Partial solubility parameters of poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide)

Area of Science:

• Polymer science
• Materials science
• Biomaterials engineering

Background:

• Solubility is crucial for polymer selection in microparticle production.
• Solubility parameters quantify polymer solubility, aiding material selection.
• Limited data exists for poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) solubility parameters.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine solubility parameters and partial solubility parameters for various PLGA compositions.
• To compare different methods for solubility parameter determination.
• To establish solubility maps for PLGA and discuss their accuracy.

Main Methods:

• Turbidity titration was employed to measure solubility parameters.
• Solubility parameters were determined for different lactide:glycolide ratios in PLGA.
• Solubility maps were generated to visualize polymer-solvent interactions.

Main Results:

• Solubility parameters were successfully determined for PLGA copolymers.
• Solubility maps were established, illustrating solubility behavior.
• Turbidity titration proved to be the most precise method.

Conclusions:

• The determined solubility parameters provide valuable data for PLGA selection in microparticle formulation.
• Despite method precision, unexplained variations between PLGA batches persist in microparticle production.
• Further research is needed to fully elucidate factors influencing PLGA batch variability in microparticle manufacturing.