Detailed Study of the Formation of Soot Precursors and Soot in Highly Controlled Ethylene(/Toluene) Counterflow Diffusion Flames.

We perform spatially resolved measurements of temperature, gaseous species up to three-ring Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), and soot in atmospheric pressure counterflow diffusion flames. First, we characterize fully a baseline ethylene flame and then a toluene-seeded flame in which an aliquot of ethylene in the feed stream is replaced with 3500 ppm of prevaporized toluene. The goal is twofold: to investigate the impact of a common reference fuel component of surrogates of transportation fuels and bypass the main bottleneck to soot formation from aliphatic fuels, that is, the formation of the first aromatic ring.

Electrospray Synthesis of Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) Nanoparticles Encapsulating Peptides to Enhance Proliferation of Antigen-Specific CD8 T Cells.

Polymer nanoparticles (NP) are of escalating interest for their application as immune stimulatory pharmaceutics. The production of nanosized carrier systems is currently being widely investigated, but commonly used techniques, such as the double emulsion technique, are limited by shortcomings of low encapsulation efficiency and poor control over size distribution. In this study, the electrospray technique was successfully implemented and optimized to produce monodisperse 200-nm poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) NP.

High Performance Metal Oxide-Graphene Hybrid Nanomaterials Synthesized via Opposite-Polarity Electrosprays.

An opposite-polarity electrospray technique is developed to synthesize Mn O -graphene hybrid nanomaterial that shows high specific capacity, fast charging/discharging capability, and long cycle life for lithium storage. The approach offers nanoparticle size control and tunability, morphology control, versatility for the synthesis of different materials and hybrid structures from different precursors, and continuous-flow nanomanufacturing with the potential for full automation.

Electrospray synthesis and properties of hierarchically structured PLGA TIPS microspheres for use as controlled release technologies.

Microsphere-based controlled release technologies have been utilized for the long-term delivery of proteins, peptides and antibiotics, although their synthesis poses substantial challenges owing to formulation complexities, lack of scalability, and cost. To address these shortcomings, we used the electrospray process as a reproducible, synthesis technique to manufacture highly porous (>94%) microspheres while maintaining control over particle structure and size. Here we report a successful formulation recipe used to generate spherical poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) microspheres using the electrospray (ES) coupled with a novel thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) process with a tailored Liquid Nitrogen (LN2) collection scheme.

Electrospray synthesis of monodisperse polymer particles in a broad (60 nm-2 μm) diameter range: guiding principles and formulation recipes.

This study reports on a methodology to control the size of polymer particles generated by the electrospray (ES) drying route, with emphasis on the generation of biodegradable polymer nanoparticles that are well suited for biomedical applications. The ability to produce spherical poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) particles with and without encapsulated active agent, with relative standard deviation not exceeding 15%, was demonstrated over a remarkably broad (60 nm-2 μm) diameter range. By judiciously choosing ES parameters and solution properties, we can control the monodispersity and the size of the obtained particles, tailoring it to a specific application.

A multiplexed electrospray process for single-step synthesis of stabilized polymer particles for drug delivery.

While conventional methods for biodegradable particle production rely predominately on batch, emulsion preparation methods, an alternative process based on multiplexed electrospray (ES) can offer distinct advantages. These include enhanced encapsulation efficiency of hydrophilic and hydrophobic agents, scale-up potential, tight control over particle size and excellent particulate reproducibility. Here we developed a well-controlled ES process to synthesize coated biodegradable polymer particles.

Digital electrospray for controlled deposition.

Many novel functional structures are now fabricated by controlled deposition as a maskless, bottom-up fabrication technique. These applications require rapid and precise deposition of minute amounts of solutions/suspensions or their ultimate particle products in predefined patterns. The electrospray is a promising alternative to the commonly used inkjet printing because it can easily handle highly viscous liquid, avoid high shear rates, and has low risk of clogging.

Controlling the morphology of electrospray-generated PLGA microparticles for drug delivery.

We developed a well-controlled method to generate PLGA microparticles of different morphologies using the electrospray drying route. By judiciously selecting polymer molecular weight, concentration, and solution flow rate, we can control the order in which polymer entanglements and Coulomb fission occur in the droplets and their relative importance, and subsequently govern the morphology of the resulting polymer particles. We show that spherical, monodisperse particles are generated when sufficiently strong polymer entanglements set in the evaporating droplets before they undergo any Coulomb fission.

The electrospray and its application to targeted drug inhalation.

This review explains the fundamentals of electrostatic spray (electrospray) atomization, with emphasis on operation in the so called cone-jet mode, which produces droplets with a very narrow size distribution. Since the control of droplet size is key to maximizing distal lung deposition, the electrospray should be well-suited to targeted drug inhalation. Electrospray droplets are a few micrometers in diameter, but they originate from a much larger nozzle, which allows nebulization of suspensions without clogging.