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Synthesis of Monodisperse Cylindrical Nanoparticles via Crystallization-driven Self-assembly of Biodegradable Block Copolymers
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Controlling and Predicting Nanoparticle Formation by Block Copolymer Directed Rapid Precipitations.
Robert F Pagels1, Jasmine Edelstein1, Christina Tang1,2
1Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University , Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States.
Nano Letters
|January 4, 2018
Summary
Flash NanoPrecipitation (FNP) enables scalable nanoparticle production. This study reveals FNP follows diffusion-limited aggregation kinetics, allowing predictable control over nanoparticle size and polymer brush density for diverse biomedical applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Nanoparticles are crucial for drug delivery and medical imaging.
- Scalable, quantitative prediction of nanoparticle formation remains a challenge.
- Flash NanoPrecipitation (FNP) offers a promising scalable technique.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the kinetics governing the FNP process.
- To identify parameters controlling nanoparticle size and polymer brush density.
- To demonstrate the material-independent nature of FNP for diverse formulations.
Main Methods:
- Investigated FNP using 46 unique nanoparticle formulations.
- Analyzed nanoparticle size and polymer brush density.
- Applied diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) kinetics modeling.
Main Results:
- FNP strictly adheres to DLA assembly kinetics.
- Nanoparticle size (40-200 nm) is independent of encapsulated material properties.
- A single constant accurately models 46 formulations.
- High polymer brush densities were achieved with minimal impact on protein adsorption.
Conclusions:
- FNP provides a universal and material-independent method for nanoparticle synthesis.
- The process allows for predictable control over nanoparticle characteristics.
- Enables rapid translation of nanoparticle formulations for various therapeutic loads and polymers.
Keywords:
Flash NanoPrecipitationNanoparticleaggregation kineticsblock copolymerdrug deliverypolymer brushMore Related Videos
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