Search Results (2,275)

Aqueous smectite clay dispersions undergo sol–gel transitions and form three-dimensional networks at relatively low clay concentrations. However, the clay and electrolyte concentrations required for gelation differ markedly among clay species, and the physical origin of these differences remains unclear. In this study, sol–gel state diagrams were constructed for four smectite clays based on rheological measurements, and DLVO analysis was subsequently applied to the experimentally determined sol–gel transition boundaries using the corresponding zeta potentials and Debye lengths. The apparent Hamaker constant, A_H,app, decreased with increasing NaCl concentration for all clays. In addition, ln(A_H,app/10⁻²⁰ J) showed approximately linear relationships with the reciprocal Debye length, 1/L_D, with distinct trends in the low- and high-salt regions. A characteristic interaction distance, H*, was defined as the negative of the fitted slope. H* was larger and more strongly clay-dependent in the low-salt region, whereas it became smaller and less clay-dependent in the high-salt region. The crossover in H*, observed at approximately 0.01–0.03 mol/L NaCl, occurred in the same broad concentration range as the onset of decreased transmittance and previously reported rheological changes. Because these datasets were acquired at non-identical clay volume fractions, this agreement should be regarded as qualitative rather than as a direct one-to-one correspondence. Full article

Encapsulation and coating approaches have become important tools in modern food systems for improving the stability, functionality, sensory quality, processability, and controlled delivery of bioactive and sensitive food ingredients. Their widespread adoption has enabled the incorporation of functional compounds into diverse food products while enhancing product quality, shelf life, and manufacturing performance. However, successful implementation depends not only on the encapsulation or coating strategy itself but also on the interactions among ingredient properties, carrier materials, food matrices, processing conditions, storage environments, and intended release behavior. Whereas recent reviews have mainly focused on specific encapsulation methods, carrier systems, industrial implementation, sensory functions, or regulatory aspects separately, this review integrates scientific publications and patent literature to examine method and system selection from food-engineering, formulation, processing, and industrial perspectives. Conventional processing and formulation approaches, including spray drying, freeze drying, coacervation, ionic gelation, emulsion-based encapsulation, and fluidized-bed coating, remain widely used, while established carrier systems such as liposomes and cyclodextrin inclusion complexes continue to support ingredient protection and delivery. Emerging carrier systems, including nanoemulsions, nanoliposomes, lipid nanoparticles, and hybrid multilayer structures, together with fabrication methods such as electrospraying and microfluidics, provide greater control over carrier architecture and release behavior but continue to face challenges related to manufacturing scalability, production throughput, storage stability, production cost, regulatory acceptance, and validation under industrial processing conditions. Although patent activity demonstrates continuing development of processing methods and carrier designs, patent publications alone do not establish commercial manufacture, market adoption, or industrial implementation. Across food applications, encapsulation improves ingredient protection, oxidation stability, sensory quality, dispersibility, controlled release, and process compatibility. By integrating research evidence with patent literature, this review further shows that recent progress is characterized primarily by application-driven refinement of carrier systems and fabrication methods rather than replacement of established approaches. Pet food is discussed as a representative specialized food application illustrating how encapsulation and coating strategies require adaptation to product format, processing severity, storage stability, palatability, and species-specific digestive requirements. Overall, this review highlights application-oriented food-engineering principles for selecting encapsulation methods and carrier systems suitable for industrial food applications. Full article

Tool–prepreg friction contributes to process-induced residual stress and distortion in thermoset composite manufacturing, but its variation with the resin cure state remains insufficiently characterized. This study experimentally characterizes the friction response of untreated and post-gel pretreated T800/bismaleimide prepregs using a pull-out apparatus. The effects of slip velocity, temperature, and normal pressure are evaluated, and the measured trends are interpreted using Coulomb-type contact, viscous film shearing, and mixed-lubrication concepts. The friction coefficient of the untreated prepreg increases with the slip velocity and decreases with temperature and pressure, indicating a substantial contribution from viscous resin-film shearing. In contrast, the post-gel pretreated prepreg is nearly insensitive to the slip velocity and pressure, while its friction coefficient increases with temperature, consistent with a predominantly solid-like interfacial response. During a cure cycle, the friction increases slowly at low cure levels and more rapidly during the later stages of curing. The results provide experimental friction data for a high-temperature bismaleimide prepreg system and suggest that the gelation state may serve as a useful reference for distinguishing early- and later-stage interfacial behavior. Full article

