TCE
    
|
The Chemical Educator
ISSN: 1430-4171 (electronic version)
Abstract Volume 22
(2017) pp 191-194
Illustrating Structure–Properties Relationships with Interlocking Building Block Models: Amylopectin, Amylose, and Cellulose
Ryo Horikoshi
Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Faculty of Design Technology, Osaka Sangyo University, Nakagaito, Daito, Osaka 574-8530, Japan, ryo.horikoshi@est.osaka-sandai.ac.jp
Received June 2, 2017. Accepted October 23, 2017.
Published: 6 November 2017
Abstract. In
this paper, interlocking building block models are used to illustrate the
structure–properties relationships of amylopectin, amylose, and cellulose. The
characteristic primary structures of amylopectin, amylose, and cellulose are a
highly blanched helical chain, a linear helical chain, and a linear zigzag
chain, respectively. The differences in structures lead to their distinctive
properties that people encounter in their daily lives. For example, the difference in stickiness between
sticky rice and fluffy rice is attributable to the ratio of amylopectin and
amylose in their starch. The hardness of wood is ascribable to the rigid
structure of cellulose. The key issues related to structure can be distilled
into interlocking building block models. With the use of these models,
instructors can explain the characteristic properties related to the chain
structures of amylopectin, amylose, and cellulose, including stickiness,
molecular inclusion and strength.
Key Words: Laboratories and Demonstrations; organic chemistry; polymer chemistry; demonstrations; molecular modeling; molecular properties/structure
(*) Corresponding author. (E-mail: ryo.horikoshi@est.osaka-sandai.ac.jp)
Article in PDF format (268 KB) HTML format
Supporting Materials:
Constructions of the interlocking building block models, notes for instructors, and a PowerPoint slide show are available as a PDF file. (1160 KB)
© The Chemical Educator 1996-2024