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Coaxial electrohydrodynamic atomization process for production of polymeric composite microspheres
Qingxing Xu1, Hao Qin2, Zhenyuan Yin2
1Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 4, Singapore 117576, Singapore ; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois, 600 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
Researchers developed core-shell polymeric microspheres using coaxial electrohydrodynamic atomization. This method precisely controls doxorubicin loading in poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) cores within poly(D,L-lactic acid) shells for controlled drug delivery.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Drug Delivery Systems
Background:
- Development of advanced drug delivery systems is crucial for targeted and controlled therapeutic agent release.
- Polymeric microspheres offer a versatile platform for encapsulating therapeutic agents, but precise control over drug distribution remains a challenge.
- Coaxial electrohydrodynamic atomization (CEHDA) presents a promising technique for fabricating complex microstructures with tailored properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate core-shell polymeric composite microspheres with a drug-loaded core and a drug-free shell using CEHDA.
- To investigate the influence of process and solution parameters on microsphere formation and drug distribution.
- To characterize the fabricated microspheres for drug encapsulation efficiency and in vitro release profiles.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) core/poly(D,L-lactic acid) (PDLLA) shell microspheres via coaxial electrohydrodynamic atomization (CEHDA).
- Doxorubicin was loaded into the PLGA core.
- Process parameters (nozzle voltage, flow rates) and solution parameters (polymer concentrations) were systematically varied and optimized.
- Characterization included drug distribution analysis, encapsulation efficiency determination, and in vitro drug release studies.
- Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling was employed to simulate the CEHDA process and predict droplet formation.
Main Results:
- Successfully fabricated core-shell microspheres with a doxorubicin-loaded PLGA core and a drug-free PDLLA shell.
- Optimized CEHDA process conditions and polymer concentrations to achieve desired core-shell morphology and drug localization.
- Demonstrated good encapsulation efficiency and controlled in vitro drug release profiles.
- CFD simulations accurately predicted the formation of consistent compound droplets, validating the experimental findings.
Conclusions:
- CEHDA is an effective technique for producing well-defined core-shell polymeric microspheres for controlled drug delivery.
- The developed microspheres show potential for encapsulating therapeutic agents like doxorubicin with controlled release characteristics.
- CFD modeling serves as a valuable tool for understanding and optimizing the CEHDA process for microsphere production.