The global proliferation of multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa stimulates the search for alternatives to conventional therapy. This study developed human serum albumin (HSA)-based hydrogels for the delivery of bacteriophage PA57. Matrices were fabricated via combined thermal- and ethanol-induced gelation. The release kinetic was dependent on protein concentration: 20% (w/v) HSA provided sustained release over 48 h, whereas 10–15% (w/v) HSA exhibited burst release effects. Combined systems effectively suppressed P. aeruginosa growth in vitro during the early and middle stages of incubation, maintaining low culture optical density for up to 28 h. Although late-stage bacterial regrowth was observed, the final bacterial load remained significantly lower than in the control. Furthermore, cytocompatibility assays with HaCaT keratinocytes and MRC-5 fibroblasts demonstrated high cell viability, confirming the safety of the hydrogel matrix for wound healing applications. These results demonstrate the promise of HSA-based hydrogels as a platform for localized phage therapy of infected wounds. Full article

Poly(acrylic acid)-based superabsorbent polymer (PAA-SAP) rapidly absorbs water and swells during pipeline transport in mine water-based inhibitor fluids, increasing flow resistance and potentially causing blockage. To improve aqueous structural stability, PAA-SAP beads were coated with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) by rotary spraying and hot-air curing, with borax introduced to regulate the coating structure. The effects of PVA concentration, coating thickness, temperature, and hydrodynamic disturbance were evaluated using stability tests, scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS), fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), dry-film swelling, and mass-loss analyses. A 10% PVA formulation showed favorable film-forming and processing performance. Increasing coating thickness prolonged structural retention, whereas higher temperature and stronger disturbance accelerated hydration and failure. At 0.30 mm coating thickness and 2.5 m·s⁻¹ laboratory hydrodynamic disturbance parameter, the borax-modified PVA coating failed after approximately 16 min, compared with 10 and 12 min for PVA and PVA/poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) coatings, respectively. Boron incorporation and possible boron–oxygen interactions restricted chain mobility and improved coating compactness and stability. A power-law model based on 46 datasets showed good interpolation performance (Coefficient of determination (R²) = 0.9421; Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) = 5.44%). Failure involved swelling, gelation, network weakening, cracking, and chain dissolution, with core swelling potentially promoting crack propagation. These findings support coating-parameter selection and subsequent mine-scale pipeline validation. Full article

Starch, a natural source of energy in the form of glucose chains, is widely utilized in various industrial and scientific fields. In its native state, starch is thermally unstable and undergoes gelatinization. Physicochemical modifications of starch aim to increase its thermal and structural stability while simultaneously enhancing its reactivity by introducing new functional groups. The primary objective of this study was to develop thermally stable and economically viable starch-based drug carriers capable of the controlled release of a negatively charged component sourced from aronia extract. Potato starch underwent a series of chemical modifications, specifically quaternary amine etherification, citric acid esterification, and/or hydrothermal modification. The characterization involved determining several parameters: the degree of amino substitution groups; starch particle size using a laser particle size analyzer; viscosity and pH; gelation temperature and heat capacity measured by scanning calorimetry (DSC); mass degradation analyzed via thermogravimetric analysis (TG); crystallinity determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD); potential intermolecular interactions studied by Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy with Attenuated Total Reflectance (FTIR-ATR); and the rate of chlorogenic acid release from aronia extract tablets quantified by spectrophotometry. The highest cationization results were achieved using citrate starches, reaching up to 86%. The combined application of citric acid esterification and cationization, coupled with an annealing process, resulted in increased viscosity, amorphousness, and enzyme resistance of the starch. Citric acid esterification significantly improved the thermal stability of the starch. Furthermore, FTIR studies revealed the formation of electrostatic interactions between the functional groups of the starch and the components of aronia extract. The amount of chlorogenic acid released showed significant variation (70–100%) depending on the type of starch modification. Collectively, these studies confirmed that both hydrothermal and chemical modifications influence the thermal and structural stability of the starch. Utilizing all combination modification strategies ensured the production of highly promising carriers for active substances. Full article

