Method for controlling solute loading of polymer microparticles
US7498054B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 12, 2005 |
| Grant date | Mar 3, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 14, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC08J2325/08
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Solute-loaded polymer microparticles are obtained by immersing microparticles in a bath comprising a selected solute dissolved in a ternary solvent system. A first solvent of the ternary system is a strong solvent for both the solute and the polymer from which the microparticle was formed. A second solvent is a weak solvent or non-solvent for the solute and the polymer (tuning solvent). A third solvent is a weak solvent or non-solvent for the solute and polymer, but serves as a co-solvent with respect to the first and second solvents in that it is miscible with both the first and second solvents. The amount of solute incorporated into the microparticles is controlled by adjusting the ratio of solute with respect to the microparticle polymer, and by adjusting the composition of the ternary solvent system, principally the amount of tuning solvent. The method is particularly useful for providing libraries of combinatorially encoded microparticles containing distinguishable dye loadings, particularly distinguishable fluorescent dye loadings.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.