Biomedical perfluorohexane-loaded nanocapsules prepared by low-energy emulsification and selective solvent diffusion

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Perfluorohexane-loaded nanocapsules offer potential for oxygen delivery and contrast agents.
• Formulating these hydrophobic materials into stable colloidal systems presents significant challenges due to their physical properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a method for preparing stable perfluorohexane-loaded polymeric nanocapsules.
• To enhance the colloidal stability of nano-emulsion templates for nanocapsule formulation.
• To characterize the structure and properties of the resulting nanocapsules.

Main Methods:

• Low-energy emulsification and selective solvent diffusion techniques were employed.
• Incorporation of isopropyl myristate improved the stability of nano-emulsion templates.
• Dynamic light scattering, hyperspectral enhanced dark field microscopy, and elemental microanalysis were used for characterization.

Main Results:

• Perfluorohexane-loaded nanocapsules smaller than 150 nm were successfully prepared.
• The nanocapsules exhibited good colloidal stability under storage.
• A layered core/shell structure was observed, confirming perfluorohexane encapsulation.
• Despite isopropyl myristate's profile, nanocapsules enhanced cell viability due to oxygen transport.

Conclusions:

• A novel method for creating stable perfluorohexane-loaded nanocapsules was established.
• The addition of isopropyl myristate effectively addressed stability issues in nano-emulsion templates.
• The nanocapsules show promise for biomedical applications, particularly in oxygen delivery, due to their enhanced cell viability.