Background: The fibrous tumor extracellular matrix (ECM), driven by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), forms a physical barrier against drugs and immune cells, yet direct CAF elimination risks promoting metastasis. Methods: In this study, we developed a locally injectable hydrogel based on synergistic dynamic covalent crosslinking (imine and boronate ester bonds), enabling instant gelation, shear thinning, and dual-pH/ROS-responsive degradation. Two types of drug-loaded nanoparticles (NPs), coated with homotypic cell membranes, were incorporated into this hydrogel. In the acidic, reactive oxygen species (ROS)-rich tumor microenvironment (TME), the system responsively releases the antifibrotic drug SIS3 to reprogram CAFs while simultaneously delivering doxorubicin (DOX) specifically to tumor cells. Biological effects were evaluated in vitro using cell cultures and in vivo in mouse models. Results: This dynamic hydrogel-based co-delivery system effectively reprograms CAFs, reduces tumor mechanical stress, breaks the fibrotic barrier, and promotes the deep infiltration of chemotherapeutics and immune cells, thereby enhancing the efficacy of chemotherapy. Conclusions: This injectable pH/ROS-responsive dynamic covalent hydrogel, loaded with CAF- and cancer cell-targeting NPs, remodels the TME, enhances drug and immune cell penetration, and offers a promising biomaterial-based strategy for cervical cancer treatment. Full article

Postsurgical adhesions are common complications of abdominal and pelvic surgeries, often leading to bowel obstruction, chronic pain, and increased risks during reoperation. Although various physical barrier materials have been developed to prevent postsurgical adhesions, retaining anti-adhesive materials at surgical sites is challenging. In this study, we developed thermosensitive injectable gallic acid-conjugated hyaluronic acid (HA-GA) and Pluronic F127 (PluF) composite hydrogels to retain anti-adhesive materials and prevent postsurgical adhesion. The incorporation of HA-GA reduced the critical gelation concentration of PluF from approximately 18 to 12 wt% and decreased the gelation temperature from 28.5 °C for PluF to 25.6 °C for HA-GA (2 wt%)/PluF hydrogels with the left-shift in sol–gel curves. The G′ values increased from 10.1 ± 1.7 kPa for PluF to 24.8 ± 3.6 kPa for HA-GA (2 wt%)/PluF hydrogels at 37 °C. In addition, the HA-GA/PluF hydrogels exhibited enhanced mass retention as a function of time compared to PluF hydrogels alone. HA-GA (2 wt%)/PluF hydrogels retained 33.4 ± 3.5% of their initial mass after 7 d, whereas PluF was completely eroded within 3 d. The anti-adhesion efficacy of the HA-GA/PluF hydrogels was evaluated using a rat cecum abrasion model. Notably, the HA-GA (2 wt%)/PluF hydrogels showed reduced adhesion scores, with an adhesion extent score of 0.67 and 2.33 on postoperative day 7 and 21, respectively, compared with the untreated control group (3 and 3 on postoperative day 7 and 21). In addition, the adhesion severity scores of HA-GA (2 wt%)/PluF hydrogel groups were 0.33 and 1.33 on postoperative day 7 and 21, respectively, compared with the untreated control groups (1.67 and 2.33 on postoperative day 7 and 21). Therefore, HA-GA/PluF hydrogels provide reversible thermosensitive properties with enhanced stability and retention, supporting their potential as injectable physical barriers for postoperative adhesion prevention. Full article

Consumers are increasingly purchasing nutrient-dense, clean-label foods, a trend that is driving demand for vitamin C-fortified dairy products; however, vitamin C is readily degraded by heat, light, oxygen, and changes to pH. The propensity for vitamin C to degrade makes fortification challenging, and companies incur added cost by including vitamin overages to account for anticipated losses. Encapsulating vitamin C minimizes degradation and increases the nutritional value of dairy products. This review examines four case studies that improve the stability of vitamin C through various encapsulation techniques, including emulsification with spray drying, spray chilling, liposomal encapsulation, and extrusion gelation. Encapsulation of vitamin C with casein gel for use in vitamin gummies, polyglycerol monostearate for drinkable yogurt, liposomes for ice cream, and sodium alginate for flavored milk significantly delayed vitamin degradation. The four case studies demonstrate that vitamin C encapsulation provides a viable solution to reduce vitamin overage by delaying vitamin C degradation, improving product quality, and extending shelf life. Current limitations of encapsulation technology include vitamin coating efficiency, industrial scalability, and the ability to align technologies with nutrient fortification, clean-label, and product shelf-life targets. Full article

