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A Simple Vortex-Based Method for the Generation of High-Throughput Spherical Micro- and Nanohydrogels.

Moussa Boujemaa1, Remi Peters1, Jiabin Luan1

  • 1Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|July 12, 2025
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Summary

Researchers developed a simple vortex method to create tunable hydrogel particles for drug delivery. This cost-effective technique offers precise control over particle size, ranging from nano- to microscale, using standard lab equipment.

Keywords:
PEGDAinverse-emulsion polymerizationmicrogelsnanogelsvortex emulsificationwater-in-oil

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Hydrogel particles are crucial for drug delivery and tissue engineering due to their high water content and biocompatibility.
  • Current methods for producing sub-5 µm hydrogel particles often involve complex and expensive microfluidic systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a rapid, cost-effective, and scalable method for producing tunable hydrogel particles.
  • To delineate the parameters governing particle size and uniformity in a vortex-based inverse-emulsion polymerization system.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a vortex-based inverse-emulsion polymerization strategy with UV crosslinking of polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA).
  • Systematically varied parameters including surfactant concentration, vessel volume, continuous phase viscosity, vortex speed/duration, oil-to-polymer ratio, polymer molecular weight, and pulsed vortexing.

Main Results:

  • Optimized conditions yielded highly reproducible microhydrogels (CV=0.26, PDI=0.07) and monodisperse nanogels (161 nm, PDI=0.05).
  • Key parameters like surfactant concentration, vortex intensity/duration, vessel volume, and oil-to-polymer ratio were found to reduce mean diameter and PDI.
  • Higher polymer molecular weight and continuous phase viscosity were observed to broaden the size distribution.

Conclusions:

  • The vortex-based method provides precise and scalable control over hydrogel particle dimensions, from nano- to microscale.
  • This technique bypasses the need for specialized microfluidic equipment and training, making it accessible for broader applications.
  • The developed method offers a significant advancement in the cost-effective production of hydrogel particles for biomedical applications.