Anita Marlina

This study aimed to investigate the effect of reaction temperature, reaction time, and reactant composition using 4‐Cyano‐(dodecylsulfanylthiocarbonyl)sulfanylpentanoic acid as a RAFT agent (CTA) and azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator, on oleic acid oligomers derived from palm oil. Experimental variations were carried out within a reaction temperature range of 60°C–80°C, a reaction time of 24–48 h, and varying the ratio of oleic acid and chain transfer agent ([M]/[CTA] from 50 to 200. The interactions between variables were observed using RSM with Box–Behnken model, encompassing 16 experimental runs. The main responses evaluated included the number‐average molecular weight ( M _n ) and degree of polymerization (DP). The results showed that the highest molecular weight and degree of polymerization values were 847 g mol ⁻¹ and 3, respectively, with the resulting monomer conversion ranging from 55.51% to 81.67%. Notably, the smallest critical micelle concentration observed was 0.0807 mg mL ⁻¹ . Furthermore, the interaction between two variables (temperature–time and time‐reactant ratio) also has a linear relation to molecular weight and degree of polymerization, with reaction temperature identified as the most significant influencing factor. The coefficient of determination ( R ² ) of this model was 0.9795 with a p of 0.0002. Structural characterization by FTIR, ¹ H‐NMR, and ¹³ C‐NMR.

Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) have emerged as a promising approach to enhance the stability and bioavailability of volatile bioactive compounds. This study introduces a novel pea protein isolate (PPI)‐stabilized NLC using beeswax as a solid lipid for limonene encapsulation, providing a plant‐based alternative to synthetic emulsifiers. The nanocarriers were prepared via melt emulsification, with an optimized ratio of beeswax‐to‐oleic acid to enhance stability and encapsulation efficiency (EE). Pea protein isolate acted as an emulsifier, enabling precise control over the particle size. The optimal formulation used a beeswax‐to‐oleic acid ratio of 3:1, with 3% pea protein isolate, a hydrodynamic diameter ranging from 120 nm to 155 nm, and a zeta potential below −40 mV, successfully encapsulating more than 70% of limonene. DSC analysis indicated alterations in the crystallinity of beeswax upon the addition of oleic acid, facilitating the incorporation of active compounds as nanostructured carriers. In vitro release studies demonstrated a controlled release profile, suggesting prolonged bioactive retention. These findings underscore the potential of pea protein isolate‐stabilized beeswax‐based NLCs as an innovative and sustainable platform for essential oil encapsulation. Additionally, these findings have promising applications in food preservation, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceuticals, offering a new avenue for enhancing the stability and bioavailability of the bioactive compounds.

PVA‐κcarrageenan (κCar) gel is widely used in the pharmaceutical field for transdermal drug delivery, enhancing drug stability and bioavailability. This study aims to modify PVA‐κCar gel by introducing tannic acid. Lidocaine was used as a model drug for incorporation into the novel gel. The PVA‐κCar matrix was mixed with tannic acid prior to freeze– thaw cycle to create a gel composite. The physicochemical features of this gel were evaluated using FTIR, XRD, thermal analysis, and SEM. The presence of tannic acid has reduced the thermal stability of PVA‐κCar from 84 to around 70 °C. The gel content of tannic acid‐modified PVA‐κCar was 34.6% (A) and 52.1% (B). The addition of tannic acid substantially increased gel viscosity. Cytotoxicity analysis showed that tannic acid‐modified PVA‐κCar gel did not affect the viability of HCT colon cancer cells. The encapsulation efficiency of lidocaine in tannic acid‐modified PVA‐κCar was 13 ± 0.2% (A) and 12 ± 0.5% (B), while the drug loading was 0.96 ± 0.01 (A) and 0.91 ± 0.02 (B). In vitro release of lidocaine from the modified PVA‐κCar exhibited a sustained release mechanism in phosphate‐buffered saline solution. These findings indicate that the gel possesses advantageous characteristics as a drug carrier.

