Synthesis of composites of sodium oleate/Mg–Al-ascorbic acid-layered double hydroxides for drug delivery applications

Mg–Al-ascorbic acid (ASA)-layered double hydroxides (ASA-LDHs) with Mg/Al = 3 were synthesized by ion-exchange, coprecipitation and reconstruction methods. Composites with sodium oleate (SOA)/ASA-LDH were prepared by an ion-exchange method using various concentrations of SOA solutions. The (0 0 3) basal spacing of the ASA-LDHs changed from 0.76 nm in the CO3-LDH to 0.78 and 0.86 nm after intercalation of the ASA ions and these basal spacings are in good agreement with models based on the assumption as mono layers and double layers of ASA ions in the LDH interlayers, respectively. The amounts of ASA in the LDHs prepared by the reconstruction method were higher than those by the ion-exchange and coprecipitation methods. In the preparation of composites of SOA/ASA-LDH, an ion-exchange method was more suitable than a reconstruction method to cause surface sorption of the SOA molecules with maintaining intercalated ASA ions in the LDH interlayers. The acid-resistant properties of the composites of SOA/ASA-LDH were found to be much higher than for the pure ASA-LDH and mixture of CO3-LDH and ASA. The surfaces of the LDH particles in the composites are, thus, mostly covered with sorbed SOA molecules and they are good candidates as drug delivery materials for intestines through the stomach.