Synthesis and assessment of CTAB and NPE modified organo-montmorillonite for the fabrication of organo-montmorillonite/alginate based hydrophobic pharmaceutical controlled-release formulation

[Display omitted] •The OMMT was synthesized via fast, simple and convenient wet ball-milling method.•The presence of CTAB was able to facilitate the intercalation of CTAB/NPE into Na-MMT sheets.•The intercalation of CTAB/NPE into Na-MMT could improve its affinity to the hydrophobic drug.•CTA/NPE-MMT/Alg display optimal LC and EE, ascribed to the highest d-spacing of CTA/NPE-MMT.•CTA/NPE-MMT/Alg could be preferably used as a hydrophobic controlled-release formulation. The research goal of the present study was to develop a carrier for loading and controlled -release of the hydrophobic drug with the combined use of organo-montmorillonite (OMMT) and alginate. The OMMT was synthesized through the intercalation modification of sodium montmorillonite (Na-MMT) with cationic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), nonionic nonylphenol polyoxyethylene ether (NPE) and the mixture of them via simple and convenient wet ball-milling method. Furthermore, the organo-montmorillonite/alginate (OMMT/Alg) composite hydrogel beads with slow and controlled release properties were constructed by using alginate as a coating material under the exogenous cross-linking of calcium ions. The physical and chemical properties of OMMT were comparatively evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), BET-specific surface area measurements, and drug adsorption experiments. Experimental results showed that the presence of CTAB was able to facilitate the intercalation of CTAB/NPE into Na-MMT through the cation exchange reaction. And the cationic CTAB and nonionic NPE were adsorbed or intercalated into the MMT lamellar structure through the wet ball-milling process, which could change the hydrophilic nature of Na-MMT and improve its affinity to the hydrophobic drug molecules. In addition, the OMMT/Alg composite hydrogel beads displayed superior sustained-release properties than Na-MMT/Alg, mainly ascribed to the good affinity of OMMT to hydrophobic drug that retarded the drug diffusion. In particular, CTA/NPE-MMT/Alg with the highest loading capacity (LC) and encapsulation efficiency (EE) revealed the optimal controlled performance for the release of hydrophobic ibuprofen. The release followed the Korsmeyer–Peppas model suggested non-Fickian diffusion release mechanism. Based on the high drug loading capacity and