Stabilization of gels and emulsions in the ternary water/eugenol/poloxamer 407-system: Physicochemical characterization and potential application as encapsulation platforms

Abstract

The ternary system water/eugenol/poloxamer 407 can form a variety of phases that are strongly influenced by the mixture composition and the thermal history of the system. In this study, we investigated the stabilization of emulsion and gel-like systems in which eugenol is encapsulated in a poloxamer 407 matrix. Our results reveal the complex interplay between poloxamer 407 and eugenol compositions in the stabilization single-phase systems at 25ºC. Increasing concentrations of poloxamer were found to incorporate higher amounts of eugenol into emulsion-like dispersions, effectively preventing coalescence and Ostwald ripening. However, high concentrations of poloxamer 407 induced gelation of these dispersions, resulting in eugenol-loaded poloxamer 407 gels. The thermal annealing of the emulsions at 65°C for 1 h followed by equilibration at room temperature allows the extension of the compositional range for the formation of homogeneous single-phase systems providing a strategy to modulate the phase diagram of the ternary system. Additionally, the encapsulation of hydrophobic pesticides in gel-like matrices was investigated, showing uniform distribution and consistent loading capacity (approximately 0.70 % w/w) across different pesticides which may contribute to facilitate the environmental distribution and efficacy of the encapsulated molecules. This research highlights the potential of eugenol/poloxamer 407-based systems as an environmentally friendly platform for the encapsulation and delivery of hydrophobic active molecules, offering a versatile solution for various applications.