High-pressure liquid impregnation of barbatimão bark extract into biopolymeric membrane composed of PBS/PLA and Cloisite 20 A blend

Renowned for its medicinal properties, barbatimão bark extract contains bioactive compounds susceptible to degradation, necessitating their safeguarding within a stable matrix for diverse biomedical applications. This study investigates using high-pressure liquid impregnation (HPLI) to load barbatimão extract into biopolymeric membranes at 30, 45, and 60 °C, and 11 MPa. HPLI combines the simplicity of direct immersion with improved mass transfer rates under high pressure. Biopolymeric membranes made from poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), poly(lactic acid) (PLA), and Cloisite 20 A (C20A) in a 50/45/5 (v/v) composition were created using electrospinning. Comparative analysis with conventional methods, along with evaluation of impregnated membrane properties using SEM, FTIR, and thermogravimetric analysis, demonstrated the effectiveness of HPLI. HPLI yielded markedly higher phenolic compound loadings, peaking at 43.79 mg ETA/g membrane at 11 MPa and 45 °C over 6 h, compared to 25.44 mg ETA/g membrane with conventional impregnation at ambient pressure and 45 °C over the same duration.