Biodegradable semi-crystalline comb polyesters influence the microsphere production by means of a supercritical fluid extraction technique (ASES)

The aerosol solvent extraction system (ASES) is a method based on solvent extraction using supercritical carbon dioxide for the preparation of microspheres. The ASES technology seems to be strongly affected by physico-chemical properties of biodegradable polymers, leading to incomplete or unsuccessful microsphere formation. The number of suitable polymers for ASES, such as poly(L-lactide) (L-PLA) and poly(beta-hydroxy-butyric acid) (PHB) is rather limited for unknown reasons. Therefore linear and novel branched polyesters were synthesized and subjected to the ASES process to explore the function property relationship. The properties of these polymers as well as of the ASES products were characterized by NMR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, light scattering, wide-angle X-ray scattering and scanning electron microscopy. It appears that high degrees of polymer crystallinity are the key factor for successful microsphere formation using the ASES process; Under the conditions investigated two types of polymers were especially suitable: semi-crystalline comb polyesters as well as comb polyesters in which crystallinity could be induced. These novel polymers are of particular interest for the ASES encapsulation technology since they combine beneficial properties both controlling drug release due to their three-dimensional architecture and faster biodegradability with sufficient mechanical stability to allow particle formation using supercritical carbon dioxide. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.