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Ethanol-Responsive Nanostructures in Glycerol Monooleate/Triolein Dispersions
Parth Kadakia1, Miroslav Peterek2, Stefan Salentinig1
1Department of Chemistry and Food Research and Innovation Center, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
Molecular Nutrition & Food Research
|May 22, 2026
Summary
Ethanol triggers structural changes in lipid nanoparticles, shifting them from inverse cubic or hexagonal phases to sponge phases or direct micelles. This reveals ethanol
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Colloid and Surface Science
- Biophysics
Background:
- Dispersed lipid liquid-crystalline nanoparticles are key carriers for bioactive compounds.
- The impact of ethanol on the nanostructure of pre-formed lipid systems is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate ethanol-induced nanostructural transitions in glycerol monooleate (GMO) and triolein/GMO dispersions.
- To elucidate the mechanism of ethanol-lipid interactions in these systems.
Main Methods:
- Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS)
- Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (Cryo-TEM)
- Dynamic light scattering (DLS)
Main Results:
- In GMO dispersions, increasing ethanol content caused transitions from inverse bicontinuous cubic (Im3m) to sponge phases, and then to direct micelles.
- In triolein/GMO dispersions, ethanol induced transitions to sponge phases, followed by macroscopic phase separation.
- Phase-separated systems showed direct micelles in the aqueous phase and inverse nanostructures or triolein-rich domains in the lipid phase.
Conclusions:
- Ethanol acts as a compositional trigger for nanostructural transitions in dispersed lipid systems.
- Ethanol responsiveness can be utilized as a design principle for tunable lipid-based delivery systems.
Keywords:
ethanol responsivenesslipid dispersionslipid nanocarrierslyotropic liquid crystalsnanostructural transitionsMore Related Videos
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