Studies on microcapsules

Controllable Multicompartmental Capsules with Distinct Cores and Shells for Synergistic Release

A facile and flexible approach is developed for controllable fabrication of novel multiple-compartmental calcium alginate capsules from all-aqueous droplet templates with combined coextrusion minifluidic devices for isolated coencapsulation and synergistic release of diverse incompatible components. The multicompartmental capsules exhibit distinct compartments, each of which is covered by a distinct part of a heterogeneous shell. The volume and number of multiple compartments can be well-controlled by adjusting flow rates and device numbers for isolated and optimized encapsulation of different components, while the composition of different part of the heterogeneous shell can be individually tailored by changing the composition of droplet template for flexibly tuning the release behavior of each component. Two combined devices are first used to fabricate dual-compartmental capsules and then scaled up to fabricate more complex triple-compartmental capsules for coencapsulation. The synergistic release properties are demonstrated by using dual-compartmental capsules, which contain one-half shell with a constant release rate and the other half shell with a temperature-dependent release rate. Such a heterogeneous shell provides more flexibilities for synergistic release with controllable release sequence and release rates to achieve advanced and optimized synergistic efficacy. The multicompartmental capsules show high potential for applications such as drug codelivery, confined reactions, enzyme immobilizations, and cell cultures.

Apparent diffusion coefficient of sodium phenobarbitone in ethylcellulose microcapsules: effects of capsule size

Ethylcellulose microcapsules of sodium phenobarbitone with a thick wall were prepared and fractionated. The apparent diffusion coefficient of sodium phenobarbitone was measured for the transport of the drug from the core of microcapsules into the surrounding sink condition. The apparent diffusion coefficient decreased with decreasing capsule size. Apart from structured water in and around the capsule wall, the volume fraction of pores in the membrane has been suggested as the source of the observed trend.

Preparation of polyelectrolyte-coated pH-sensitive poly(styrene) microcapsules and their application to initiation-cessation control of an enzyme reaction

Poly(styrene) microcapsules, prepared by depositing the polymer around emulsified aqueous droplets, were coated with a synthesized polyelectrolyte; i.e., copolymer of maleic acid (MA) with methyl vinyl ether (MVE), co-poly(MA, MVE), or with styrene (St), copoly(Ma, St). The permeability of the capsule membrane was investigated under various pHs of the outer medium using n-propyl alcohol as a permeant. It became apparent that either copoly(MA, St)- or copoly(MA, MVE)-coated microcapsules function as a pH-sensitive capsule. In particular, the former showed a dramatic change of the permeability in response to small differences in pH (5-6). By reference to the viscometric and electrophoretic studies of both copolymers, these were interpreted as being due to a pH-induced alteration of the configuration of the copolymer coating on the surface of the capsule membrane. When sucrose was hydrolyzed in an aqueous suspension of the copoly(MA, St)-coated capsules into which invertase was loaded, the hydrolytic reaction was initiated at pH 5. 5 and stopped at pH 4. 5. Such initiation-cessation control was repeated reversibly without damaging the capsules.

Release characteristics of an azo dye from poly(ureaurethane) microcapsules

The time course for the transfer of azo dyes from the microcapsule core of dioctylphthalate to the dispersing medium of methanol through a poly(ureaurethane) (PUU) membrane was measured for various average size microcapsules with a size distribution. The dye release curves are represented by a stretched exponential function C(t)=C(eq)[1-exp [-(t/tau(eff))(alpha)]], where C(t) is the concentration of the dye in methanol, C(eq) that at the equilibrium state, and t the time. The exponent alpha decreased by increasing the variance of the size distribution of microcapsules. The effective time constant tau(eff) was expressed by tau(eff)=c(0)<R(2)>/kappa(alpha), where <R(2)> and kappa(alpha) are the mean square of microcapsule radius and a correction for the size distribution, respectively. The characteristic proportional constant, c(0), was determined as 2.6+/-0.2 min/microm(2). From the value of the constant, the diffusion coefficient of the azo dye in the PUU membrane was evaluated as 2.6 x 10(-12) cm(2)/s.

Permeability to solutes of polyamide capsules with different chemical compositions

The permeability of nylon capsule membranes with different chemical compositions to solutes was studied at different temperatures. The rate of solute permeation through the membrane decreased with increasing hydrophobicity of the membrane in the temperature range of 293-323 K. Increase in the size of permeant molecules caused a decreased in their rate of permeation through all capsule membranes at all temperatures studied. Higher permeation rates were observed for all permeants at higher temperatures. The activation energy of permeation was evaluated for the permeants from the Arrhenius plots of their permeation data. From the values of activation energy evaluated the solute permeation through the nylon capsule membranes was demonstrated to proceed by a pore mechanism.

