Relating the influence of temperature and humidity on the surface characteristics of a spray-dried polymeric matrix consisting of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) and polyvinylpyrrolidone to the thermal characteristics of these polymers

Category

Bioactive Materials/C&DP: Imaging Diagnostics for Material Characterization

Year

2012

Authors

Joke Meeus, Xinyong Chen, David J. Scurr, Valeria Ciarnelli, Clive J. Roberts, Martyn C. Davies, Guy Van den Mooter

Institutions

Laboratory of Pharmacotechnology and Biopharmacy, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium;Laboratory of Biophysics and Surface Analysis, School of Pharmacy, The University of Nottingham, United Kingdom

Summary

The influence of heat and humidity on the surface characteristics of spray-dried PLGA/PVP microspheres was investigated. The observations were linked to the intrinsic thermal characteristics of these two polymers. It could be concluded that the surface characteristics, of chemical composition, phase behaviour and topography, of spray-dried PVP/PLGA microparticles were affected by exposure to heat and humidity, resulting in a surface enrichment of PVP.