SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Atomization

Extrusion

Nanoencapsulation

Chemical Techniques

Encapsulation Process Comparison

Encapsulation Process Applications:

Pharmaceuticals

Food & Nutraceuticals

Consumer & Diversified Products

Agricultural & Industrial

Encapsulation Release Mechanisms

Product Characterization

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	SwRI scientists use top-of-the-line molecular modeling systems for applying computational methods in pharmaceutical development to better understand protein and ligand interactions and new compound designs.

A variety of analytical and physical methods are used by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) scientists to characterize particles and encapsulated ingredients. SwRI routinely determines:

• Particle size

• Payload

• Content uniformity and stability

• Active ingredient release profiles and activity

• Colloid stability

• Particle stability

Particles

• Sizing down to 3 nm

• Powders

• Dispersions (aqueous and organics)

• Zeta potential

Particle Morphology

• Atomic force

• SEM/EDX (scanning electron microscope/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy)

• Environmental SEM/STEM [scanning electron microscope (SEM)/scanning-transmission electron microscope (STEM)]

• Optical microscopy

  	Using an environmental scanning electron microscope, SwRI scientists are able to image nonconductive samples without extensive sample preparation.

Thermal Analysis

• Differential scanning calorimetry

• Thermal gravimetric analysis

• Dynamic mechanical analysis

Rheology

• Low viscosity fluids, gelation and curing profiles, reinforced solid mechanical properties

• Large dynamic shear range, sub-ambient to >600°C temperature range

• Multiple frequency waveform generation

Payload/Content

• HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography)

• IC, GC (gas chromatography), GC/MS (gas chromatography/mass spectrometry)

• Fluorescent

• Thermal gravimetric analysis

Release

	Environmentas scanning electron microscope (ESEM)  images of the SwRI microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) logo.

• Dissolution (pH, solvent)

• Thermal

• Pressure

• Simulated body fluids

• Cell culture

• Tissue culture

Stability

• Controlled environment such as:

  • Time

  • Temperature

  • Relative humidity

  • Ultraviolet

  • Acoustic

• Simulated fluids

• Thermal and pressure

• Byproducts

Specialized

• Biological Safety Laboratory (BSL) 2-4

• Good Laboratory Practices (GLP)

| Microencapsulation and Nanomaterials Department | Chemistry & Chemical Engineering Division | SwRI Home |

Southwest Research Institute^® (SwRI^®), headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is a multidisciplinary, independent, nonprofit, applied engineering and physical sciences research and development organization with 12 technical divisions.

October 26, 2009