Automated and Continuous Production of Polymeric Nanoparticles

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) are vital for therapeutics and diagnostics but face challenges in controlled production and scale-up.
• Existing flow-based methods offer improvements over batch processes but lack full automation for robust, large-scale manufacturing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer an automated coaxial jet mixer (CJM) for continuous, controlled nanoprecipitation of polymeric NPs.
• To demonstrate the CJM's capability for stable operation, tunable NP size, and production of diverse NP types.

Main Methods:

• Development and computer-controlled operation of an automated coaxial jet mixer (CJM).
• Tuning flow conditions to control NP size and characteristics for various block copolymers.
• Utilizing CJM-produced NPs for scalable hydrogel formation.

Main Results:

• The automated CJM achieved stable, continuous production of polymeric NPs for up to 24 hours.
• NP size was precisely tuned (≈56-79 nm) for PEG-PLA NPs by adjusting flow conditions.
• The CJM successfully produced similarly sized NPs (≈50 nm) from chemically diverse block copolymers (PEG-PLA, PEG-PLGA, PEG-PCL).
• Reproducible production of model nanotherapeutics was achieved without user intervention.
• CJM-produced NPs were used to scale injectable polymer-nanoparticle (PNP) hydrogels without altering mechanical properties.

Conclusions:

• The automated CJM provides a stable, tunable, and continuous method for polymeric NP production.
• This technology facilitates the scale-up and translation of polymeric NPs for advanced biomaterial applications.
• The automated CJM overcomes critical manufacturing barriers, paving the way for wider use of polymeric NPs.