Drug transport across nylon 610 films: influence of synthesis variables

Nylon 610 is a hydrophilic polymer with considerable potential as a membrane for drug microencapsulation. To better understand drug transport through such membrane, the influence of the solvents and monomers used in the synthesis of nylon films were examined using a full factorial study. Nylon 610 films were synthesized by an interfacial polycondensation reaction using hexamethylenediamine (HD) in the water phase and sebacoyl chloride (SC) in the organic phase, which was a solvent blend of chloroform and trichlorotrifluoroethane at ratios of 1:1, 1:4, and 4:1. Monomer concentrations studied were 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 M with respect to their appropriate phase, while the monomer ratios were 1:1, 3:1, and 1:3. The molecular weight, porosity, thickness, and crystallinity of the films were characterized. The transport of potassium chloride, hydrocortisone, and m-cresol was studied at 25 degrees C as a function of the synthesis variables. Potassium chloride was selected to measure the porosity of the membrane. Hydrocortisone and m-cresol, a known solvent for nylon 610, were used to study pore and solution-diffusion transport, respectively. The molecular weight of the films was proportional to the chloroform concentration. As the molecular weight increased, film thickness, porosity, and hydrocortisone permeability increased. As the molecular weight decreased, film thickness and porosity decreased, while m-cresol permeability increased. These results can be explained on the basis of HD ability to readily partition into a good solvent such as chloroform permitting high molecular weight polymer to form before precipitation.