Thermal Probe Based Analytical Microscopy: Thermal Analysis and Photothermal Fourier-Transform Infrared Microspectroscopy Together with Thermally Assisted Nanosampling Coupled with Capillary Electrophoresis

Advanced structural characterisation of pharmaceuticals using nano-thermal analysis (nano-TA)

The production of drug delivery systems fabricated at the nano scale comes with the challenges of identifying reliable characterisation tools, especially for solid dosage forms. A full understanding of physicochemical properties of solid-state systems at a high spatial resolution is essential to monitor their manufacturability, processability, performance (dissolution) and stability. Nano-thermal analysis (nano-TA), a hybrid of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and thermal analysis, has emerged as a solution to address the need for complete characterisation of samples with surface heterogeneity. Nano-TA provides not only physical information using conventional AFM but also the thermal behaviour of these systems as an additional chemical dimension. In this review, the principles and techniques of nano-TA are discussed with emphasis on recent pharmaceutical applications. Building on nano-TA, the combination of this approach with infrared spectroscopic analysis is briefly introduced. The challenges and considerations for future development of nano-TA characterisation are also outlined.

Chemical Imaging by Dissolution Analysis: Localized Kinetics of Dissolution Behavior to Provide Two-Dimensional Chemical Mapping and Tomographic Imaging on a Nanoscale

A new approach to achieving chemical mapping on a nanoscale is described that can provide 2D and tomographic images of surface and near-surface structure. The method comprises dissolving material from the surface of the sample by applying a series of aliquots of solvent, then analyzing their contents after removing them; in between exposures, the surface is imaged with atomic force microscopy. This technique relies on being able to compensate for any drift between images by use of software. It was applied to a blend of two polymers, PMMA and PS. The analytical data identified the material that was dissolved, and the topography images enabled the location of the various materials to be determined by analyzing local dissolution kinetics. The prospects for generalizing the approach are discussed.

Comparing surface properties of melanoma cells using time of flight secondary ions mass spectrometry

Various techniques have been already reported to differentiate between normal (non-malignant) and cancerous cells based on their physico-chemical properties.

Evaluation of amorphous solid dispersion properties using thermal analysis techniques

Amorphous solid dispersions are an increasingly important formulation approach to improve the dissolution rate and apparent solubility of poorly water soluble compounds. Due to their complex physicochemical properties, there is a need for multi-faceted analytical methods to enable comprehensive characterization, and thermal techniques are widely employed for this purpose. Key parameters of interest that can influence product performance include the glass transition temperature (T(g)), molecular mobility of the drug, miscibility between the drug and excipients, and the rate and extent of drug crystallization. It is important to evaluate the type of information pertaining to the aforementioned properties that can be extracted from thermal analytical measurements, in addition to considering any inherent assumptions or limitations of the various analytical approaches. Although differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is the most widely used thermal analytical technique applied to the characterization of amorphous solid dispersions, there are many established and emerging techniques which have been shown to provide useful information. Comprehensive characterization of fundamental material descriptors will ultimately lead to the formulation of more robust solid dispersion products.

Thermal scanning probe microscopy in the development of pharmaceuticals

The ability to characterize the physical and chemical properties of dosage forms is crucial to a more complete understanding of how vehicles for drug delivery behave and therefore how effective they are. Spatially resolved characterization that enables the visualization of properties on the nanoscale is particularly powerful. The usefulness of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) in the field of drug delivery is becoming increasingly well established and the use of thermal probes offers new capabilities thus enabling SPM to provide more and sometimes unique information. One type of measurement enabled by thermal probes is determining transition temperatures by means of local thermal analysis. The ability to identify and characterize materials in this way has found applications in characterizing a wide range of dosage forms. A complimentary thermal probe technique is photothermal infrared microspectroscopy (PTMS). PTMS offers a variety of advantages over more conventional approaches including the ability analyze compacts without the need for thin sections. It is also able to achieve sub-micron spatial resolution. Thermal probe techniques can characterize pharmaceutical dosage forms in terms of their physical properties and their chemical composition.