In-situ electrospinning with precise deposition of antioxidant nanofiber facial mask loaded with Enteromorpha prolifera polysaccharides

Fast-dissolving nanofibrous facial masks for delivering skincare ingredients

Facial masks are widely used in skincare, but traditional wet masks often require preservatives to prevent microbial growth, which can cause skin irritation and environmental issues due to plastic waste from excessive packaging. To address these issues, we have developed an innovative, fast-dissolving nanofibrous facial mask that delivers curcumin (Cur), a potent antioxidant, without the need for preservatives or additives. Utilizing electrospinning technology, the polyvinylpyrrolidone nanofibrous mask not only serves as a reservoir that enhances the stability and solubility of Cur but also dissolves rapidly upon contact with minimal moisture, efficiently releasing the active compound onto the skin. The mask demonstrates strong antioxidant properties, with a DPPH radical scavenging rate of approximately 90 %, and excellent biocompatibility, as shown by its mild pH, high cell viability in fibroblast cultures, and non-irritating nature in HET-CAM assays. This novel design addresses key challenges in the facial mask industry, such as the reliance on preservatives, plastic waste, and the instability of active ingredients, while providing enhanced skincare benefits through the targeted delivery of Cur. Our approach offers a safe, eco-friendly, and effective alternative for anti-aging and protective skincare, with significant advantages over conventional wet masks.

Durable fibrous nanohybrid sunscreen films with in-situ fabricated enteromorpha polysaccharides for enhanced UV protection

Enteromorpha, a coastal green algae species, contains polysaccharides with excellent water solubility, biocompatibility, and antioxidant properties, making them ideal for skincare applications as natural antioxidant additives. This study introduces a modified electrospinning technique to fabricate fibrous nanohybrid sunscreen films incorporating Enteromorpha polysaccharides (EPPs) integrated with polyvinyl butyral (PVB) and titanium oxide (TiO2). The resulting film harnesses EPPs' antioxidant capabilities to protect skin from free radicals generated by TiO2 photocatalysis, while the PVB matrix and electrospun fibers provide water resistance and breathability. The nanohybrid film demonstrated remarkable photostability, maintaining its UV-blocking efficiency even after exposure to 365 nm UV radiation. Additionally, water immersion reduced its UV-blocking rate by only 2 %, confirming its strong water stability. Microscopic analysis showed no residual traces on porcine skin, effectively addressing concerns of pore-clogging and skin irritation often associated with traditional sunscreens.

Green and Sustainable Electrospun Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Eggshell Nanofiber Membrane with Lemon-Honey for Facial Mask Development

Facial masks contain additives such as thickeners and preservatives that have adverse effects on the skin, and there is growing demand for organic products. Inspired by this, we developed a poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibrous facial mask that contains all-natural ingredients such as honey and an eggshell membrane (ESM) by a green solvent-based electrospinning technique. Various analyses, including SEM, XRD, FT-IR, and TGA measurements, and tests for water solubility, wettability, water absorption and retention, antioxidant activity, and antibacterial properties were performed. SEM analysis showed average diameters from 257 to 325 nm. XRD results indicated decreased crystallinity after cross-linking. FT-IR measurements confirmed ester and acetal cross-link formation. TGA demonstrated enhanced thermal stability in cross-linked samples, especially PVA10%_lemon/esm10/honey20-H. Water solubility tests showed that heated samples were more stable. Water absorption rates exceeded 400%, with PVA10%_lemon/esm10/honey20-H having the highest retention rate. Wettability analysis showed significant changes in contact angles after heating. Antioxidant assays revealed that PVA10%_lemon had the highest DPPH activity (71.2%) among unheated samples, decreasing after cross-linking. Antibacterial tests showed significant activity only in PVA10%_lemon/esm10/honey20, against both Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis bacteria. Active ingredients can be added directly to this facial mask. This facial mask is gentler on the skin, and its ingredients have antiaging and anti-inflammatory properties. This mask can avoid the use of preservatives. This prepared facial mask has potential to be used in the organic skincare product industry and can also help the chemical industry toward sustainable and healthy practices.

Nanofiber Applications From Hijiki Macroalgae: Antibacterial and Cytotoxicity Properties in Biocompatible Polymers

One of the current biotechnological applications is nanofiber applications made from algae using the electrospinning technique. Nanofibers containing poly-caprolactone (PCL) extracted from the brown seaweed Hijiki (Sargassum fusiforme) were prepared using electrospinning technique. Water extraction was performed to preserve the integrity of Hijiki components, ensuring their efficacy in subsequent electrospinning and characterization. The morphology and chemical composition of the nanofibers were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analyses. Hijiki was found to combine well with electrospun biocompatible polymers and effectively provide the common properties of these materials. The cytotoxicity of algae-doped PCL nanofibers was examined in vitro using liver cancer and liver healthy cell lines (HepG2 and The-2). Among hepatic tumor cell lines, the HepG2 cell line has been preferred due to its wide range of scientific applications. Although the nanofibers caused a 28% decrease in liver cancer cell lines viability (HepG2), the decrease in healthy liver cell viability (The-2) was 12%. Algae-doped PCL nanofiber applied to bacteria showed antibacterial effect. Based on the findings, Hijiki macroalgae nanofibers show great promise for tissue regeneration and band-aid applications in the medical industry.

