Smooth preparation of ibuprofen/zein microcomposites using an epoxy-coated electrospraying head

This study investigated the preparation of ibuprofen/zein microcomposites using a modified electrospraying process, in which the spraying head was coated with an epoxy resin to prevent clogging. Scanning electron microscopy images demonstrated that the microparticles from the modified process (1.78 +/- 0.31 mu m) had more homogeneous structures with narrower size distributions than those (1.84 +/- 0.64 mu m) from the traditional route. Differential scanning calorimetry analyses verified that the guest drug ibuprofen was converted into an amorphous state in all the zein-based composites. Compared with those from the traditional process, the microparticulate composites from the modified process provided better sustained drug release profiles, as indicated by in vitro dissolution tests. The novel preparation method reported here will facilitate the preparation of new functional materials using electrospraying. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.