Issue 11, 2005
From the journal:

Journal of Materials Chemistry

Supercritical fluid assisted melting of poly(ethylene glycol): a new solvent-free route to microparticles

Jianyuan Hao,a   Martin J. Whitaker,b   Gulay Serhatkulu,a   Kevin M. Shakesheffc  and  Steven M. Howdle*a  

* Corresponding authors

a School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, UK
E-mail: steve.howdle@nottingham.ac.uk

b Critical Pharmaceuticals Limited, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham, UK

c School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, UK

Abstract

Liquefying a polymer with supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) and then spraying the polymer/CO2 melt through a nozzle is a promising way to generate polymeric particles. This technique is of particular interest since the processing can be performed at lowered temperatures and in the absence of organic solvents. We use poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as the processing polymer to explore the general control principles for particle size and morphology for crystalline polymers. The morphology for sprayed particles can be controlled by manipulating the processing conditions. For example, decreasing processing pressure and increasing temperature favour the production of spherical particles. Furthermore, decreasing the bore diameter of the nozzle can increase the percentage of spherical particles in the product. Compared to particle morphology, the effect on particle size is less dramatic when either temperature, pressure or the bore diameter of the nozzle are altered. The spherical particles produced are mostly hollow in structure with a singe internal void and a thin outer crust.

Graphical abstract: Supercritical fluid assisted melting of poly(ethylene glycol): a new solvent-free route to microparticles

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Article information

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/B411187G
Article type
Paper
Submitted
21 Jul 2004
Accepted
01 Dec 2004
First published
20 Jan 2005

J. Mater. Chem., 2005,15, 1148-1153

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Supercritical fluid assisted melting of poly(ethylene glycol): a new solvent-free route to microparticles

J. Hao, M. J. Whitaker, G. Serhatkulu, K. M. Shakesheff and S. M. Howdle, J. Mater. Chem., 2005, 15, 1148 DOI: 10.1039/B411187G

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