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3D Focalization Microfluidic Device Built with LTCC Technology for Nanoparticle Generation using Nanoprecipitation Route

H.C. Gomez, M.R. Gongora-Rubio, B.O. Agio, J. de Novais Schianti, V. Tiemi Kimura, A- Marim de Oliveira, L. Wasnievski da Silva de Luca Ramos, A.C. Seabra

Journal of Ceramic Science and Technology, Vol. 6, No. 4 (2015), pp. 329-338

DOI: 10.4416/JCST2015-00062

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Abstract

Nanoprecipitation is a nanonization technique used for generating nanoparticles. Fields like pharmaceuticals and fine chemistry make use of such techniques. Typically, bulky batch mechanical processes are used, but these result in a high polydispersity index of the generated nanoparticles, poor particle size reproducibility and energy waste.LTCC-based microsystem technologies allow the implementation of different unitary operations for the chemical process, making it an enabling technology for miniaturization. In fact, LTCC microfluidic reactors have recently been used to produce micro- and nanoparticles with excellent control of size distribution and morphology.The present work reports on the performance of two 3D LTCC flow-focusing microfluidic devices designed to fabricate polymeric nanocapsules for hydrocortisone acetate drug encapsulation, based on the nanoprecipitation route. Monomodal submicron and nanometer particles were obtained. Zetasizer-measured sizes (Tp) were in the range from 162.2 nm to 459.1 nm with a polydispersity index (PDI) ranging from 0.102 to 0.235.

Keywords

Nanoprecipitation, fluid flow focusing, LTCC, nanoparticles.

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