Composite Block Copolymer Stabilized Nanoparticles:  Simultaneous Encapsulation of Organic Actives and Inorganic Nanostructures

Abstract

We describe the preparation and characterization of hybrid block copolymer nanoparticles (NPs) for use as multimodal carriers for drugs and imaging agents. Stable, water-soluble, biocompatible poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(epsilon-caprolactone) NPs simultaneously co-encapsulating hydrophobic organic actives (beta-carotene) and inorganic imaging nanostructures (Au) are prepared using the flash nanoprecipitation process in a multi-inlet vortex mixer. These composite nanoparticles (CNPs) are produced with tunable sizes between 75 nm and 275 nm, narrow particle size distributions, high encapsulation efficiencies, specified component compositions, and long-term stability. The process is tunable and flexible because it relies on the control of mixing and aggregation timescales. It is anticipated that the technique can be applied to a variety of hydrophobic active compounds, fluorescent dyes, and inorganic nanostructures, yielding CNPs for combined therapy and multimodal imaging applications.

Generic Method of Preparing Multifunctional Fluorescent Nanoparticles Using Flash NanoPrecipitation

“…The density of maleimide moieties on NP surfaces can be tuned by changing the ratio of PEG-b-PCL to mPEG-b-PCL in the inlet stream [23]. The NPs can co-encapsulate organic therapeutics and imaging agents [21]. spectrum consists mainly of five bands referred to as I 1 -I 5 , from shorter to longer wavelengths.…”

“…This enables simultaneous drug delivery and imaging. [21] For example, in the presence of an amphiphilic block copolymer, a mixture of pyrene and vitamin E can be formulated to form vitamin-E-loaded fluorescent NPs. The advantage of this strategy is that the NP loading and size can be tailored by adjusting concentration of the drug over the size range of 45-110 nm (Fig.…”

Constrained-volume assembly of organometal confined in polymer to fabricate multi-heteroatom doped carbon for oxygen reduction reaction

“…Thus, instead of individually separated ensembles, a composite structure is co-assembled in which small aggregate of active ingredients are entrapped within a polymer shell [32]. Using this technique, also termed FNP, Prud'homme and coworkers [33][34][35][36] have successfully incorporated hydrophobic drugs, fluorophores and inorganic NPs within block copolymer ensembles. In addition, Priestley and coworkers [37][38][39] have exploited FNP to process a series of polymer NPs ranging from homogeneous latex to patchy colloids.…”

Polymeric Micelles

“…The dominant parameters that control the process are mixing time and polymer concentration (Tyrrell et al 2010). Success of this method has been highly variable for different formulations, with loading contents varying between < 0.01 and 50 % (Gindy et al 2008;Kumar et al 2009). …”