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A method for generating poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) and polycaprolactone biodegradable particles of different size and shape using a jet generated in an electric field is elucidated. These particles are suitable for use as drug carriers and the method can be developed into a mass production route. The effect of different parameters such as applied voltage, collecting distance, flow rate and polymer concentration on inducing size and shape differences in these particles was studied. It was found that the flow rate, polymer concentration and collecting distance have a significant impact on the size of the generated particles and by changing the collecting distance a systematic reduction in the particle size by at least an order of magnitude (10microm-100nm) can be achieved. By using a high polymer concentration (30 wt. %) the shape and surface morphology of these particles can also be controlled from spherical to fibrous, and smooth to irregular, respectively, which presently is an interesting strategy and concept in drug delivery. This method is very useful as a one-step generator of different sizes of drug carriers with morphological variations.

Original publication

DOI

10.2174/138920109789069323

Type

Journal article

Journal

Curr pharm biotechnol

Publication Date

09/2009

Volume

10

Pages

600 - 608

Keywords

Absorbable Implants, Drug Carriers, Electrochemistry, Gases, Lactic Acid, Microfluidics, Nanoparticles, Particle Size, Polyesters, Polyglycolic Acid, Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer