Surface Heterogeneous Nucleation-Mediated Release of Beta-Carotene from Porous Silicon.

ABSTRACT: We demonstrate that the release of a poorly soluble molecule from nanoporous carriers is a complex process that undergoes heterogeneous surface nucleation events even under significantly diluted release conditions, and that those events heavily affect the dynamics of release. Using beta-carotene and porous silicon as loaded molecule and carrier model, respectively, we show that the cargo easily nucleates at the pore surface during the release, forming micro- to macroscopic solid particles at the pores surface. These particles dissolve at a much slower pace, compared to the rate of dissolution of pure beta-carotene in the same solvent, and they negatively affect the reproducibility of the release experiments, possibly because their solubility depends on their size distribution. We propose t

SUBMITTER: Piotto C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7560142 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature