Encapsulation and suspension of hydrophobic liquids via electro-hydrodynamics

There are situations in which bioactive products of interest in biotechnology turn out to be hydrophobic. To reach high uniform levels of such products in water‐based host fluids, such as those existing in many biological environments, one strategy consists on dividing the bioactive product into tin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biotechnology journal 2006-09, Vol.1 (9), p.963-968
Main Authors: Díaz Gómez, Juan E., Marín, Álvaro G., Marquez, Manuel, Barrero, Antonio, Loscertales, Ignacio G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biocompatible Materials - chemistry
Biotechnology - methods
Chemistry, Physical - methods
Co-electrospinning
Electro-hydrodynamics
Electrospinning
Electrospray
Emulsions
Encapsulation
Glycerol - chemistry
Microscopy, Electron
Nanotechnology - methods
Oils
Particle Size
Polymers - chemistry
Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
Surface Properties
Water - chemistry
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Summary:There are situations in which bioactive products of interest in biotechnology turn out to be hydrophobic. To reach high uniform levels of such products in water‐based host fluids, such as those existing in many biological environments, one strategy consists on dividing the bioactive product into tiny micrometer (or sub‐micrometer) pieces, since these are much more amenable of being uniformly dispersed and stabilized in the host fluid. On the other hand, if the bioactive product must act at specific locations, these micrometer pieces need to be hold in place, an objective that may be achieved by encapsulating them in mats of fibers. Here we demonstrate how these tasks may be accomplished by resorting to the generation and control of electrified coaxial jets of a hydrophilic liquid surrounding the hydrophobic liquid carrying the bioactive substance. When the process is carried out inside a dielectric liquid, double oil/water/oil and simple oil/water emulsions may be formed. On the other hand, when the process runs in air and a biopolymer is added to the hydrophilic liquid, then non woven mats of beaded nanofibers, encapsulating the bioactive product in the beads, are generated.
ISSN:1860-6768
1860-7314
DOI:10.1002/biot.200600082