# Incorporation of Protein Hydrolysate into Rapeseed Meal-Based Materials to Improve Flexibility

## TL;DR

This paper explores using rapeseed meal with protein hydrolysates to create flexible, biodegradable materials for industrial use.

## Contribution

The novel use of rapeseed meal protein hydrolysates as plasticizers to improve material flexibility and performance.

## Key findings

- Hydrolysate incorporation improved elongation at break and flexibility of rapeseed meal-based materials.
- Reduced glycerol content addressed permeability and migration issues in hydrophilic plasticizers.
- Biodegradation and thermal analysis confirmed favorable performance for sustainable industrial applications.

## Abstract

This study investigates the potential of rapeseed meal (RM), a protein-rich by-product of the rapeseed oil industry, as a raw material for the development of renewable materials. Due to the presence of antinutritional compounds, rapeseed meal is underutilized, primarily in low-value applications such as animal feed. In this work, rapeseed meal protein hydrolysates were enzymatically obtained and incorporated as plasticizers into rapeseed meal-based materials to improve their mechanical properties, water permeability, and thermal stability. Collagen hydrolysate has also been utilized as a low-cost additive to further enhance the material performance. The glycerol content was reduced to address permeability and migration issues associated with hydrophilic plasticizers. The results demonstrated that the incorporation of hydrolysates into rapeseed meal-based materials modulated thermal stability, water permeability, and mechanical properties—particularly elongation at break and flexibility. The latter increased proportionally with the hydrolysate content of RM-based materials. Additionally, aerobic biodegradation behavior, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) supported the material’s favorable performance characteristics, highlighting the potential of rapeseed meal as a viable, biodegradable alternative for sustainable materials in industrial applications.