Coconut fibers contain many lignocellulosic components; therefore, they have the potential to be used as cellulose‐based materials. This study aims to synthesize carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) for bioplastic applications from coconut fiber cellulose obtained from South Tangerang, Indonesia. The isolation of cellulose was conducted in two key stages: alkaline treatment using a delignification reactor and bleaching with hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). The facile synthesis of CMC involved two important steps: alkaline treatment and carboxymethylation of isolated cellulose. The yield of cellulose isolated from coconut fiber was 16.39% for biomass and 64.84% for delignification products. The cellulose produced exhibited a crystallinity index (C.I.) of 89%. The yield of CMC was 14.67%, with a C.I. was 56.66%. The CMC obtained was categorized as having a medium molecular weight of 249,048 Da with a polymerization degree of 1046. Cellulose starts to decompose at a temperature interval of 292.05–381.45°C, whereas CMC decomposes at a lower temperature interval of 245.42–299.73°C. Thermochemical calculations were conducted by using the density functional theory (DFT), confirming a spontaneous reaction with a Gibbs free energy of −5.25 kJ mol⁻¹. Bioplastics were fabricated in two stages: blending with carboxymethyl chitosan (CMChi) and plasticizing with glycerol. The addition of CMCh increased the C.I. and tensile strength, while the addition of glycerol to CMC/CMChi (80/20) blend‐based bioplastic reduced the C.I. and tensile strength, but enhanced the relative contact angle.Highlights: Cellulose was isolated from coconut fibers through a two‐stage process involving delignification and bleaching; Carboxymethyl cellulose was synthesized by reacting the cellulose of coconut fibers with monochloroacetic acid in isopropanol with NaOH as the catayst; The optimum condition for achieving the highest elongation at break among the blending compositions was found in the CMC/CMChi (80/20) blend bioplastic; Adding up to 30 wt% glycerol decreased the tensile strength and increased the elongation at break; The addition of glycerol enhanced the hydrophobic properties of CMC/CMCh blend‐based bioplastics.

Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is one of the important cellulose derivatives, and it can be developed as a host polymer for solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) membrane. This study aimed to synthesis of CMC from coconut fiber cellulose and it was applied to prepare the SPE membranes. Cellulose isolation was conducted through the delignification and bleaching process, while the CMC synthesis was conducted through alkalization and carboxymethylation treatments. SPE membranes were prepared by blending CMC with carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCh) (80/20) and mixed with various weight percentages of LiOAc at room temperature. SPE membranes characterizations were conducted using FTIR, EIS, XRD, SEM, and tensile testing. Cellulose and CMC yields were 23.1% and 65.44%, respectively. Incorporating 20 wt% LiOAc into the CMC/CMCh (80/20) SPE membrane yielded the highest ionic conductivity of 1.37 × 10⁻³ S/cm. Based on the results, CMC obtained from coconut fibers has the potential to produce solid polymer electrolyte membranes with some modification.

Flavonoids, which are bioactive molecules found in Zingiber officinale, have been widely used as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory drugs. The presence of nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) as sophisticated delivery systems for bioactive compounds, such as flavonoids, can increase their bioavailability and stability, thus potentially producing better therapeutic effects. This study aimed to develop an anti-inflammatory topical gel using NLC-containing flavonoids derived from Zingiber officinale. The NLC formulation was prepared using stearic acid, a mixture of medium-chain triglycerides and isopropyl myristate, Tween 20, and Span 20 by using a hot homogenization method. The total flavonoid content obtained through sequential maceration stages was 4.04 mg of QUE/g of dry extract. The highest encapsulation efficiency of flavonoid-loaded NLC was observed at a flavonoid, Zingiber officinale extract (ZOE) concentration of 2%. It was found that a ZOE concentration of 0.4% provided excellent stability with a particle size of 302–344 nm and a polydispersity index of 0.14–0.23 after 28 days of observation. Morphological analysis of the ZOE-loaded NLC revealed a stable and well-developed formulation with a fairly uniform distribution. The presence of distinctive and uniformly distributed single particles suggests a promising alternative drug delivery system for conventional topical preparations. ZOE-loaded NLC gel showed solid-like properties and higher quality stability than the gel.