Nanoencapsulation is widely considered as a highly effective strategy to enhance essential oils’ (EO) stability by protecting them from oxidative deterioration and evaporation. The present study aims to optimize and characterize an efficient technique for encapsulating Cinnamomum (C.) verum essential oil into chitosan nanoparticles using response surface methodology (RSM). Moreover, the optimized C. verum EO nanoparticle was investigated for its antibacterial (against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria), antifungal (against Candida albicans), and antiparasitic activity (against Leishmania parasites). Five parameters were investigated using a Plackett–Burman and Box–Behnken statistical design: the chitosan molecular weight, TPP concentration, C. verum EO/chitosan ratio, mixing method, and the duration of the reaction. Encapsulation efficiency and anti-candida activity were considered as responses. The antibacterial, anticandidal, and anti-leishmanial activities were also assessed using a standard micro-broth dilution assay and the cytotoxicity assay was assessed against the macrophage cell line RAW 264.7. The optimized nanoparticles were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Zeta potential, and scanning electron microscopy. The study results indicated that under optimal conditions, the nanoencapsulation of C. verum EO into chitosan nanoparticles resulted in an encapsulation efficiency of 92.58%, with a regular distribution, a nanoparticle size of 480 ± 14.55 nm, and a favorable Zeta potential of 35.64 ± 1.37 mV. The optimized C. verum EO/chitosan nanoparticles showed strong antifungal activity against C. albicans pathogens (CMI = 125 µg mL⁻¹), notable antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (ranging from 125 to 250 µg mL⁻¹), high leishmanicidal potential against the promastigotes form of L. tropica and L. major (IC50 = 10.47 and 15.09 µg mL⁻¹, respectively), and a four-fold cytotoxicity reduction compared to non-encapsulated essential oil. These results suggest that C. verum EO-loaded chitosan nanoparticles could be a promising delivery system for the treatment of cutaneous Candida albicans infections.

Essential oils (EOs) are used in medicinal, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, agricultural, and food industries thanks to their key properties and multiple benefits. Several techniques and embedding materials are used to nanoencapsulate EOs, in order to keep them from environmental conditions and boost their bioefficiency by controlled release. In recent years, the interest for clay nanoparticles as nanoencapsulation materials for EOs is increasing owing to their abundance in nature, low cost, inertness, and special structure. Thus, this chapter focuses on highlighting data and contributions dealing with EOs incorporation into nanoclay particles, their current applications and nanohybrid formation benefits on the stability, bioavailability, and sustained release of EOs. An overview about nanoclays used for EOs nanoencapsulation is highlighted in the beginning of this chapter followed by a brief description of EOs’ chemical composition and properties.

Alfa leaves are important renewable raw materials in Tunisia where they are used basically in handcrafts and paper industry. Sumac is also an abundant species in Tunisia known for its high tannin content and is basically used in traditional medicine. To valorize these natural resources, we studied, for the first time, the possibility of making insulating panels based on alfa fibres and sumac tannins based adhesive. Firstly, alfa leaves were treated with an alkali solution as it is one of the standard procedures commonly used in the paper industry to extract cellulosic fibres. Mercerization effects were studied by characterizing fibres thermal properties and fibres surface morphology. Secondly, the sumac tannin based resin was formulated and characterized. Finally, the insulating panel was elaborated and characterized by determining its thermal conductivity. The thermal gravimetric analysis results show improvement in the thermal stability of fibres after alkali treatment. Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy showed changes on treated alfa surface which could promote the fibre-matrix adhesion. The reactivity of sumac tannins to formaldehyde test (Stiasny number) showed the possible use of sumac tannins in wood adhesive formulation. Thermomechanical analysis and strength analysis of sumac tannin/hexamin based resin highlighted acceptable bonding properties. The thermal conductivity measurement showed an average value equal to 0.110 W/m K.

Phase change materials (PCMs) are widely used for thermal energy storage; however, improving their thermal stability and minimizing supercooling effects remain important challenges. This study addresses these issues by synthesizing and characterizing new microencapsulated MCPs (microPCMs) that incorporate beeswax (BW), a sustainable biological source derived from animals, thus reducing the use of paraffins from petroleum resources, as the main material and calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) as the shell to improve overall performance. MicroPCMs with variable shell contents (20%, 40%, 60%, and 80%) were prepared and analyzed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), particle size distribution analysis (PES), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to evaluate their structural, morphological, and thermal properties. The results reveal that microPCMs exhibit a spherical morphology and robust core–envelope integrity, with thermal energy storage capacities ranging from 121.39 to 122.22 J/g, compared to 137.62 J/g for pure beeswax. In addition, the composites demonstrated reduced supercooling and stable thermal performance during repeated cyclic tests. This work introduces the use of calcium carbonate shells combined with a natural beeswax core to create environmentally friendly microPCMs with enhanced thermal stability and reduced supercooling, offering a sustainable alternative for efficient thermal energy storage.