A Soothing Lavender-Scented Electrospun Fibrous Eye Mask

Electrospinning technology has demonstrated extensive applications in biomedical engineering, energy storage, and environmental remediation. However, its utilization in the cosmetic industry remains relatively underexplored. To address the challenges associated with skin damage caused by preservatives and thickeners used for extending the shelf life of conventional products, a soothing lavender-scented electrospun fibrous eye mask with coaxial layers was developed using the electrospinning technique. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) served as the hydrophilic outer sheath, while polycaprolactone (PCL) constituted the hydrophobic core, with lavender oil (LO) encapsulated within. The structural and physicochemical properties of the samples were characterized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and contact angle measurements. Upon hydration, the fibrous membrane exhibited strong adhesion properties, notable antioxidant activity, and a degree of antibacterial efficacy, demonstrating its potential for safe and effective use in skincare and eye mask applications. These findings suggest that the developed electrospun material offers promising functional properties and functional properties for integration into cosmetic formulations.

Electrospun chitosan//ethylcellulose-vitamin E//ethylcellulose-curcumin tri-chamber eccentric Janus nanofibers for a joint antibacterial and antioxidant performance

Multifunctional materials with both antibacterial and antioxidant properties are highly desired in many scientific applications. The combination of polysaccharide and multi-chamber nanostructures offers a novel perspective for developing antibacterial and antioxidant nanomaterials. In this study, a new kind of tri-chamber eccentric Janus nanostructures (TEJNs) was fabricated through a single-step and straight forward tri-fluid side-by-side electrospinning. The all-in-one TEJNs contained an outer chitosan (CS) chamber, a middle and an inner ethylcellulose (EC)-based chamber loaded with curcumin (Cur) and vitamin E (VE), respectively. The side-by-side multiple-fluid electrospinning processes were implemented robustly and continuously based on a homemade spinneret. Transmission electron microscope and scanning electron microscope evaluations demonstrated the tri-chamber inner structures of TEJNs and the linear morphologies, respectively. The Fourier transform infrared and X-ray diffraction results verified that the components were compatible and coexisted in an amorphous state. In vitro dissolution tests indicated that the TEJNs could provide a sustained release of 90 % of the loaded Cur and VE for 34.30 h and 24.86 h, respectively. Antibacterial and antioxidant experiments demonstrated that the TEJNs were able to provide enhanced antibacterial and antioxidant effects compared to the traditional electrospun homogeneous nanofibers. In the future, the Janus nanofibers can be further developed for several human health applications, such as wound dressings, active food packaging membranes, dental implants and cosmetic films.

Ionic Liquid-Based Grapeseed Oil Emulsion for Enhanced Anti-Wrinkle Treatment

OBJECTIVES

To address the poor efficacy and percutaneous penetration of grape seed oil, ionic liquids and nanotechnology were combined to prepare a grape seed oil emulsion.

METHODS

A novel Menthol-CoQ10 ionic liquid and ionic liquid based grapeseed oil emulsion were prepared and confirmed.

RESULTS

The average size of the grapeseed oil emulsion was 218 nm, and its zeta potential was -33.5 mV. The ionic liquid-based grape seed oil emulsion exhibited a transdermal penetration effect 4.63-fold higher than that of ordinary grape seed oil emulsion. Ionic liquid also displayed enhanced efficiency both in vitro and in vivo. It significantly inhibited the production of DPPH free radicals and tyrosinase, inhibited melanin and matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) produced by cells, and promoted type I collagen expression in fibroblasts. After 28 days of continuous use, the grapeseed oil emulsion improved the water content of the stratum corneum and the rate of transepidermal water loss, enhanced the firmness and elasticity of the skin, and significantly improved the total number and length of under-eye lines, tail lines, nasolabial folds, and marionette lines on the face.

CONCLUSIONS

Menthol-CoQ10 ionic liquid is a promising functional excipient for both transdermal delivery increase and efficient enhancement. Ionic liquid and nanotechnology for grape seed oil facial mask displayed significantly enhanced efficacy and permeability.

Efficient Biosynthetic Fabrication of Spidroins with High Spinning Performance

The unique 3D structure of spider silk protein (spidroin) determines the excellent mechanical properties of spidroin fiber, but the difficulty of heterologous expression and poor spinning performance of recombinant spider silk protein limit its application. A high-yield low-molecular-weight biomimetic spidroin (Amy-6rep) is obtained by sequence modification, and its excellent spinning performance is verified by electrospinning it for use as a nanogenerator. Amy-6rep increases the highly fibrogenic microcrystalline region in the core repeat region of natural spidroin with limited sequence length and replaces the polyalanine sequence with an amyloid polypeptide through structural similarity. Due to sequence modification, the expression of Amy-6rep increased by ≈200%, and the self-assembly performance of Amy-6rep significantly increased. After electrospinning with Amy-6rep, the nanofibers exhibit good tribopower generation capacity. In this paper, a biomimetic spidroin sequence design with high yield and good spinning performance is reported, and a strategy for electrospinning to produce an artificial nanogenerator is explored.