Investigating the Effects of Various Formulation Variables on the Size, Morphology and Zeta Potential of PMMA Nanocapsules

Abstract

The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of various formulation variables on the size, morphology, and zeta potential of PMMA nanocapsules, and to improve the formulation components and production process based on the results obtained. PMMA nanocapsules have been successfully produced using the miniemulsion solvent evaporation method and the characterization of the obtained nanocapsules was conducted by determining the size, zeta potential, and morphology using dynamic light scattering, electrophoretic light scattering methods, and transmission electron microscopy. During the study, an increase in the amount of PMMA led to an enlargement in nanocapsule size and the morphology changed from capsule to spherical form. Similarly, increasing surfactant amounts also changed the morphology, whereas a decrease in surfactant amount significantly increased the size. Another important finding was that PMMA nanocapsules containing rice bran oil could be successfully produced using the miniemulsion solvent evaporation method, yet miniemulsion polymerization was not found to be a suitable production method at this stage. In the final step of the study, the focus was to enhance the surface characteristics of the optimally formulated PMMA nanocapsules from a biological perspective. For this purpose, an innovative and practical approach was employed to coat the surface of the nanocapsules with PEG-bearing surfactants. This has the potential to increase the circulation time of the nanocapsules in the bloodstream in future studies. All findings related to the production process and formulation improvements obtained within the study will contribute to enhance the efficacy of PMMA nanocapsules in future biomedical applications.

Keywords

• Polymer Nanocapsules
• Nanoparticle Morphology
• Polymethyl Methacrylate
• Zeta Potential
• Nanocharacterization

PMMA Nanokapsüllerin Çeşitli Formülasyon Değişkenlerinin Boyut, Morfoloji ve Zeta Potansiyel Üzerine Etkisinin İncelenmesi

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın amacı sağlık uygulamalarında geniş bir kullanım alanına sahip Polimetil Metakrilat (PMMA) nanokapsüllerin çeşitli formülasyon değişkenlerinin boyut, morfoloji ve zeta potansiyel üzerine etkisinin incelenmesi ve buradan elde edilen sonuçlarla formülasyon bileşenleri ile üretim sürecinin iyileştirilmesidir. Çalışmada, PMMA nanokapsüller miniemülsiyon çözücü buharlaştırma yöntemi kullanılarak başarı ile üretilmiş olup, elde edilen nanokapsüllerin karakterizasyonu ise dinamik ışık saçılımı yöntemi, elektroforetik ışık saçılımı yöntemi ve transmisyon elektron mikroskobu kullanılarak boyut, zeta potansiyel ve morfolojinin belirlenmesi şeklinde gerçekleştirilmiştir. Çalışma sürecinde PMMA miktarı artışı nanokapsül boyutunun artışına neden olmuş ve morfolojinin kapsülden küre formuna dönüşümü görülmüştür. Benzer şekilde sürfaktan miktarının artışı da morfoloji değişimine neden olmuş olup, sürfaktan miktarı azalışı ise boyutu önemli derecede artırmıştır. Çalışmanın bir diğer önemli bulgusu ise pirinç kepeği yağı içeren PMMA nanokapsül formülasyonun miniemülsiyon çözücü buharlaştırma yöntemi ile başarı ile üretildiği, ancak miniemülsiyon polimerizasyonunun bu noktada uygun bir üretim yöntemi olmadığıdır. Çalışmanın son adımında, optimum formülasyonu belirlenen PMMA nanokapsüllerinin yüzey özelliklerinin biyolojik perspektif ile iyileştirilmesine odaklanılmıştır. Bu amaçla yenilikçi ve pratik bir yaklaşımla yüzeyin polietilen glikol (PEG) bazlı sürfaktanlar ile kaplanması gerçekleştirilmiştir. Bunun ilerleyen çalışmalarda nanokapsüllerin kan akışında kalış süresini artırma potansiyeli olduğu düşünülmektedir. Çalışma sürecinde elde edilen üretim süreci ve formülasyonun iyileştirilmesine yönelik tüm bulgular, PMMA nanokapsüllerin sağlık uygulamalarında etkinliğinin artırılmasına katkı sağlayacaktır.

Keywords

• polimer nanokapsüller
• Nanopartikül Morfolojisi
• Polimetil Metakrilat
• Zeta Potansiyel
• Nanokarakterizasyon

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