Effect of encapsulation with zeolite and coating with TiO2 on the thermal stability of caffeine during melt extrusion of a PET/TiO2@(zeolite/caffeine) nanocomposite

• Published in: Advanced powder technology : the international journal of the Society of Powder Technology, Japan Vol. 30; no. 4; pp. 854 - 860
• Main Authors: Kim, Yu Jin, Choi, Hye Mi, Jang, Soon Ho, Min, Kee Hoon, Nathanael, A. Joseph, Oh, Tae Hwan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.04.2019
• Subjects: Caffeine; Melt-spinning; Nanocomposites; PET; TiO2; Zeolite; Melt-spinning; Zeolite; Nanocomposites; PET; Caffeine; TiO2
• ISSN: 0921-8831; 1568-5527
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apt.2019.01.015

[Display omitted] •TiO2 was coated onto caffeine encapsulated zeolite to protect from decomposition.•PET/TiO2@(zeolite/caffeine) nanocomposite was prepared by melt spinning at 285 °C.•TiO2 coating prevented the caffeine decomposition at high temperature melt spinning.•This can be applied to drug delivery, therapeutic, textile and industrial research. The practice of encapsulating a functional material in a thermally stable porous material displays great potential in preventing decomposition during high-temperature processing. In this study, caffeine encapsulated in zeolite was coated with TiO2 to withstand high-temperature melt extrusion with poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET). Two coating processes were trialed: in situ encapsulation and coating where TiO2 precursor was added to zeolite/caffeine solution; and ex situ coating in which pre prepared zeolite/caffeine capsules were added to the TiO2 precursor for coating. The TiO2-coated nanocomposites were melt-extruded with PET at 285 °C. Residual amounts of caffeine confirmed the shielding effect of the TiO2 coating during the high-temperature melt extrusion. The in situ TiO2 coating process was more effective than the ex situ process.