Ouzo Effect Examined at the Nanoscale via Direct Observation of Droplet Nucleation and Morphology

Research advances in Zein-based nano-delivery systems

Zein is the main vegetable protein from maize. In recent years, Zein has been widely used in pharmaceutical, agriculture, food, environmental protection, and other fields because it has excellent biocompatibility and biosafety. However, there is still a lack of systematic review and research on Zein-based nano-delivery systems. This paper systematically reviews preparation and modification methods of Zein-based nano-delivery systems, based on the basic properties of Zein. It discusses the preparation of Zein nanoparticles and the influencing factors in detail, as well as analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of different preparation methods and summarizing modification methods of Zein nanoparticles. This study provides a new idea for the research of Zein-based nano-delivery system and promotes its application.

Simple elaboration of drug-SPION nanocapsules (hybridosomes®) by solvent shifting: Effect of the drug molecular structure and concentration

Drug nanocapsules coated with iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) were elaborated by the simultaneous nanoprecipitation of the drug and the nanoparticles, through solvent shifting. We examined four drugs: sorafenib, sorafenib tosylate, α-tocopherol and paclitaxel, to cover the cases of molecular solids, ionic solids, and molecular liquids. We first investigated the formation of the drug core in the final mixture of solvents at different concentrations. A Surfactant-Free Micro-Emulsion domain (SFME, thermodynamically stable) was observed at low drug concentration and an Ouzo domain (metastable) at high drug concentration, except for the case of paclitaxel which crystallizes at high concentration without forming an Ouzo domain. When co-nanoprecipitated with the molecular drugs in the Ouzo domain (sorafenib or α-tocopherol), the SPION limited the coalescence of the drug particles to less than 100 nm, forming capsules with a drug encapsulation efficiency of ca 80 %. In contrast, larger capsules were formed from the SFME or when using the ionic form (sorafenib tosylate). Finally, the sorafenib-SPION capsules exhibit a similar chemotherapeutic effect as the free drug on the hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro.

Controlling Nano-to-Microscale Multilevel Architecture in Polymeric Microfibers through Polymerization-Induced Spontaneous Phase Separation

Hierarchically structured polymeric fibers, composed of structural nanoscale motifs that assemble into a microscale fiber are frequently found in natural fibers including cellulose and silk. The creation of synthetic fibers with nano-to-microscale hierarchical structures represents a promising avenue for the development of novel fabrics with distinctive physical, chemical, and mechanical characteristics. In this work, we introduce a novel approach for creating polyamine-based core-sheath microfibers with controlled hierarchical architectures. This approach involves a polymerization-induced spontaneous phase separation and subsequent chemical fixation. Through the use of various polyamines, the phase separation process can be manipulated to produce fibers with diverse porous core architectures, ranging from densely packed nanospheres to segmented "bamboo-stem" morphology. Moreover, the nitrogen-rich surface of the core enables both the chemisorption of heavy metals and the physisorption of proteins and enzymes. Our method offers a new set of tools for the production of polymeric fibers with novel hierarchical morphologies, which has a high potential for a wide range of applications such as filtering, separation, and catalysis.