Molecular Packing of Carbohydrate Oligomer Encapsulants - A Free Volume Perspective

Abstract

Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) is used in conjunction with dilatometry to analyse the effects of water and low molecular weight diluents (maltose and glycerol) on the molecular organisation and density of carbohydrate oligomers commonly used in the pharmaceutical and food industries for the formulation of encapsulation matrices. In the glassy state, both maltose and glycerol act as packing enhancers, causing a non-linear decrease in the average molecular hole size of the carbohydrate matrices. Water exists in a highly non-ideal state in these systems and it alters the molecular organisation of the matrices in a complex manner, whereby it can act either as an anti-plasticiser or a plasticiser, depending on the level of hydration.