Microfluidics: a tool to design active materials
Event details
| Date | 08.01.2013 |
| Hour | 13:30 |
| Speaker | Dr. Esther Amstad, Harvard University |
| Location | |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
Microfluidic techniques enable the assembly of different types of fluids into highly monodisperse single, double and multiple emulsions. Depending on the composition of the different types of fluids, single emulsions can be converted into monodisperse microparticles, double emulsions into capsules. This renders microfluidic techniques attractive tools to design functional materials. They are particularly well suited to assemble delivery vehicles as the thickness and composition of the shell of these vehicles can be closely controlled. Furthermore, encapsulants can be loaded into their core or shell with 100% efficiency. However, the assembly of monodisperse capsules that allow close control over the release of encapsulants without inducing significant changes in the environmental conditions such as temperature or pH is still a major challenge. I will present the assembly of thermo- and photo-responsive polymersomes; these vesicles allow triggered and selective release of encapsulants and are therefore attractive delivery vehicles. Microfluidics also allows the formulation of encapsulants; I will introduce a microfluidic spray drier that enables the formulation of hydrophobic drugs as nanoparticles with diameters below 30 nm. The formulation of these poorly water soluble active ingredients as nanoparticles increases their dissolution rate and saturation concentration in water and therefore their bioavailability.
Practical information
- General public
- Free
Organizer
- Menamkat Erika [[email protected]]
Contact
- Menamkat Erika [[email protected]]