Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 17, 2026

A Package of Established Analytical Tools to Investigate the Solid-State Alteration of Lipid-Based Excipients
Published on: August 9, 2022
Small Angle Scattering for Pharmaceutical Applications: From Drugs to Drug Delivery Systems
Aaron Alford1, Veronika Kozlovskaya1, Eugenia Kharlampieva2
1Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 901 14th Street South, CHEM 272, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
Abstract:
The sub-nanometer scale provided by small angle neutron and X-ray scattering is of special importance to pharmaceutical and biomedical investigators. As drug delivery devices become more functionalized and continue decreasing in size, the ability to elucidate details on size scales smaller than those available from optical techniques becomes extremely pertinent. Information gathered from small angle scattering therefore aids the endeavor of optimizing pharmaceutical efficacy at its most fundamental level. This chapter will provide some relevant examples of drug carrier technology and how small angle scattering (SAS) can be used to solve their mysteries. An emphasis on common first-step data treatments is provided which should help clarify the contents of scattering data to new researchers. Specific examples of pharmaceutically relevant research on novel systems and the role SAS plays in these studies will be discussed. This chapter provides an overview of the current applications of SAS in drug research and some practical considerations for selecting scattering techniques.
Related Concept Videos
Pharmaceutical Alternatives: Polymorphic Form-Related and Particle Size-Related Therapeutic Nonequivalence
Factors Affecting Dissolution: Particle Size and Effective Surface Area
X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples
According to Bragg's law, when X-rays strike the sample positioned on a stage, the rays are scattered by the electron clouds around the sample atoms. The X-ray diffraction or scattering is caused by constructive interference of the X-ray waves that reflect off the internal...
Drug Delivery Systems: Different Types
Site-Targeted Drug Delivery Systems: Polymeric Carriers
Biopharmaceutical Factors Influencing Drug Product Design: Overview

