Synthesis of Highly Porous Gelatin Aerogel Beads Using a “Gelation-Swelling” Biphasic Strategy and Evaluation of the Adsorption Performance Toward Volatile Fragrance Compounds
QIN Ling1, LI Hongli2, QI Yanpeng2, JIANG Hao2, XIE Dan1, NIE Chaoyin1,*
1 School of Materials and Energy, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China 2 China Tobacco Chongqing Industrial Co., Ltd., Chongqing 400060, China
Abstract: The inherent volatility of flavors and fragrances does not meet the demand for prolonged fragrance in daily applications. One approach to mitigate this volatility is the use of porous materials for adsorption. In this study, gelatin aerogel beads were fabricated using gelatin as the primary material through a two-step “gelation-swelling” process, followed by low-temperature titration and vacuum freeze-drying. The pore structure of the aerogel beads was modulated by the synergistic effects of gelatin concentration and swelling. Furthermore, the effects of these factors on the adsorption and sustained release properties of ethyl acetate, a highly volatile fragrance compound, were investigated. The results indicated that gelatin aerogel beads exhibited the highest adsorption capacity at low gelatin concentrations, but had the lowest retention rates;conversely, beads with high gelatin concentrations showed reduced adsorption capacity but improved retention rates. Gelatin aerogel beads subjected to swelling treatment exhibited a denser and finer pore network structure compared to beads prepared at lower concentrations. The synergistic combination of high gelatin concentration and swelling treatment markedly enhanced porosity, adsorption capacity, and retention rate. The maximum increase in porosity was 11.4%, while the saturation adsorption capacity and retention rate increased by 743.0% and from 9.6% to 130.3%, respectively.
1 Wang Y. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 2015, 54(11), 3082. 2 Ganesamoorthy R, Vadivel V K, Kumar R, et al. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2021, 329, 129713. 3 Guo J R, Fu S B, Deng Y P, et al. Nature, 2022, 606(7916), 909. 4 Lee K J, Choe Y J, Kim Y H, et al. Ceramics International, 2018, 44(2), 2204. 5 Shao Z D, Zhang Q J, Zheng Y M, et al. Journal of Porous Materials, 2024, 31(3), 843. 6 Tang R, Hong W, Srinivasakannan C, et al. Separation and Purification Technology, 2022, 281, 119950. 7 Cui H L, Wu N J, Ma X B, et al. Polymer Degradation and Stability, 2023, 207, 110213. 8 Li H M, Huang J Y, Shen S, et al. Cellulose, 2023, 30(11), 7157. 9 Cai G Y, Tian Y, Li L P, et al. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2024, 479, 147633. 10 Li H X, Zhao F X, Peng T P, et al. Journal of Materials Science, 2022, 57(31), 14835. 11 Zhu J D, Zhao F X, Xiong R J, et al. Composites Part A-Applied Science and Manufacturing, 2020, 138, 106040. 12 Chen Y C, Ding S J, Bassey A P, et al. Food Bioscience, 2024, 60, 104343. 13 Jiao T, Sun C F, Wang Z, et al. Journal of Biomaterials Science-Polymer Edition, 2025, 36(15), 2137. 14 Jiang J X, Zhang Q H, Zhan X L, et al. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2019, 358, 1539. 15 Pércsi D, Forgács A, Fodor T, et al. ACS Applied Nano Materials, 2024, 7(12), 14629. 16 Yu E, Pan C Y, Chen W J, et al. Lwt-Food Science and Technology, 2024, 191, 115656. 17 Leslie K A, Doane-Solomon R, Arora S, et al. Soft Matter, 2021, 17(6), 1513. 18 Lokhande H T. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 1978, 22(2), 533. 19 Nandi S, Winter H H. Macromolecules, 2005, 38(10), 4447. 20 Sarawade P B, Kim J K, Hilonga A, et al. Solid State Sciences, 2010, 12(5), 911. 21 Liu J, Cheng F, Grenman H, et al. Carbohydrate Polymers, 2016, 148, 259. 22 Xu J, Song W, Wu N, et al. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021, 187, 614. 23 Yun L, Zhao J, Kang X L, et al. Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology, 2017, 83(1), 197. 24 Zheng C H, Cui Y Q, Yang H W, et al. Journal of Kunming University of Science and Technology(Natural Science), 2020, 45(1), 15(in Chinese). 郑聪慧, 崔雨琪, 杨华武, 等. 昆明理工大学学报(自然科学版), 2020, 45(1), 15. 25 Ji Q, Zhang H, Zhang X, et al. Journal of Biomaterials Science-Polymer Edition, 2020, 31(17), 2199. 26 Sung J H, Hwang M R, Kim J O, et al. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2010, 392(1-2), 232.