Dose accuracy and precision for pulmonary drug delivery have been core elements of therapy for asthma for 70 years. As the technology has developed, its application has spread to various diseases. For many inhaled products, solid-state chemistry, the nature of the drug particles, and their relationship to other particles in the formulation underpin success in disease treatment. Methods of manufacturing yield unique particle systems whose properties support the range of doses required to treat diseases with low- and high-potency drugs requiring high and low doses, respectively. To ensure the quality of these particulate products, which correlates with safety and efficacy, comprehensive characterization of their physicochemical properties and aerosol performance is required. The delivered dose and aerodynamic particle size distribution are key characteristics related to lung exposure required in clinical efficacy trials for non-communicable, genetic, environmental, and communicable (i.e., infectious) diseases. The breadth of inhaled therapy has increased significantly since the introduction of the initial products in the last century. The desire to treat genetic diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, and the emergence of new approaches to lung therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic is opening up new opportunities in inhaled biologicals that are anticipated to lead to future developments.

Discrete Element Method (DEM) was proposed by Cundall and Strack (1979) and gained traction in the field of powder engineering during the late 1980s. In the 1990s, various applications of DEM were conducted in the powder technology field, and the capability of DEM for predicting powder behavior was acknowledged. In the 2000s and 2010s, advancements in computing technology and the availability of general-purpose software led to the widespread adoption of numerical simulation as a prevalent tool in industrial applications. The authors have been engaged in discrete particle modeling of gas–solid two-phase flows and the development of DEM–CFD models for the numerical analysis of both dense gas–solid two-phase flows and gas–liquid–solid three-phase flows. Thus, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive description of the pioneering development of discrete particle models and simulations conducted by the authors.

As an extension of Particle Technology (PT), “nanoparticle technology (NPT)” has emerged as a transformative research endeavor in many countries, including Thailand. NPT has delivered significant strides in research, development, and applications. This review paper explores the advancements and contributions of NPT within Thailand’s scientific community and industrial sectors by analyzing original technical publications on Thailand’s contributions during 2008–2024. Also, a brief mention of the establishment of the Center of Excellence in Particle Technology (CEPT) at Chulalongkorn University and the National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC) under the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) is given. The key NPT research issues, namely, synthesis methods, characterization techniques, and applications across various disciplines, including medicine, agriculture, and the environment, are selectively reviewed. The paper also discusses collaborative efforts, challenges, and future directions, highlighting Thailand’s roles in the global landscape.

The control of adhesion and aggregation behaviour in gases, liquids, and solids is important for the application of inorganic nano- and fine particles in various fields, such as functional materials and devices, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and pigments. We have developed original methods for the characterisation of interfacial molecular- and nanometre-scale structures and interactions between particles and substrate materials. The surface molecular-structure design by an organic surfactant, commonly called a “ligand,” was investigated with different molecular structures for nanoparticle-dispersion stability control in various organic solvents and polymer solid materials. First, we introduce various approaches for controlling the interfacial molecular structure of nanoparticles to disperse nanoparticles in various liquids. Next, aggregation- and adhesion-behaviour characterisation methods, such as colloid probe atomic force microscopy and the control of fine powders and microcapsules in the ceramic and pharmaceutical fields, are reviewed. Finally, the characterisation and control of the adhesion behaviour of fine ash particles at high temperatures in energy generation and environmental systems are investigated. Original characterisation devices and a model of an ash-particle preparation method from pure silica were developed by adding small amounts of elements, such as alkali metals and phosphates, to analyse the increase mechanism of the ash-adhesion force at high temperatures. Based on the results of the analysis, the adhesion behaviour can be controlled by the addition of various materials.

Dry powder coating, characterised by the blending of poorly flowing powders with finer coating powders to optimise flowability, represents a sophisticated and evolving approach to powder processing. The optimisation of this method involves precise formulation, carefully combining powders with different particle properties to achieve a desirable blend aimed at enhancing the flow characteristics during the application process. Over the last decade, this field has witnessed increasing activity, focusing on key mixing parameters, such as mixer type and mixing power, as well as understanding the influence of constituent powder characteristics, including size ratio, density, and cohesion. Various techniques have been used to assess the flowability improvement or quantify the degree of coating. This review aims to provide a comprehensive exploration of the literature on powder coating research, highlighting its significance in both academic research and industrial applications. This paper discusses current coating analysis techniques using state-of-the-art equipment and reviews recent findings, particularly the nascent attempts to establish regime maps for dry powder coating.