Encapsulation of fragrances in zein nanoparticles and use as fabric softener for textile application

The duration of the fragrance is one of the factors that influences a customer’s choice of fabric softeners. Fragrances, a mixture of various aromatic compounds, usually present low solubility and stability in the environment, so they do not last long. Micro/nanoencapsulation technology of fragrances can be used to solve this problem. This research studied the factors influencing the preparation of zein nanoencapsulation with fragrances. Fruity fragrances were encapsulated in zein nanoparticles (PF-ZNs) by the liquid-liquid dispersion method, using Tween 20 as a surfactant. The effects of zein and ethanol concentrations of 0.4%–0.8% and 70%–85%, respectively, homogenized at 15,000 rpm for 5–15 min on zein encapsulation, were investigated. The fruity fragrance was loaded at 30% of the zein content. Increased zein concentration resulted in increased particle size with decreased zeta potential. Particle agglomeration was detected when the ethanol concentration was decreased from 85% to 75%. Compared to using a vacuum concentrator centrifuge, the zein nanoparticles agglomerated less when freeze-dried. The encapsulation efficiency of the fruity fragrance was 39.7%–68.4%, and the yield percentage was 54.5%–72.3% when freeze-drying was used.

The present paper describes different methods for storing the benzotriazole (BTA) corrosion inhibitor in the titanium dioxide nanotubes (TNT) as nanocontainers. Three methods were used, including the vacuum impregnation at ambient temperature, the vacuum impregnation at cooling temperature () and the rotary vacuum evaporation. TNT, BTA and BTA/TNT products were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. nanotube powder was synthesized by hydrothermal treatment from the inexpensive spherical commercial precursor. The results obtained from SEM, TEM images and BET values showed the successful synthesis of TNT with a homogeneous morphology of nano size tubes and a large specific surface . The existence of BTA in TNT was demonstrated. The BTA/TNT obtained via the rotary vacuum evaporation contained a very significant amount of BTA (66.6 weight %) but BTA existed mostly outside the nanotubes. Two processes of vacuum impregnation at ambient temperature and vacuum impregnation at cooling temperature revealed that there was about 8 weight % BTA stored in BTA/TNT product and BTA was present mostly inside the nanotubes.

Considering the high stability of water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions, contamination from emulsified pollutants poses a long-term risk to the environment. In this study, hybrid membranes composed of wheat gluten amyloid fibrils (WGAFs) and zein nanoparticles (ZNPs) were prepared and used as a separator to remove emulsified W/O droplets from the oily phase. ZNPs and WGAFs were synthesized through antisolvent method and fibrillation process. Next, a ZNP-functionalized wheat gluten AF/methyl cellulose (ZNP-WGAF/MC) hybrid membrane was fabricated, and its properties were investigated via various analytical techniques. Lastly, the separation efficiency of the ZNP-WGAF/MC hybrid membrane for various W/O emulsions was assessed using microscopy and light scattering. The formation of ZNPs or WGAFs was first verified via spectroscopic and microscopic methods. Our results indicated that the ZNP-WGAF/MC hybrid membranes were synthesized via chemical crosslinking coupled with the casting method. Furthermore, the incorporation of either WGAFs or ZNPs was found to improve the thermal stability and surface hydrophobicity of membranes. Finally, the separation efficiency of the ZNP-WGAF/MC hybrid membranes for various W/O emulsions was determined to be ~87–99%. This research demonstrates the potential of harnessing three-dimensional membranes composed of plant protein-based fibrils and nanoparticles to separate emulsified W/O mixtures.

