Fabrication and Characterization of Difenoconazole/Methyl-beta-cyclodextrin Inclusion Complexes Nanofibers by Electrospinning

Graphical In this study, difenoconazole (DZ) was encapsulated into methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MβCD) to form an inclusion complex and then DZ/MβCD inclusion complex nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning. The samples were characterised and tested for thermal stability, water solubility and antifungal activity. Difenoconazole (DZ) is a triazole systemic fungicide with excellent effectiveness and low toxicity. However, its low water solubility makes it only soluble in organic solvents, and solvent residues can cause environmental pollution. Electrospinning was employed to fabricate difenoconazole/methyl-beta-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes nanofibers (DZ/M β CD-IC-NF) in this study. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and nuclear magnetic resonance hydrogen spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the surface of DZ/M β CD-IC-NF was smooth and beadless. Thermogravimetric analysis studies showed that the preparation of DZ/M β CD-IC-NF enhanced the thermal stability of DZ. Specifically, the rapid dissolution experiments showed that the solubility of DZ in water increased by a factor of 3.4 due to the formation of inclusion complexes. The antimicrobial activity test showed that the antimicrobial effect of DZ/M β CD-IC-NF was 1.52 times that of pure DZ. In conclusion, DZ/M β CD-IC-NF prepared by electrospinning could improve the water solubility, thermal stability and antimicrobial activity of DZ. This promotes the development of DZ towards water-based and low-polluting, and provides an effective solution to reduce the harm of DZ to the environment and to develop green and clean pesticides, thus making a positive contribution to the concept of green agricultural development.