Nanoprecipitation by solvent shifting is widely used (most often empirically) to prepare organic nanoparticles in pharmaceuticals. It results from spontaneous emulsification in ternary systems of the kind: water/miscible solvent/hydrophobic solute, and often yield submicronic droplets (~100 nm) of low dispersity. These systems are also called “Ouzo” systems in reference to the aniseed drink which also emulsifies spontaneously [1].
We will show how the co-nanoprecipitation of a hydrophobic solute and inorganic nanoparticles allows to obtain capsules made of an organic core coated with inorganic nanoparticles, that we named « Hybridosomes » [2–4]. Depending on the composition of the mixture, Ouzo systems can form Surfactant Free Micro-Emulsions (SFME) or submicronic metastable emulsions. A study based on both structural and stability analyses has allowed us to define a methodology for the construction of their phase diagrams and to predict the domains where Hybridosomes can be obtained, as well as their morphology and composition of their core [5]. Nanoparticles limit the coalescence of Ouzo emulsions, as in the case of Pickering emulsions. Nanoparticles and continuous shells can also be synthesized in-situ, by interfacial reduction directly in the emulsion [6].
Several applications of Hybridosomes are under study [7], including their use as nanoresonators for optical metamaterials (generation of optical magnetism) and sensitization of radiotherapy.
Keywords: Ouzo emulsions; Hybrid capsules; Nanoprecipitation.
References
[1] Vitale, S. A.; Katz, J. L. Langmuir 2003, 19 (10), 4105–4110.
[2] Sciortino, F.; Casterou, G.; Eliat, P.-A.; Troadec, M.-B.; Gaillard, C.; Chevance, S.; Kahn, M. L.; Gauffre, F.. ChemNanoMat 2016, 2 (8), 796–799.
[3] Goubault, C.; Sciortino, F.; Mongin, O.; Jarry, U.; Bostoen, M.; Jakobczyk, H.; Burel, A.; Dutertre, S.; Troadec, M.-B.; Kahn, M. L.; Chevance, S.; Gauffre, F. J. Controlled Release 2020, 10 (324), 430–439.
[4] Sciortino, F.; Thivolle, M.; Kahn, M. L.; Gaillard, C.; Chevance, S.; Gauffre, F. Soft Matter 2017, 13 (24), 4393–4400.
[5] Iglicki, D.; Goubault, C.; Nour Mahamoud, M.; Chevance, S.; Gauffre, F. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 2023, 633, 72–81.
[6] Gazil, O.; Virgilio, N.; Gauffre, F. Nanoscale 2022, 14 (37), 13514–13519.
[7] Goubault, C.; Jarry, U.; Bostoën, M.; Éliat, P.-A.; Kahn, M. L.; Pedeux, R.; Guillaudeux, T.; Gauffre, F.; Chevance, S. Nanomedicine Nanotechnol. Biol. Med. 2022, 40, 102499.
ICS, Université de Rennes