Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zhuo Li, Dehai Yu
Summary: This study demonstrates the development of a highly stable, pH-responsive fish oil-in-water Pickering emulsion stabilized by ChNF/CNF complexes. The emulsion exhibits a remarkable release of approximately 95% of the embedded ibuprofen within the pH range of 5-9, and the drug loading and encapsulation efficiency reach their peak at a 1% ibuprofen dosage with values of 1% and 87%, respectively. This research highlights the potential of using ChNF/CNF complexes in designing versatile, stable, and entirely renewable Pickering systems for controlled drug delivery, with potential applications in food and eco-friendly products.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Hongjie Dai, Yuan Chen, Hai Chen, Yu Fu, Liang Ma, Hongxia Wang, Yong Yu, Hankun Zhu, Yuhao Zhang
Summary: Pickering emulsions containing lignocellulose nanocrystals-tannic acid complexes stabilized cinnamon essential oil were used to improve the properties of gelatin film. Introducing cinnamon essential oil reduced the droplet size, improved the surface structure of emulsion films, and enhanced the tensile strength, water vapor permeability, UV blocking, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties of the films.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jean-Francois Dechezelles, Yaoyao Feng, Fadi Fadil, Veronique Nardello-Rataj
Summary: A series of PEG-functionalized silica nanoparticles with various molecular weights were prepared and used for the elaboration of temperature-responsive Pickering emulsions. The stability of the emulsions is determined by the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance of the PEG/mPEG chains, and the distribution of the chains at the oil-water interface is modified with temperature, leading to a clear temperature-triggered destabilization of the emulsions.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Shengfeng Ye, Wenjing Zhang, Zhaolan Zhai, Binglei Song, Shibin Shang, Zhanqian Song
Summary: A CO2-responsive bio-based surfactant, C10MPAN', was successfully synthesized and used to prepare novel CO2-responsive Pickering gel emulsions with cellulose nanocrystals. The emulsions exhibited stable and controllable demulsification properties. The potential application of these emulsions was further validated through the study of microstructure, viscoelastic properties, and stability.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Hui Dong, Qijun Ding, Yifei Jiang, Xia Li, Wenjia Han
Summary: Spherical cellulose nanocrystals (S-CNCs) prepared by mixed acid hydrolysis under ultrasonic treatment are shown to be promising stabilizers for Pickering emulsions, exhibiting high stability and low viscosity.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Mandana Tavakolian, Roya Koshani, Nathalie Tufenkji, Theo G. M. van de Ven
Summary: In this study, a bifunctional hairy nano-cellulose (BHNC) bearing both aldehyde and carboxylic acid groups was used as a stabilizer in Pickering emulsions. It was found that a 1% BHNC suspension provided 90% and 80% stability for 30 and 60 days, respectively. Theoretical modeling and antibacterial tests showed that BHNC can effectively cover oil droplets and produce highly stable and antibacterial emulsions.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Veronika Mikulcova, Lucie Urbankova, Vera Kasparkova, Romain Bordes
Summary: Competitive adsorption of cellulose nanofibers at oil-water interface in Pickering emulsion is studied, and the effects of different types of nanocelluloses, particle concentrations, and oil content on the stability and droplet size of emulsions are investigated. Both cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) can stabilize emulsion droplets, with CNC producing smaller droplets and higher stability. The presence of CNF in the mixture reduces the ability of CNC particles to adsorb at the oil-water interface. The stability of emulsions is mainly influenced by oil content and total particle concentration.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Hye Min Seo, Minjeong Seo, Kyounghee Shin, Sunyoung Choi, Jin Woong Kim
Summary: This study introduces a hydrophobically modified bacterial cellulose nanofibrils (BCNF)-stabilized Pickering emulsion system, which can limit the influx of metal ions through the interface. The C18 alkyl chain-grafted BCNF (C18BCNF) can readily associate to generate a resilient thin membrane at the oil-water interface regardless of the type of oil, essential for the production of stable emulsion drops. By manipulating the grafting amount of the C18 alkyl chains and controlling the C18BCNF concentration, the viscoelasticity of C18BCNF-armored Pickering emulsion can be feasibly tuned.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mengyue Xu, Lulu Ma, Qing Li, Jiahao Wu, Zhili Wan, To Ngai, Xiaoquan Yang
Summary: A new class of high internal phase gel emulsions (gel-HIPEs) with high mechanical strength can be synthesized easily using natural food-grade saponin glycyrrhizic acid (GA) as the sole stabilizer. The formation of fibrillar hydrogel networks in the continuous phase gives rise to unique gel-HIPEs, which exhibit remarkable mechanical performance due to the highly viscoelastic GA nanofibrillar networks actively trapping the emulsion droplets. These robust gel-HIPEs can serve as solid templates for fabricating stable porous materials and are promising long-term delivery vehicles for lipophilic active cargoes.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jianhui Wu, Xin Guan, Chunhua Wang, To Ngai, Wei Lin
Summary: Waterborne polyurethane (WPU) nanoparticles were used to prepare high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) with tailored morphology and excellent pH-responsiveness. The WPU-stabilized emulsions exhibited high stability, shear sensitivity, and excellent thixotropic recovery. They showed potential applications in oil transportation and recovery, emulsion polymerization, and heterogeneous catalysis.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Nitong Bu, Liying Huang, Guoyu Cao, Huanglong Lin, Jie Pang, Lin Wang, Ruojun Mu
Summary: In this study, emulsion films with double network matrix were prepared using konjac glucomannan and Pullulan, and incorporated with cellulose nanofibrils-stabilized tea tree essential oil emulsions. The addition of tea tree essential oil emulsions improved the thermal stability, UV-shielding, water resistance, and mechanical properties of the films. The films also exhibited good antibacterial activity.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xin Guan, Yunxing Li, Hang Jiang, Ying-Lung Steve Tse, To Ngai
Summary: Oil-in-water-in-oil (O/W/O) Pickering double emulsions are stabilized by water and oil-swollen microgels, which efficiently reduce the interfacial tension and co-assemble on droplet surfaces. The binary microgels outperform single microgels in terms of interfacial tension reduction and emulsion stabilization. The temperature responsiveness of microgels enables selective and rapid release of encapsulated substances in different phases.