Permeability of lipid-coated polymer capsule membranes to solutes: effects of temperature and chemical structure of solutes

The permeability of di-stearyldimethylammonium-coated polyamide capsule membranes to KCl, and tetra-methylammonium (4C1N), tetra-propylammonium (4C3N), and tetra-butylammonium (4C4N) bromides was investigated at temperatures below and above the phase transition temperature of the amphiphile coat and compared with that of non-coated polyamide capsule membranes. The rate of solute permeation through the non-coated capsule membranes for all permeants increased gradually with rise in temperature. When the capsule was coated with the amphiphile, the rate was reduced by a factor of 2-200 relative to that through the non-coated semipermeable capsule membranes and changed drastically or slightly at the phase transition temperature of the amphiphile coat, depending on the chemical structure of permeants. The permeation of hydrophilic KCl and slightly hydrophobic 4C1N was greatly supressed by the amphiphile coat below the phase transition temperature while it was enhanced above that temperature. On the contrary, the permeation rate of the moderately hydrophobic and bulky 4C3N increased monotonically with rising temperature. No change in the permeation rate was observed with the highly hydrophobic and bulky 4C4N at all temperatures.

Dependence on pH of permeability towards electrolyte ions of poly(L-lysine-alt-terephthalic acid) microcapsule membranes

Permeation of electrolyte ions through poly(L-lysine-alt-terephthalic acid) microcapsule membranes was studied as a function of the pH of the medium at different ionic strengths. When the pH of the medium was varied, the permeation rate for 5-sulphosalicylate anions, as well as phenyltrimethylammonium cations, was slow at pH values lower than 4, showed a sudden and large increase in the pH range between 4 and 6, and thereafter remained unchanged. This remarkable change in the permeation rate was found to be produced by an abrupt increase in the microcapsule size observed in the same pH range. Increase in the ionic strength of the medium at pH values higher than 6 increased the rate of anion permeation but decreased the rate of cation permeation due to increase in the screening effect of salt ions on the negative charges in the microcapsule membranes.

Kinetic model for membrane transport. 1. Effects of membrane volume and partitioning kinetics

Equations for the transport of solutes through a membrane are derived, taking into account both the membrane volume and the partitioning kinetics, and have been found to involve two rate constants for solute transport, namely, those corresponding to solute transport from the solution to the membrane (k1) and from the membrane to the solution (k2). The time course followed before partitioning equilibrium has been attained, which is usually ignored, is shown to depend strongly on the relative magnitudes of k1 and k2.

Permeability of ethylcellulose microcapsules towards phenobarbital

Inward permeation from the surrounding medium of phenobarbital through the wall of water-loaded ethylcellulose microcapsules was investigated as a function of capsule size under the conditions of constant total capsule volume and constant total capsule surface area. The experimental data obtained were analysed in terms of capsule wall density and drug partition coefficient. The drug permeability coefficients calculated according to an equation derived from Fick's first law of diffusion were found to increase with decreasing capsule size in both constant total capsule volume and constant total capsule surface area experiments. The wall density and the drug partition coefficient also exhibited the same trend. Based on these findings, it was concluded that the drug permeation through ethylcellulose microcapsule membrane occurs predominantly by a solution-diffusion mechanism.

Permeability coefficient of microcapsule membrane

The method of evaluation of the permeability coefficient of microcapsule membrane from experimental data measured with a variable shearing interferometer is theoretically investigated. The permeability coefficients of polystyrene and nylon 6,10 microcapsules are determined by the evaluated method from the optically measured diffusion data for the non-stationary diffusion process of electrolyte.

A controlled-release anti-inflammatory drug. Studies on microcapsules

A procedure to obtain a controlled-release microencapsulated anti-inflammatory drug based on a solvent evaporation method is described. The present method makes use of ethylcellulose as the polymer and methylene chloride as solvent. The evaporation of solvent is controlled by means of an air stream. Variations in the preparative procedure and their effects on capsule dimensions and permeabilities were studied. The release behavior of the drug is determined, and two different diffusion constants are also determined: 7.0 X 10(-10) cm2/s and 1.2 X 10(-10) cm2/s, corresponding to low and high release time. Based on these results it is proposed that these microcapsules have a nonhomogeneous polymeric wall, and are more porous in the outer surface. This model might be applicable to the microcapsules obtained by means of the solvent evaporation method.

Effect of capsule size on permeability of gelatin-acacia microcapsules toward sodium chloride

The effect of capsule size on the permeability of gelatin-acacia microcapsules toward sodium chloride was investigated. Gelatin-acacia microcapsules containing olive oil were prepared by phase separation. The encapsulated olive oil was extracted with acetone and the acetone-loaded microcapsules dispersed in acetone were fractionated by a series of mesh screens. The core material of acetone than was replaced by water. The permeability of each capsule fraction toward sodium chloride was estimated from the change in electrical conductance with time of the mixture of microcapsule suspension and sodium chloride solution. The permeability decreased with decreasing capsule size. Structured water in and around the capsule wall may be the cause of the observed size effect.