(English) Getting to give added value in the different products that are nowadays in the market has not been easy. Since many years ago we have worked on the addition of fragrances in different articles. This added value has been achieved thanks to the microencapsulation of fragrances. The term microcapsules is the storage technology that allows to isolate any liquid or solid product with a polymer matrix. This polymer is responsible for controlling and protecting the system from possible interactions between the inside and outside the capsule. For more than half a century, fragrance encapsulation has been used and, for more than 15 years in the detergent sector, especially in fabric softeners, using products that were not exempt from the creation of microplastics where the regulatory theoretical framework is increasingly demanding. These products were based on the use through the process of in-situ polymerization with the generation of aminoplastic resins and the release of toxic products, such as formaldehyde. Currently, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has proposed a restriction on the use of microplastics in products marketed in both Europe and the United States to prevent their release into the environment. In this way, the company CARINSA and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, through the research center (INTEXTER), have joined together the industrial doctorate to find a solution. This solution consists of a domestic use product using sustainable, natural and biodegradable materials, assuming the same benefits that classic capsules have and are currently on the market. Therefore, the main goal of this thesis lies in the development of two encapsulation methodologies to study the different properties, stability and behaviour in both a softener and final product. (Español) Conseguir dar un valor añadido en los diferentes productos que se encuentran hoy en día en el mercado no ha sido fácil, des de hace años se ha trabajado en la adición de las fragancias en diferentes artículos. Este valor añadido se ha podido conseguir gracias a la microencapsulación de fragancias. Se conoce al término de microcápsulas a la tecnología de almacenamiento que permite aislar cualquier producto líquido o sólido con una matriz polimérica. Este polímero es el encargado de controlar y proteger el sistema de posibles interacciones entre el interior y el exterior de la cápsula. Desde más de medio siglo se ha utilizado la encapsulación de fragancias y más de 15 aæos la en el sector de la detergencia, especialmente en los suavizantes, utilizando productos que no estaban exentos de la formación de microplásticos donde cada vez el marco teórico regulativo es más exigente. Estos productos se basaban en la utilización mediante el proceso de polimerización in-situ con la generación de resinas aminoplásticas y la liberación de productos tóxicos como el formaldehído. Actualmente, la agencia Europea de sustancias y mezclas químicas (ECHA) ha propuesto una restricción sobre el uso de microplásticos en productos comercializados tanto en Europa y Estados Unidos para evitar su liberación en el medio ambiente. De esta manera, la empresa CARINSA y la universidad politécnica de Catalunya mediante el centro de investigación (INTEXTER) se han unido mediante el doctorado industrial para encontrar una solución. Esta solución consta de un producto para el uso doméstico utilizando materiales sostenibles, naturales y biodegradables, asumiendo las mismas prestaciones que poseen las cápsulas clásicas y se encuentran actualmente en el mercado. Por tanto, el objetivo principal de esta tesis radica en el desarrollo de dos metodologías de encapsulación para estudiar las diferentes propiedades, estabilidad y comportamiento tanto en un suavizante como a producto final.

The saffron petals anthocyanin was extracted by a solvent mixture containing 95% ethanol + 1/10 N hydrochloric acid (85:15), followed by filtration and concentration using a rotary vacuum evaporator at 40°C. concentrated anthocyanins solution was incorporated in model beverage consisting of sucrose in citrate buffer at pH≠2.8. It was kept at 4 and 20°C under dark and light conditions for 100 days. The stability of color was determined by pH-differential method at 20 days intervals. The results indicated that the half life of anthocyanin at 4, 20°C under dark and or 20°C under light was 310, 45 and 30 days, respectively.

Flame retardant finishing of cotton fabric based on synergistic compounds containing boron and nitrogen

Influences of metal ions crosslinked alginate based coatings on thermal stability and fire resistance of cotton fabrics

Cotton fabrics for outdoor use were coated with room-temperature vulcanizing silicone rubber (RTVSR) and its catalyst to obtain improved thermal stability and water repellency properties. The coated fabrics were exposed to different doses of electron beam irradiation as an extra curing step for the coating. The effect of RTVSR coating and subsequent electron beam irradiation on the cotton fabrics was then studied. The thermal stability was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis, and surface morphologies were observed by scanning electron microscopy. The mechanical properties, crease recovery, gel content, swelling property, and water repellency of the fabrics were also investigated. The results showed that the thermal stability and the water repellency of the cotton fabrics were improved as a result of the coating process. Moreover, the crease recovery and swelling properties of the fabrics were enhanced, accompanied by decreases in their gel content, as a function of the increase in the electron beam irradiation dose. These findings recommend the produced coated fabrics under the optimum conditions for use in the industrial purposes as isolation sheets through the pipes connecting points, especially those that contain hot fluids.

