Qunna Xu

Synthesis and biological response of casein-based silica nano-composite film for drug delivery system.

Casein possesses many interesting properties that make it a good candidate for conventional and novel drug delivery systems. In this study, casein-based silica nano-composite was prepared via double in situ method, and the as-prepared latex particles were evaluated in terms of their morphology and size through transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The film morphology was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and the mechanical property and response behavior of the films as a function of silica content were discussed. Ibuprofen was used as the model drug. The drug load and release properties were studied by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (solid-state NMR), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), SEM and in vitro test. The composite latex particle showed a stable core-shell structure, and the film exhibited a regular surface with even SiO2 distribution. The drug load efficiency of the composite films increased with adding silica because of the adsorption of the drugs on the silica. In an acidic release medium, the ibuprofen-loaded composite showed a slower drug release dependent on the silica content. These behaviors were most likely due to the reduced diffusion rate of the drug through the composite microsphere, which resulted from the interaction between the silica and the drug.

Animal-derived natural products review: Focus on novel modifications and applications

Bio-based natural products have attracted exploding interests, while the environmental pollutions caused by the synthetic polymers are deteriorating dramatically. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the modification of animal-derived natural products with an emphasis on casein, chitosan and collagen. Furthermore, their novel applications in controlled drug delivery system, leather finishing, and pollutant adsorption are also demonstrated. Accordingly, some perspectives in the future development of animal-derived natural products are further proposed.

Hollow Casein-Based Polymeric Nanospheres for Opaque Coatings.

Casein-based hollow polymeric sphere were fabricated through emulsifier-free polymerization coupled with alkali swelling approach. Hollow structure and nanoscale size of casein-based polymeric spheres were verified by TEM, AFM, SEM, and UV-vis spectra. The as-obtained hollow spheres were proved exhibiting superior opaque characteristic. Through adjusting the structural parameters, for example, MAA usages and MAA content in seed to core, sphere film showed tunable visible-light transmittance and antiultraviolet property. The formation mechanism of casein-based hollow sphere has been discussed in depth. Worth mentioning, the resultant hollow polymeric sphere can easily form films itself at room temperature, which would open a new possibility of designing opaque coatings in several fields, such as leather, packaging, paper making, biomedical, and special indoor coating applications.

Synthesis and properties of modified rapeseed oil/montmorillonite nanocomposite fatliquoring agent

Modified rapeseed oil/montmorillonite (MRO/MMT) nanocomposite was prepared by using rapeseed oil, ethylene diamine, acrylic acid, and MMT. In order to compare MRO/MMT with MRO and a market product XQ-F3, they were applied in leather fatliquoring process, respectively. Sensory evaluation, physical and mechanical properties, and flame-retardant property of leather treated with different fatliquoring agents were measured. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed that MRO could smoothly enter the interlayer of MMT. The emulsifying property of MRO/MMT was confirmed better than that of MRO. The application results also showed that MRO/MMT has good fatliquoring effect. Meanwhile, it can increase leather strength and improve leather flame-retardant performance.