Polymer nanospheres formed by a microfluidic technique with Evans blue dye

Abstract

In this work, the V‐shaped microfluidic junction (VMJ) device technique with gas/liquid interface was used to prepare textured polymer nanospheres from bubble bursting for drug delivery. The polymer/dye solution, N2 gas, and a volatile liquid, perfluorohexane (PFH) were simultaneously fed using the tubes into the VMJ device. A high‐pressure injection of N2 gas into the VMJ interacts with PFH and ethanol leading to the preparation of a microbubble system. Once bubbles are ejected from the VMJ outlet, nanospheres calve from the parent bubble. The collection temperature and the N2 gas pressure play a key role in the mechanism by which nanospheres are formed. In addition, the volatile liquid, PFH, is described as a significant surface modifier. The influence of the N2 gas pressure, collection temperature, and the volatile liquid flow rates on nanospheres size distribution and surface roughness were investigated using scanning electron microscopy. The results revealed that the N2 gas pressure and collection temperature are crucial in tailoring the size distribution of the nanospheres and that the nanospheres textured with PFH had significantly rougher surface. Nanospheres coated with Evans blue dye were prepared, and those collected at high temperature exhibited a very different dye release profile compared with those collected at lower temperatures. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Metformin-Loaded Polymer-Based Microbubbles/Nanoparticles Generated for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

“…29,30 Microfluidic devices allow microbubbles to be manufactured in a sole step and also have the potential to be used to produce multilayer coatings. 31,32 There are various types of devices that use microfluidic principles with different multiple intersections and flows. These devices generate uniformly sized microbubbles and similar products due to continuous, reproducible, and scalable manufacturing.…”

“…Microfluidics techniques have attracted attention recently because of their effectiveness in the production of micro/nanomaterials, and this technique is cost-effective and can be used relatively easily because of its capabilities such as simple control of liquid flow and gas pressure. , Microfluidic devices allow microbubbles to be manufactured in a sole step and also have the potential to be used to produce multilayer coatings. , There are various types of devices that use microfluidic principles with different multiple intersections and flows. These devices generate uniformly sized microbubbles and similar products due to continuous, reproducible, and scalable manufacturing. , T-junctions and flow-focusing nozzles are some of the well-known methods with different device geometries used to produce microbubbles in microfluidic platforms. , The T-junction microfluidic device is one of the simplest methods of producing monodisperse microbubbles at a high rate.…”