CHEMISTRY-AN ASIAN JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Wei Liu, Qingyi Lin, Siyu Chen, Hongbin Yang, Kun Liu, Bo Pang, Ting Xu, Chuanling Si
Summary: Phase change materials (PCMs) have the ability to store and release large amounts of energy during melting and crystallization processes, making them highly promising for temperature regulation and thermal energy storage applications. In this study, PCM microcapsules with melamine-formaldehyde resin (MF) shells were prepared using in situ polymerization of Pickering emulsions stabilized by cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) for addressing PCM leakage and enhancing thermal conduction. Paraffin wax (PW) was utilized as the PCM material. The resulting microcapsules exhibited high latent heat of crystallization and fusion, with the microcapsules with a core-shell ratio of 2 (Micro-2.0) showing the highest values. The encapsulation efficiency of Micro-2.0 was determined to be approximately 79.84%.
ADVANCED COMPOSITES AND HYBRID MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Yujun Zou, Shuai Zhang, Ying Liu, Liang Liu, Juan Yu, Yimin Fan
Summary: An in vitro simulated digestion model was used to study the effect of chitin nanofibrils on lipase activity, bile acid diffusion, and the digestion of lipid emulsions in the gastrointestinal tract. Different types of chitin nanofibrils showed no significant inhibition of lipase activity and bile acid binding. However, they exhibited differences during different stages of digestion, due to variations in surface charge and size. Furthermore, all three nanofibrils were found to retard lipid digestion and reduce the bioavailability of fat-soluble vitamins to some extent. This study provides insights into the potential use of chitin nanofibrils as functional food additives, but their effects should be carefully considered from a nutrition perspective.
FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Chunling Nie, Xianpan Bu, Sihong Ma, Jiahui Zhang, Qin Ma, Weilong Li, Xiaowan Zhang, Hao Wu, Shuqian Hu, Guangsen Fan, Jianguo Wang
Summary: This study investigated the stability of Pickering emulsions using cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and peanut protein isolate (PPI) complexes as emulsifier. The findings showed that Pickering emulsions stabilized by CNCs/PPI complexes exhibited better stability and oxidative stability compared to pure CNCs or PPI. These stable, edible, and surfactant-free Pickering emulsions have the potential for applications in oil-water separation and lipophilic nutrient delivery.
LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Mingning Zhu, Dongdong Lu, Amir H. Milani, Najet Mahmoudi, Stephen M. King, Brian R. Saunders
Summary: The study utilized small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) to investigate the structural changes of nanogels (NGs) in dispersion and gels at different pH conditions. Results showed that dispersed NGs have a core-shell structure, and NGs in PAAm gel exhibit consistent changes with increasing pH, as observed for dispersed NGs.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Peter J. Haddow, Marcelo A. da Silva, Daulet B. Kaldybekov, Cecile A. Dreiss, Ewelina Hoffman, Victoria Hutter, Vitaliy V. Khutoryanskiy, Stewart B. Kirton, Najet Mahmoudi, William J. McAuley, Michael T. Cook
Summary: Thermoreversible gels transitioning between liquid-like and solid-like states have enabled breakthroughs in novel healthcare technologies. This study synthesized ABA copolymers with varying molecular weights of PDEA and PEG blocks, revealing the necessity of high molecular weight PEG blocks for forming solid-like thermoreversible gels. Optimization led to a mucoadhesive, stable, and non-toxic thermoreversible gel with controlled release of hydrophobic drugs, showcasing high promise for healthcare applications.
