Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-fbnjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-12T23:08:43.918Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Viscoelastic properties and the glassy state in soybeans

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2008

K. S. Maki ,
J. A. Bartsch ,
R. E. Pitt  and
A. C. Leopold
K. S. Maki
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
J. A. Bartsch
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
R. E. Pitt
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
A. C. Leopold*
Affiliation:
Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
*
* Correspondence
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The cytoplasm of soybean seed axes is known to undergo a glass transition as moisture content decreases. In this study we have investigated whether the glass transition is reflected in the macroscopic mechanical properties of the seeds. Constant-deformation-rate compression tests and constant-deformation relaxation tests were performed with a cylindrical indenter on soybean cotyledons equilibrated to moisture contents ranging from 2% to 16% (dry basis). The apparent modulus of elasticity was found to rise sharply as moisture content declined below 10%, showing an inflection point at 9.8%, and a relatively constant elasticity below 7%. Other measures of mechanical behaviour were also constant in the drier ranges, including linear deformation, and plastic deformation. Each of these viscoelastic characteristics showed an inflection point or a departure from a linear function in the region of 7.5–9.8% moisture content, the hydration region below which the tissue is in a glassy state. It is suggested that the viscoelastic qualities of dry soybeans are principally a consequence of the tissues being in the glassy state.

Type
Research papers
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 4 , Issue 1 , March 1994 , pp. 27 - 31
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Angell, C.A. (1990) Relaxation, glass formation, nucleation and rupture in normal and ‘water-like’ liquids at low temperatures and/or negative pressures. pp 132–160 in Stanley, H.E. and Ostrowsky, N. (Eds). Correlations and connectivity: geometric aspects of physics, chemistry, and biology. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston.Google Scholar
Beer, F.P. and Johnston, E.R. Jr. (1981) Mechanics of materials. McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York.Google Scholar
Bruni, F. and Leopold, A.C. (1991) Glass transitions in soybean seed. Relevance to anhydrous biology. Plant Physiology 96, 660–663.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bruni, F. and Leopold, A.C. (1992) Pools of water in anhydrobiotic organisms. Biophysical Journal 63, 663–672.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cenkowski, S., Bielewicz, J. and Britton, M.G. (1991) A single kernel creep and recovery test. Transactions of American Society of Agricultural Engineers 34, 2484–2490.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Di Marzio, E.A. (1990) The nature of glass transition. pp 43–52. in Ngai, K.L. and Wright, G.B. (Eds). Relaxation in complex systems. Plenum Press, New York.Google Scholar
Hearmon, R.F.S. (1953) The elastic and plastic properties of natural wood. pp 19–47 in Meredith, R. (Ed.) Mechanical properties of wood and paper. Interscience Publishers, New York.Google Scholar
LaCourse, W.C. (1972) The strength of glass. pp 451–512 in Pye, L.D., Stevens, H.J. and LaCourse, W.C. (Eds) Introduction to glass science. Plenum Press, New York.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liu, M., Haghighi, K. and Stroshine, R.L. (1988) Failure analysis of soybeans. Paper No. 88–6501, American Society of Agricultural Engineers, St. Joseph, MI.Google Scholar
Liu, M., Haghighi, K., Stroshine, R.L. and Ting, E.C. (1989) Mechanical properties of the soybean cotyledon and failure strength of soybean kernels. Transactions of American Society of Agricultural Engineers 33, 559–566.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mohsenin, N.N. (1970) Physical properties of plant and animal materials. Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, New York.Google Scholar
Parrish, D.J., Leopold, A.C. and Hanna, M.A. (1982) Turgor changes with accelerated aging of soybeans. Crop Science 22, 666–669.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rockland, L.B. (1960) Saturated salt solutions for static control of relative humidities between 5 and 40°C. Analytical Chemistry 32, 1375.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Seewaldt, V., Priestley, D.A., Leopold, A.C. and Feigenson, G.W. (1981) Membrane organization in soybean seeds during hydration. Planta 152, 19–23.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shemsanga, K.H.H., Uchida, S. and Ishibasha, S. (1983) Influence of moisture content on the mechanical properties of soybeans at cryogenic temperatures. Journal of Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University 28, 123–134.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vertucci, C.W. and Leopold, A.C. (1984) Bound water in soybean seed and its relation to respiration and imbibitional damage. Plant Physiology 75, 114–117.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Williams, R.J. and Leopold, A.C. (1989) The glassy state in corn embryos. Plant Physiology 89, 977–981.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wouters, A. and deBaerdemaeker, J. (1988) Effect of moisture content on mechanical properties of rice kernels under quasi-static compressive loading. Journal of Food Engineering 7, 83–111.CrossRefGoogle Scholar