Precise Control of the Surface and Internal Morphologies of Porous Particles Prepared Using a Spontaneous Emulsification Method

Porous particles with controllable surface and internal morphologies were successfully prepared by a "one-step mechanical emulsification" technique via the control of spontaneous emulsification where self-emulsification is followed by mechanical emulsification. The morphological changes in the porous particles were determined not by the preparation conditions of the water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) emulsion but by the proportion of solvents that favors the stabilization of the spontaneously prepared water-in-oil (w/o) emulsion droplets acting as porogens. The proposed method for controlling the morphology of the porous particles could be applied to all particle-preparation systems based on emulsion-solvent evaporation using organic solvents. The methodology for the morphological control of porous particles independent of the concentration or composition of the polymer is considered valuable for future investigations into the aerodynamic performance and drug-release behavior of biomedical porous particles with complex shapes.

Threads Made with Blended Biopolymers: Mechanical, Physical and Biological Features

Poly (Lactic Acid), PLA, and Poly (ε-CaproLactone), PCL, compatibilized with Ethyl Ester l-Lysine Triisocyanate (LTI) can be employed as biomaterials. We mixed PLA with PCL and LTI in a twin extruder and by a melt spinning process obtained threads with an average diameter of about 0.3 mm. In order to study the possible application of these threads, mechanical tensile (with the calorimetric and morphological investigations) and biological tests were performed. The results highlighted these biopolymers as promising materials for sutures since they can be rigid and elastic (especially by increasing the PCL amount in the blend), and they are bioactive, able to inhibit bacterial growth. This paper represents a starting point to optimize the blend composition for biomedical suture application.