One-step preparation of chitosan solid nanoparticles by electrospray deposition

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Chitosan is a versatile biopolymer with applications in drug delivery.
• Controlling particle size is crucial for effective oral and pulmonary drug delivery systems.
• Electrospray is a technique for fabricating micro- and nanoparticles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the electrospray process for creating chitosan micro- and nanoparticles.
• To identify key solution properties and processing parameters influencing particle formation.
• To optimize the electrospray method for producing small, uniform chitosan particles.

Main Methods:

• One-step electrospray of chitosan/acetic acid solutions.
• Systematic variation of solution properties (viscosity, conductivity, concentrations) and processing parameters (flow rate).
• Investigation of ethanol addition to stabilize the electrospray process.

Main Results:

• Solution viscosity and conductivity were critical for stable electrospray.
• Lowering acetic acid and chitosan concentrations, and flow rate, resulted in smaller particles.
• Ethanol addition stabilized electrospray by reducing conductivity and increasing viscosity.
• Optimized parameters yielded chitosan particles with an average diameter of 124 nm.

Conclusions:

• Electrospray is a viable method for producing solid chitosan micro- and nanoparticles.
• Particle size can be effectively controlled by adjusting solution and operational parameters.
• The developed electrospray technique shows promise for creating chitosan-based drug delivery systems.