Novel polymer-layered silicate intercalated composite beads for drug delivery

Core-shell structured beads were fabricated from chitosan (CS)/organic rectorite (OREC) composites and alginate (ALG) in Ca²⁺ aqueous solutions with different mixing ratios by a cross-linking process. The mechanical properties, surface and internal morphology, intercalation structure between CS and OREC, porosity and pore size distribution, bovine serum albumin (BSA) encapsulation efficiency and its controllable release ability were investigated. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy showed that the core-shell structure was generated in the beads. The Fourier transform infrared spectra results implied the presence of electrostatic and hydrogen-bonding interaction between CS and OREC. The energy-dispersive X-ray and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results verified the existence of OREC in the beads. Small-angle X-ray diffraction results confirmed that the interlayer of OREC was intercalated by CS chains successfully, and the interlayer distance increased from 2.42 to 2.60 nm. The BSA encapsulation and release test indicated that the beads released the drug continuously. OREC could not only avoid the burst release phenomenon in the first period bust also improve the utilization efficacy of the drug. When the ratio of CS/OREC was 6:1 and CS-OREC/ALG was 2:1, the beads were better for drug released in stomach, and when CS/OREC was 12:1 and CS-OREC/ALG was 2:1, the beads were better for drug released in stomach than in intestine.