On the Production of Chitosan-Coated Polycaprolactone Nanoparticles in a Confined Impinging Jet Reactor

ZELENKOVÁ, TEREZA; MORA, MARIA JULIA; BARRESI, ANTONELLO A.; GRANERO, GLADYS ESTER; FISSORE, DAVIDE

JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES

JOHN WILEY & SONS INC

Año: 2017

0022-3549

his work is focused on the synthesis of polycaprolactone nanoparticles, coated with chitosan, in a confined impinging jet reactor using the solvent displacement method. The role of the various reacting species was investigated, evidencing that a biocompatible polymer, for example, polycaprolactone, is required to support chitosan to obtain a monomodal particle size distribution, with low particle diameters. A surfactant is required to reduce the nanoparticle size (down to a mean diameter of about 260 nm) and obtain a positive zeta potential (about +31 mV), perfectly suitable for pharmaceutical applications. Different surfactants were tested, and Poloxamer 388 appeared to be preferable to polyvinyl alcohol. The effect of the concentration of Poloxamer 388 (in the range 0.5-5 mg mL-1) and of chitosan (in the range 1.5-5 mg mL-1) on both the mean particle size and zeta potential was also investigated, evidencing that chitosan concentration has the strongest effect on both parameters. Fin