Production of polymer gelatinous fine particles using atomizing method

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to produce tiny gel particles of natural polymeric material as a model blood cell. A model blood cell for use in the experiment in vitro to simulate human circulation was produced by chemical reaction between sodium alginate solution and calcium chloride solution. In our previous study, sodium alginate solution was atomized by a nozzle, and was poured on a free surface of calcium chloride solution to form the alginate acid gel particles. By that method we had gel particles of diameter more than 10μm. In this study, we tried to produce much finer particles of alginate acid gel having a similar diameter to that of red blood cells. A new alginate acid gelation system in which contact of alginate acid gel droplets with droplets of calcium chloride solution took place, was designed. As a result, gel particles ranging from 1 to 4μm in diameter were produced.