Generation of Nanoparticles of Controlled Size using Ultrasonic Piezoelectric Oscillators in Solution

Authors

Ian K. Wright '09, Harvey Mudd CollegeFollow
Andrew P. Higginbotham '09, Harvey Mudd CollegeFollow
Shenda M. Baker, Harvey Mudd College
Thomas D. Donnelly, Harvey Mudd CollegeFollow

Student Co-author

HMC Undergraduate

Document Type

Article

Department

Chemistry (HMC), Physics (HMC)

Publication Date

7-2010

Abstract

We demonstrate the operation of a device that can produce chitosan nanoparticles in a tunable size range from 50−300 nm with small size dispersion. A piezoelectric oscillator operated at megahertz frequencies is used to aerosolize a solution containing dissolved chitosan. The solvent is then evaporated from the aerosolized droplets in a heat pipe, leaving monodisperse nanoparticles to be collected. The nanoparticle size is controlled both by the concentration of the dissolved polymer and by the size of the aerosol droplets that are created. Our device can be used with any polymer or polymer/therapeutic combination that can be prepared in a homogeneous solution and vaporized.

Rights Information

© 2010 American Chemical Society

Terms of Use & License Information

Terms of Use for work posted in Scholarship@Claremont.

DOI

10.1021/am100375w

Recommended Citation

I. Wright, A.P. Higginbotham, S. Baker, T.D. Donnelly, "Generation of Nanoparticles of Controlled Size using Ultrasonic Piezoelectric Oscillators in Solution," ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2, 2360 (2010).