title: A numerical study of the phase behaviors of drug particle/star triblock copolymer mixtures in dilute solutions for drug carrier application.
abstract: The complex microstructures of drug particle/ABA star triblock copolymer in dilute solutions have been investigated by a theoretical approach which combines the self-consistent field theory and the hybrid particle-field theory. Simulation results reveal that, when the volume fraction of drug particles is smaller than the saturation concentration, the drug particle encapsulation efficiency is 100%, and micelle loading capacity increases with increasing particle volume fraction. When the volume fraction of drug particles is equal to the saturation concentration, the micelles attain the biggest size, and micelle loading capacity reaches a maximum value which is independent of the copolymer volume fraction. When the volume fraction of drug particles is more than the saturation concentration, drug particle encapsulation efficiency decreases with increasing volume fraction of drug particles. Furthermore, it is found that the saturation concentration scales linearly with the copolymer volume fraction. The above simulation results are in good agreement with experimental results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China.
authors.forename: Shanhui
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China.
authors.forename: Chaohui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China.
authors.forename: Yuejin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D004337:Drug Carriers; D006801:Humans; D008823:Micelles; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D044367:Phase Transition; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012996:Solutions / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D008823:Micelles; D011108:Polymers; D012996:Solutions