Optimization of electrospinning parameters for the production of zein microstructures for food and biomedical applications

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2022

Authors

Sílvia Castro Coelho (Author) FEUP; Philomène Benaut (Author) Other; Sebastien Laget (Author) Other; Berta Nogueiro Estevinho (Author) FEUP; Fernando Rocha (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Micron

Vol. 152

Pages: 1-8

ISSN: 0968-4328

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 0 Citations

Scopus - 0 Citations

Associated Projects

MicroDelivery - Desenvolvimento de sistemas funcionais de libertação controlada por microencapsulação de compostos ativos e naturais, com interesse terapêutico, nutricional e tecnológico

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00V-M4F

DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2021.103164

Abstract (EN): Electrohydrodynamic techniques have been focus for the development of structures for encapsulation purposes. Their physico-chemical characteristics confer them significant benefits for food and nutraceutical applications. The study reports the optimization of zein microstructures (electrosprayed beads/electrospun fibers/films). The effect of zein polymer properties (viscosity and conductivity), flow rate, applied voltage and distance tipcollector were investigated. Results by scanning electron microscopy revealed the morphology observed with zein. The importance of chain entanglement for fibers/beads/films formation in the optimum conditions system was evaluated. Compact electrosprayed microbeads with diameters ranging from 0.9 mu m to 2.0 mu m were obtained for 5 wt.% zein solution. For 30 wt.% zein, uniform smooth electrospun fibers with diameters of approximately 0.60 to 0.75 mu m were produced. Films with different characteristics (with more or less homogeneous matrix and more or less bubbles) were also obtained. The developed zein microstructures are potential vectors that might encapsulate bioactive ingredients for functional food, nutraceutical and medical applications.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 8