Forming And Functionalization Research Of Zein Microspheres And Films

Zein microspheres and films were prepared by natural polymer materials zein as raw material. Combined with its special solubility behavior in ethanol aqueous solution and good film forming, zein microspheres in nanometer scales could synthesized through phase separation process. And Pickering emulsions were also stabilized by nanometer zein microspheres as stabilizer. NP-zein films were successfully prepared by phosphorylation modification process of zein ethanol gel. Before and after phosphorylation modification, the composition and structure were compared between the zein films and the NP-zein films, and the sustained release performance of Ibuprofen(IBU) as the model drug was discussed. Using the NP-zein films as the carriers, HAp biomimetic mineralization was studied in 10 times SBF.Nanometer zein microspheres were prepared by phase separation process and zein colloid sols were concentrated by rotary evaporation technology. By the analysis of TEM and SEM, the prepared zein microspheres can be controlled as 40 nm in diameter and uniform particle size. The O/W type Pickering emulsions were stabilized by nanometer zein particles as stabilizer. The effects of zein addition amount, the volume ratio of oil to water, pH value, electrolytes concentration on the emulsion stability and droplet size were investigated, and the stability mechanism of Pickering emulsion stabilized by zein microspheres were discussed.Zein protein films were prepared by zein gels with high concentrations. The zein gels by vacuum deaeration could spread out into a transparent round zein film at the air-water interface by means of surface tension of water. In our experiments, the phosphorylated modification technology's effects on the membrane composition and structure were studied. The unmodified zein films with poor flexibility were easy to broken. And the NP-zein films were improved on the thickness and flexibility. In the experiments, ibuprofen(IBU) was selected as model drug to study the biggest drug loading and the release rate for zein films and NP-zein films. Compared with the unmodified zein films, the maximum drug loading of NP-zein films was improved and the drug release rates of IBU were effectively controlled in the buffer solution(pH=7.0).Using NP-zein films as templet, the biomimetic mineralization performance of HAp in 10×SBF was studied. The effects of growth time, pH and reaction temperature were studied on the growth status of HAp. The experiments results showed that the upper surfaces of the prepared NP-zein films were flat and smooth, and the downward surfaces presented complex reticulation structure of corn protein fiber. The NP-zein films could provide more surfaces and growth positions for HAp. The NP-zein films were good for crystallize HAp, and generated more globular morphology of porous HAp crystals. The synthesised HAp/NP-zein films had many good characteristics such as safety process, friendly environmental protection, firm combination ability to supporter and the porous structures of materials surfaces. So it is expected to have certain development values in the fields such as bone repair materials and medicine release materials.