Vaginal drug delivery offers a critical route for local treatments but is limited by short formulation residence times. This study describes a thermosensitive in situ gel prepared by the cold-dissolution method from a ternary blend of Pluronic F127, Carbopol 940, and HPMC for localized vaginal therapy. We used ibuprofen as a model drug selected for its reported anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative activity. The hydrogels exhibited a constant gelation temperature of 28 °C and high viscosity under simulated physiological conditions; ibuprofen incorporation further reduced susceptibility to gravitational leakage. FTIR, XRD, and DSC analyses confirmed stable physical cross-linking of the polymer network and amorphous molecular dispersion of ibuprofen. Peppas–Sahlin modelling revealed a controlled, sustained release profile (>50% over 24 h) predominantly governed by Fickian diffusion (69%). The blank hydrogel exhibited high biocompatibility (>75% viability). In contrast, the ibuprofen-loaded matrix exhibited a concentration-dependent cytotoxic effect on HeLa cervical cancer cells, reducing cell viability to ~12% at the full extract concentration. Overall, this ternary hydrogel platform represents a stable, promising vehicle for sustained local administration of ibuprofen in the vaginal microenvironment. Full article

Resorcinol–formaldehyde (RF)-derived porous carbons have attracted considerable attention as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries because of their tunable pore structures and continuous carbon frameworks. However, conventional one-factor-at-a-time experiments do not readily allow the relative effects of multiple preparation factors to be systematically compared within a unified experimental framework. In this study, a mixed-level Design of Experiments (DOE) was employed to systematically investigate the effects of solid content, gelation temperature, R/C ratio, combined gelation and acid-washing/aging times, and drying method on the BET specific surface area, total pore volume, and dominant pore size of RF-derived porous carbons. Representative preparation conditions were subsequently selected to prepare PC-1 and PC-2. Both samples exhibited predominantly amorphous mesoporous carbon structures and similar electrochemical response profiles. PC-1 exhibited a higher reversible specific capacity and slightly more favorable electrochemical kinetics. These concurrent observations suggest an association between the pore-structure characteristics and electrochemical behavior of the selected samples. PC-1 delivered an initial charge capacity of 416.67 mAh g⁻¹ with an initial Coulombic efficiency of 79.31%. After 200 cycles at 0.1 A g⁻¹, it retained a reversible capacity of 307.86 mAh g⁻¹, corresponding to a capacity retention of 88.64% relative to the second-cycle charge capacity. These results indicate that, within the investigated design space, the DOE approach provides an exploratory basis for jointly comparing the statistical evidence and practical effect magnitudes of the preparation factors and for selecting representative candidates with favorable pore-structure characteristics. The integration of DOE-based factor screening with subsequent structural and electrochemical validation provides an experimentally grounded framework for relating preparation parameters to pore-structure responses and lithium-storage behavior, thereby supporting the rational development of RF-derived porous carbon anodes for lithium-ion batteries. Full article

Perilla (Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt.) seed protein, an underutilized resource derived from medicinal and edible plants, was subjected to ultrasound (400 W, 20 min), pH-shifting (pH 12.0, 1 h), and high-pressure homogenization (90 MPa, 3 cycles), applied individually or in combination, and subsequently fermented with probiotics to induce gel formation. The triple combination (pH-shifting + high-pressure homogenization + ultrasound) produced the highest solubility increase (129%), smallest particle size, greatest random coil content, and maximal surface hydrophobicity and free sulfhydryl level. The triple-modified protein gels exhibited a highly homogeneous microstructure. Meanwhile, these gels achieved significant improvements (p < 0.05) in multiple functional and rheological properties, including gel strength, water-holding capacity, viscosity, and storage modulus, as well as the viable count. These results demonstrate that combined application of three physical modifications effectively restructures perilla seed protein and markedly improves its gelation behavior under fermentation, supporting its potential as a novel ingredient for fermented plant-protein gels or yogurt-like products. Full article

