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Nanocomposites based on polycaprolactone (PCL), containing concentrations of 1, 3 and 5 wt% of sodium montmorillonite (NT-25) and organo-modified montmorillonite clay, with three different salts (Viscogel B7, Viscogel S4 and Viscogel B8), were prepared employing the solution intercalation method using chloroform. The PCL nanocomposites were characterized by relaxometry, through determination of the hydrogen spin-lattice relaxation times using low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Conventional X-ray diffraction (XDR) was also used to measure the basal space of the nanoclay. The proton spin-lattice relaxation parameters showed that hybrid nanocomposites were formed, containing different parts of intercalated and exfoliated organoclay. The proton T1rhoH also indicated changes in the microstructure, organization and the molecular mobility of the hybrid materials. NMR relaxometry is a good way to evaluate nanomaterials because it provides complementary information, since it is measured in a different time scale. Furthermore, differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis were also used to investigate the crystallization and thermal behavior of the nanocomposites, respectively. All materials had low crystallization temperature (Tc) and the melting temperature (Tm) were very close to that of the PCL matrix, but the degree of crystallinity of the nanocomposites decreased. TGA analysis demonstrated that montmorillonite accelerates PCL's decomposition while unmodified montmorillonite has the opposite effect.

The aim of this work was to investigate the starch degradation of bananas stored at low temperature (13°C, cold-stored group) and bananas stored at 19°C (control group) during ripening. The starch granules were isolated during different stages of banana ripening, and their structure was investigated using different techniques. The activities of α-amylase and β-amylase associated to the starch granules were determined, and their presence was confirmed using immunolocalization assays. The increased molecular mobility likely facilitated the intake and action of α-amylase on the granule surface, where it was the prevalent enzyme in bananas stored at low temperature. The 10 days of storage at low temperature also influenced the sizes and shapes of the granules, with a predominance of rounded granules and pits on the surface along with superior amylose content, the higher amounts of amylopectin A-chains and the subtle increase in the A-type allomorph content.

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