Abstract
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•Microcrystalline cellulose was used as template for preparing mesoporous ZIF@MCC.•Micro orthorhombic dodecahedron crystalline ZIFs was massively covered MCC fibrils.•The surface area of ZIF@MCC composites were 214.8 – 236.3 m2/g.•After 5 days, the release of essential oils from ZIF@MCC composites were 18.5 – 44.9 %.•Releasing mechanism of essential oils is physical in principle and chemical in small relevant.
Essential oils are characterized by their potency as anti-pathogens and anti-oxidants. However, there is a limitation in the application due to uncontrollable release. Therefore, this approach is focused on designing mesoporous composite for temperature-controlled release of essential oils. Mesoporous composite namely zeolitic imidazole frameworks@microcrystalline cellulose (ZIF@MCC), was successfully synthesized by the immediate growth of ZIF based on Zn and Co separately within MCC matrix. The estimated masses of ZIF within MCC were 263.4 – 296.3 g/kg. Orthorhombic dodecahedron crystalline ZIFs in micro size was massively covered MCC fibrils. Release of thyme and cumin as two essential oils, from mesoporous ZIF@MCC composites was investigated at different temperatures. After 5 days, the release of essential oils were significantly slowed down to be 49.3 – 119.7 mg/g (18.5 – 44.9 %) for ZIF@MCC composites compared to 248.0 – 265.7 mg/g (93.0 – 99.6 %) for MCC. Elevation of temperature was accompanied by slight faster release attributing to the ease liberation of essential oils by heating. Releasing mechanism of essential oils is mainly supposed due to combination between physical in principle as a solute diffusion and chemical processing’s in small relevant.