In the pharmaceutical industry, particle size plays a vital role in determining the quality and effectiveness of drugs, pills, creams and gels. All medicinal products contain active pharmaceutical ingredients, which must have a high solubility rate. In short, the smaller the particle size, the higher the solubility, bioavailability and overall effectiveness.
As a result, micronization is a crucial part of the manufacturing process in the pharmaceutical industry. This process involves reducing the diameter of the particles to finer pieces. This is where you are lead to microfluidizer technology for nanoencapsulation. It is a form of micronization, involving fluid pressure to apply forces like, cavitation and shear and impact a given substance.
To find out how microfluidization benefits pharmaceutical and food manufacturers, read on.
How does the process work?
Reduction in the size of the particle through micronization can occur in numerous ways. Modern manufacturers use the equipment’s help to cut down the particles’ size of a given mass. However, each piece of equipment is made for numerous purposes, which organisations further utilise for creating different products.
Microfluidization acts on the targeted samples that are present in the inlet reservoir. An intensifier pump creates 40,000 pressures to push the substances through the interaction chamber, where the substance is exposed to robust impact and high shear rates. Once this is done, the substance is cooled.
The nanoscale particles are either cultivated or recirculated to get the desired homogenous particle size distribution. The microfluidizer process can be done repeatedly and can be scaled up from laboratory to commercial volumes.
Pharmaceutical companies may produce nanoparticles to improve drugs’ bioavailability. On the other hand, food and beverage manufacturers may opt for microfluidization technology for nanoencapsulation to enhance the quality of food. No matter what business it is, micronization is done to get the desired particle size reduction.
