Search

In the current study, novel polyvinyl alcohol-based films with polyethylene glycol as a plasticizer and aluminum nitride (AIN) nanoparticles (0.1-0.5 wt%) as a reinforcing agent were fabricated by facile solution casting route. The prepared composite films were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Additionally, morphology, water contact angle, and optical and mechanical properties were evaluated. FTIR analysis disclosed that the backbone structure of PVA/PEG was not affected by nanofiller loading, and the type of interaction between the PVA/PEG matrix and AIN nanoparticles was physical; furthermore, it was observed that as AIN nanoparticle loading increased in the composite films, water contact angles also increased. Interestingly, the nanocomposite films showed >90% blocking of UV light (200-400 nm) and very high flexibility with an elongation at break of approximately 190%. In comparison with PVA/PEG, the composite films developed by reinforcing 0.3 wt% of AIN (PVA/PEG/0.3AlN) exhibited a 17.94[degrees]C increment in thermal degradation temperature and a 7.36[degrees]C increment in glass transition temperature, along with a 1.2-fold increment in tensile strength. Highlights * Fabrication of polyvinyl alcohol/polyethylene glycol/aluminum nitride films. * The composite films showed >90% blocking of UV light. * Thermal stability maximally enhanced at 0.3 wt% loading of aluminum nitride. * The composite films demonstrated very high flexibility. KEYWORDS aluminum nitride, mechanical properties, nanocomposites, polyvinyl alcohol, structural properties, thermal properties, 1 | INTRODUCTION Nanotechnology is a promising strategy for customizing physical and functional properties of polymer-based materials. (1-3) Polymer nanocomposites comprise organic/ inorganic nanoparticles reinforced in polymer matrix. (4,5) Enhancement [...]

Calcium aluminum layered double hydroxide (CaAl‐LDH) has gained significance for drug delivery applications due to its multiple advantages, including high drug‐loading capacity, pH sensitivity, biocompatibility, high acceptable intake values of metal ions, and its ability to provide sustained release of the intercalated drug. In this study, pristine CaAl‐LDH was synthesized by co‐precipitation method at different pH values (9 and 10) and aging times (16 and 24 h) to obtain LDH with higher d‐spacing, which is beneficial for achieving a high drug loading efficiency. Ofloxacin (OFX), an antibiotic drug, was loaded into CaAl‐LDH via regeneration (CaAl‐LDH‐OFX(RG)) and co‐precipitation (CaAl‐LDH‐OFX(CPT)) methods, and achieved drug loading of 28.3% and 36.5%, respectively. The release behavior of OFX from CaAl‐LDH‐OFX(RG) and CaAl‐LDH‐OFX(CPT) formulations was examined in simulated conditions representing the gastrointestinal tract. CaAl‐LDH‐OFX(RG) showed less initial burst release of OFX compared to CaAl‐LDH‐OFX(CPT) in acidic as well as neutral pH conditions. In order to overcome the degradation of the drug before reaching the target site, CaAl‐LDH‐OFX(RG) was reinforced at 1, 3, and 5 wt% in poly (3‐hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) matrix by sonication‐assisted solution casting method. The PHB‐based nanocomposites were characterized by XRD, FESEM, TGA, and FTIR analyses. FESEM characterization of PHB‐based films loaded with 3 wt% of CaAl‐LDH‐OFX(RG) revealed compact morphology without any aggregate formation. Moreover, PHB/3CaAl‐LDH‐OFX(RG) films demonstrated sustained release of OFX at pH 1.2 (95.60% in 96 h), pH 6.8 (78% in 113 h), and pH 7.4 (40.90% in 107 h). The promising potential of PHB‐based formulations for antibacterial drug delivery systems was confirmed by their significant antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Highlights: pH and aging time influence the structural characteristics of pristine CaAl‐LDH.Ofloxacin loaded CaAl‐LDH prepared by co‐precipitation and regeneration methods.Sustained release of ofloxacin from poly (3‐hydroxybutyrate)‐based formulation.Poly (3‐hydroxybutyrate)‐based formulations exhibit excellent antibacterial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]