MACROMOLECULAR BIOSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lili Cui, Morag R. Hunter, Silvia Sonzini, Sara Pereira, Steven M. Romanelli, Kai Liu, Weimin Li, Lihuan Liang, Bin Yang, Najet Mahmoudi, Arpan S. Desai
Summary: Researchers observed a significant improvement in mRNA functional delivery in vivo by automated LNPs compared to LNPs prepared using traditional microfluidics techniques. The data suggest that the mRNA loading per particle is a critical factor in enhancing mRNA functional delivery of automated LNPs.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Julien Schmitt, Vincenzo Calabrese, Marcelo A. A. da Silva, Kazi M. Z. Hossain, Peixun Li, Najet Mahmoudi, Robert M. M. Dalgliesh, Adam L. L. Washington, Janet L. L. Scott, Karen J. J. Edler
Summary: In this study, the physical properties and structural behavior of TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibril (OCNF) suspensions in the presence of different surfactants were investigated using small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and rheology. Four surfactants with the same hydrophobic tail length but different headgroups were studied. The SANS results showed attractive interactions between OCNFs in the presence of anionic or zwitterionic surfactants, leading to gelation. Addition of a small amount of cationic surfactant allowed the formation of a tough gel by adsorbing onto the OCNF surface.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Philip B. Yang, Matthew G. Davidson, Karen J. Edler, Niamh Leaman, Elly K. Bathke, Strachan N. McCormick, Olga Matsarskaia, Steven Brown
Summary: Small-angle neutron scattering experiments were conducted to compare the chain configurations, scaling, and effective polymer-solvent interactions of cyclic and linear polymers in different solvents. The results showed that cyclic polymers have more compact conformations and the polymer microstructure significantly influences the polymer-solvent interaction parameters.
Article
Crystallography
Oliver. S. S. Hammond, Adrian Sanchez-Fernandez, Rachel Tyte, Robert Dalgliesh, Andrew. J. J. Smith, Karen. J. J. Edler
Summary: This study examines the self-assembly of surfactants in a common deep eutectic solvent, and demonstrates the influence of solvent composition on the assembly behavior. The results show evidence of micelle formation and provide insights into the critical micelle concentration and micelle structure. The study also explores the effects of different diols and ternary solvents on self-assembly, highlighting the importance of solvent composition in modulating assembly behavior.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Yujie Mao, Alex Gerrow, Ella Ray, Nidia Diaz Perez, Karen Edler, Bettina Wolf, Eleanor Binner
Summary: This paper presents a novel and sustainable method to recover lignin from Cocoa Bean Shells (CBS) using Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES) and microwaves. The DES-extracted lignin exhibited unique structural characteristics compared with commercial Kraft lignin, indicating the potential of DES in the modification and upgrading of lignin for novel value-added products.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
George M. Neville, Ana-Maria Dobre, Gavin J. Smith, Samantha Micciulla, Nick J. Brooks, Thomas Arnold, Tom Welton, Karen J. Edler
Summary: Mixtures of choline and geranic acid have been found to facilitate the transdermal delivery of larger pharmaceuticals, such as insulin. However, little is known about the mechanism of activity, hindering the efficient discovery of new materials. This study investigates the biophysical interactions between membrane-active deep eutectic solvents and ionic liquids with solid-supported model lipid bilayers using neutron reflectivity.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Oliver S. Hammond, Elly K. Bathke, Daniel T. Bowron, Karen J. Edler
Summary: This study investigated the structure of eutectic mixtures of choline chloride, urea, and water in deep eutectic solvent (DES) with the addition of cerium salt. It was found that the presence of cerium salt disrupted the structure of the solvent and made it more electrolyte-like. The coordination shell of choline showed significant differences compared to theoretical models. Additionally, the presence of percolating water clusters was observed in specific molar ratios of the solvent for the first time.
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sukanya Datta, Julien Mahin, Emanuela Liberti, Iva Manasi, Karen. J. J. Edler, Laura Torrente-Murciano
Summary: This work provides new insights into the synthesis of small gold nanoparticles using a nontoxic and biodegradable eutectic mixture. The mixture acts as both a reducing and stabilizing agent, allowing for the formation of gold nanoparticles even at low ammonia concentrations. The presence of water, however, affects the speciation and stability of the gold precursor. This study has important implications for the green synthesis of nanoparticles for biomedical applications.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Iva Manasi, Ralf Schweins, Kun Ma, Karen J. Edler
Summary: This study investigates the nanostructure of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) composed of different sulfobetaines and camphor sulfonic acid, as well as their interactions with water and dodecane. Small angle neutron scattering experiments reveal that water and dodecane interact with the hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties in the DES structure, causing the entire structure to swell and solvate. This research has the potential to provide new templating methods for growing inorganic or polymeric materials using DESs.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
George M. Neville, Kerrie A. Morrison, Ella R. Shilliday, James Doutch, Robert Dalgliesh, Gareth J. Price, Karen J. Edler
Summary: This study investigates the effect of end group variations on the solution behavior of SMA copolymers synthesized using RAFT polymerization. It is found that the hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity of the end group influence the self-assembly and nanodisc formation of the copolymers.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Marcos Henrique Feresin Gomes, Ciaran Callaghan, Antonio Cesar Sipano Mendes, Karen J. Edler, Davide Mattia, Quirijn de Jong van Lier, Hudson Wallace Pereira de Carvalho
Summary: Slow-release fertilizers are a viable solution to address pollution caused by conventional fertilizers. This study reports the synthesis and properties of a zinc fertilizer composed of cellulose microbeads loaded with aqueous ZnSO4. The results suggest that these microbeads can provide efficient nutrient supply.
ACS AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