Gelatin hydrogels combine biological origin, biodegradability, abundant chemical functionality, and broad processability, but their native thermoreversible physical networks generally lack the stability required for sustained operation. Crosslinking overcomes this limitation while regulating hydration, mechanics, transport, degradation, and responsiveness. This review examines gelatin hydrogel crosslinking from a structure–property–function perspective, connecting molecular design with physicochemical characterization and functional performance. Temperature-induced gelation and ion-mediated physical interactions are compared with small-molecule- and coupling-agent-mediated, enzyme-catalyzed, and photoinduced covalent crosslinking strategies, highlighting their different balances among reversibility, stability, processability, and biocompatibility. Particular attention is given to the characterization methods required to relate junction chemistry and network organization to swelling, thermal behavior, mechanical response, degradation, and molecular or ionic transport. These relationships are evaluated across drug delivery and controlled release, tissue engineering and wound healing, food packaging, preservation and delivery, water remediation and environmental management, wearable sensing and bioelectronics, and energy storage. Across these fields, the central challenge is not to maximize crosslinking, but to balance network stability with the molecular mobility required for function. By integrating complementary crosslinking mechanisms with multiscale characterization, gelatin can be engineered as a programmable platform for advanced soft materials. Full article

This work reports the synthesis and characterization of sustainable, multifunctional chitosan/graphene oxide hybrid nanoparticles (GOCS_NPs) prepared via a low-temperature ionotropic gelation method utilizing sodium tripolyphosphate as a green crosslinker. Combined DLS and TEM analyses confirmed the successful formation of submicron spherical nanoparticles with a mean diameter of 295 ± 15 nm (PDI 0.26), and GOCS_NPs were evaluated as a dual-action platform for the adsorption of a model cationic dye, Methylene Blue (MB), and for antimicrobial remediation against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Equilibrium adsorption studies revealed that incorporating GO dramatically increased the maximum monolayer adsorption capacity from 2.78 mg g⁻¹ (for CS_NPs) to 37.16 mg g⁻¹ (for GOCS_NPs), closely following the Langmuir and Sips models through a pseudo-second order sorption mechanism. Furthermore, desorption investigations demonstrated that the GOCS_NPs maintained substantial adsorption performance over multiple adsorption–desorption cycles under controlled conditions. Concurrently, GOCS_NPs exhibited a dose-dependent enhancement in antibacterial efficacy, showing greater activity against Gram-negative E. coli (MIC of 1.25 mg mL⁻¹) than against Gram-positive S. Aureus (MIC of 2.50 mg mL⁻¹). Overall, these findings elucidate the structure–property–performance relationships of these carbon–biopolymer hybrid nanocomposites, validating their suitability as an advanced, eco-friendly, and reusable platform for comprehensive and sustainable wastewater remediation. Full article

Injectable thermoresponsive hydrogels are useful for localized drug delivery because they can be administered as low-viscosity formulations and then form, or reinforce, therapeutic depots directly at diseased tissue sites. Their common design principle is a temperature-dependent transition from a flowable formulation before administration to an in situ matrix at physiological temperature, or a thermally regulated change in swelling, mesh size, drug-matrix affinity or degradation. This review focuses on thermoresponsive injectable systems for localized delivery, including PNIPAM-based systems, poloxamers/Pluronics, PEG/polyester block copolymers, polyurethane-based hydrogels, chitosan-based thermogels, hyaluronan- and glycosaminoglycan-based systems, and selected multicomponent or nanocomposite networks. The in vivo application areas considered are local cancer therapy, wound healing and antibacterial treatment, osteoarthritis and intra-articular delivery, and myocardial infarction/cardiac repair. Across these indications, preclinical studies suggest that thermoresponsive hydrogels may prolong local residence time, reduce systemic exposure, enhance delivery of poorly soluble or unstable payloads, and modulate disease-specific microenvironments. Remaining challenges include gelation control, mechanical stability, degradation products, immune response, sterilization, manufacturing reproducibility, disease heterogeneity and robust translational validation. Full article