Porous pectin particle formation utilizing spray drying with a three-fluid nozzle

The development of advanced porous particles with a high surface area and interconnected porosity is pivotal in material science for various applications. Pectin, a biocompatible and biodegradable polysaccharide, has shown promise for the synthesis of porous particles, especially in the biomedical and food industries. The high viscosity of pectin and CaCO3 nanoparticle (NP) solutions has been a significant challenge for producing these particles. This study introduces a novel spray drying technique with a three-fluid nozzle, designed to handle high-viscosity solutions and to increase production rates by 30-fold over the conventional two-fluid nozzle. Using the proposed technique, notable improvements are achieved in particle surface areas and pore volumes by controlling the distribution of CaCO3 NPs within the pectin particles, especially at a CaCO3 NPs to pectin ratio of 15. This resulted in porous pectin particles with sizes of 3.4 to 6.2 μm, surface areas of up to 261 m2/g, and enhanced lysozyme adsorption capacities are obtained by varying types of precursor solutions. Thus, this approach facilitates the synthesis of multifunctional composites and porous particles.