscibility. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns revealed a significant reduction in crystallinity with increasing honey concentration up to 25 wt.%, with the ZH5 (75 wt.% zein-25 wt.% honey) sample exhibiting the smallest crystallite size (4.23 nm), suggesting enhanced amorphous character suitable for ionic mobility. Field emission scanning electron micrograph (FESEM) images of ZH5 displayed a homogeneous porous-fiber-like morphology, while excess honey beyond 25 wt.% led to agglomeration and phase separation. Thermal analysis demonstrated improved thermal stability for ZH5, with a higher decomposition temperature and greater residual mass. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results showed a single glass transition temperature (T_g) for ZH5 at 88.4°C, indicating good miscibility between honey and zein materials. These findings identify 25 wt.% honey as the optimal concentration for plasticization, modifying zein’s structure and enhancing its amorphous nature and thermal resilience. The results highlight the potential of honey as a sustainable and multifunctional plasticizer for the development of biodegradable and eco-friendly polymer electrolyte systems.

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Keywords

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