Scientific evaluation of fabric softener use on the friction of fabrics and on dry skin in real life is very limited. The coefficient of friction of fabrics was measured with a surface tester using model skin and cotton fabrics. The effects and safety of fabric softener-treated T-shirts on subjects with dry skin were evaluated in real-life conditions in the cold and arid environment. Twenty male volunteers with dry skin used T-shirts without softener for 1 week before day 0 and then wore softener-treated T-shirts for 14 days. Effects were evaluated by clinical grading, subjective symptoms, stratum corneum water content (SCWC) and transepidermal water loss (TEWL). A significant decrease in the coefficient of friction of fabrics was detected. A significant improvement in SCWC was observed on the torso, waist and shoulder, but no improvement was found on the inner forearm. There was a slight change in TEWL. The visual grading of dryness improved significantly at all sites, but no significant change was found in subjective symptoms. Our results suggest that fabric softener provides benefits to individuals with dry skin because of the decreased friction of the garments against the skin. It is possible that the softener treatment of fabrics contributes to the state of moisturization of the skin and may work in collaboration with the application of moisturizers.

Phosphorous containing poly(amidoamine-organosilicon) (P@PAMAMOSi) flame retardants: Synthesis and sol-gel application on cotton fabrics

The thermal degradation and crystallization behaviors of the maleic acid (MAA) and exo-3,6-epoxy-1,2,3,6-tetrahydrophthalic anhydride (ETA) grafted poly-3-hydroxybutyrates were studied by using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), gas chromatography (GC), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The result of GC indicated that MAA and ETA could be effectively grafted onto PHB by the mechanical grinding method. The grafting amount of MAA was greater than that of ETA due to the difference in chemical structures. From DSC analyses, the grafted PHB had a larger crystallinity, a faster crystallization rate, and a higher melting temperature than the as-received PHB because all grafted PHB had a larger molecular weight and a better thermal stability. It was confirmed by TGA that PHB material had the much higher thermal degradation temperature after grafted. This was attributed to the steric hindrance in the formation of six-member ring during the degradation reaction by the grafted MAA and ETA. The degradation kinetic parameters, i. e., the activation energy, the reaction order, and the frequency factor, of PHB were all changed with respect to the grafting chemicals.

B/P/N flame retardant based on diboraspiro rings groups for improving the flame retardancy, char formation properties and thermal stability of cotton fabrics

The main aim of this work was to validate the detection of saliva samples from denim, cotton, and polyester fabrics aged up to six months, applying rapid immunochromatographic tests resulting in the analysis of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA recovered. A comparison was also carried out between two saliva detection tests, Laboratory and Crime Scene. 50 μl saliva samples (three per time and test) were deposited on denim, cotton, and polyester fabrics. After 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, 30, 60, 90, 150, and 180 days of storage at room temperature, the samples were recovered by swabbing and detected by SERATEC® Amylase (Laboratory) test and SERATEC® SALIVA CS (Crime Scene) test (SERATEC®, Göttingen, Germany). DNA was isolated from the swab extraction buffer applying a silica-based methodology, and quantified based on fluorescent and human-specific quantifications. Then, it was submitted to STR profiling and mtDNA sequencing. According to our results, saliva stains up to six months after deposition remain valid specimens. The intensity of the bands varied among fabric type and time. Total DNA was successfully recovered from all tested samples, though with the limitations of obtaining partial nuclear DNA profiles from the oldest samples. In contrast, complete characterization of mtDNA was achieved from all samples. Lab and CS tests performed similar on the detection of saliva, as well as, DNA yield and profiling. Future research will be able to expand these results, analyzing the stability of other body fluids and the sensitivity of rapid immunochromatographic tests to detect them.

Comparison of dehydration methods for untreated lignin resole by hot air oven and vacuum rotary evaporator to synthesize lignin-based phenolic foam

Ultrasonic engineering of zein-curcumin nanoparticles/sodium alginate composite films for active food packaging applications.