Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-xbtfd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T15:17:06.915Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Preparing Monodispersed Hydrogel Microspheres and Microcapsules

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2011

Y. Senuma
Affiliation:
Polymer Laboratory, Department of Materials Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, CH- 1015 Ecublens, Switzerland, [email protected]
Ch. Lowe
Affiliation:
Polymer Laboratory, Department of Materials Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, CH- 1015 Ecublens, Switzerland, [email protected]
Y. Zweifel
Affiliation:
Polymer Laboratory, Department of Materials Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, CH- 1015 Ecublens, Switzerland, [email protected]
J. G. Hilborn
Affiliation:
Polymer Laboratory, Department of Materials Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, CH- 1015 Ecublens, Switzerland, [email protected]
I. Marison
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, Switzerland
Get access

Abstract

Our spinning disk atomization (SDA) can, relative to other existing techniques, produce micronsized particles of very narrow size distribution. The aim of this work is to present this technology for the production of alginate microspheres. We have atomized and gelled aqueous alginate solutions into very narrowly dispersed microspheres with sizes ranging from 300 to 600 μm. Here the interest is to design particles of a given size with a narrow size distribution and to show a new method of encapsulation using the SDA. The viscosity and flow rate contributions in the drop formation is qualitatively analyzed to show how it affects the droplet size. In addition, a technique for high degree of encapsulation will be presented. As an example, yeast has been used as a model system. The production of yeast loaded microspheres will show the potential of the technique for biotechnology applications. Such alginate beads could potentially serve as carriers for acitive substances or cells in large scale bioreactors.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Hulst, A.C., Tramper, J., Riet, K.V.t., and Westerbeek, J.M.M., Biotechnology and Bioengineering 27, 870876 (1985).Google Scholar
2. Craig, D.Q.M., Dispersions as Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, ed. Marcel Dekker, Inc. (London, 1994)Google Scholar
3. Schacht, E., Vandichel, J.C., Lemathieu, A., de Rooze, N., and Vansteenkiste, S. in The Use of Gelatin and Alginate for the Immobilisation of Bioactive Agents, edited by Karsa, D. R., Stephenson, R. A., (Encapsulation and controlled release Manchester, 1992) pp. 2627.Google Scholar
4. Goosen, M.F.A., O'Shea, G.M., Gharapetian, H.M., Chou, S., and Sun, A.M., Biotechnology and Bioengineering 27, 146150 (1985).Google Scholar
5. Goosen, M.F.A., CRC critical reviews in biocompatibility 3, 124 (1987).Google Scholar
6. Gotoh, T., Unno, H., Shiragami, N., Honda, H., and Naoki, Y., Chemical Engineering Communications 120, 7384 (1993).Google Scholar
7. Whistler, R.L., in Encyclopaedia of Polymer Science and Technology Mark, H., Gyalord, N., Bikales, N. M., Eds. (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1969), vol. 11, pp. 396424.Google Scholar
8. Hilborn, J.G. in Monodisperse spherical polymer particles prepared by atomization, edited by MRS Fall Meeting 372, Boston, MA, USA, 1994) pp. 6368.Google Scholar
9. Senuma, Y. and Hilborn, J.G. (submitted).Google Scholar
10. Andersson, R. and Andersson, A., USA patent US Patent serial no. 411478, PCT/SE88/00145 (October 16 1989).Google Scholar
11. Yim, P., Chun, J.-H., and Ando, T. in Production and characterization of mono-sized Sn-38 wt. % Pb Alloy balls, edited by International Conference and Exhibition on Powder Metallurgy and Particulate Materials 1, Seattle, Washington, 1995) pp. 101110.Google Scholar
12. He, W., Baird, M.H.I., and Chang, J.S., the Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering 69, 11741183 (1991).Google Scholar
13. Tsukada, T., Sato, M., Imaishi, N., Hozawa, M., and Fujinawa, K., Journal of Chemical Engineering of Japan 19, 537542 (1986).Google Scholar
14. Yule, A.J. and Dunkley, J.J., Atomization of Melts for Powder Production and Spray Deposition, ed. (Oxford University Press Inc., Oxford, 1994), p. 397.Google Scholar