Polymeric drug nanoparticles prepared by an aerosol flow reactor method.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to study the possibility of using a novel method, namely, aerosol flow reactor method, for the preparation of drug-containing nanoparticles with varying amounts of drug and polymer. The physical properties of the prepared nanoparticles were analyzed.


METHODS
The nanoparticle size distributions were measured using differential mobility analyzer. The structure of the prepared nanoparticles was assessed by x-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and electron microscopy. Drug release from the nanoparticles was analyzed.


RESULTS
The spherical particles produced showed a unimodal and lognormal size distribution, and the geometric number mean size of the nanoparticles could be varied between 90 and 200 nm. When the amount of drug in the polymeric matrix was small, the nanoparticles had a homogeneous, amorphous structure. Drug crystals were formed when the amount of drug was increased over the solubility limit of the drug into the polymer. The amounts of drug and polymer controlled the drug release from the nanoparticles.


CONCLUSIONS
The aerosol flow reactor method was found to be able to produce homogeneous amorphous matrix-type nanoparticles that can directly be collected as dry powder.
Center for New Materials, Helsinki University of Technology, FIN-02044 VTT, Finland.
Hannele
H
Eerikäinen
Esko I
EI
Kauppinen
Jarno
J
Kansikas
D000336:Aerosols; D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D010316:Particle Size; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D011208:Powders; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods*
D000336:Aerosols; D011108:Polymers; D011208:Powders