The bulk production of nanosized particles with narrow sized distributions have broad applications in manufacturing of advanced ceramics, pigments, catalysts, coatings, microsensors, and various drug delivery systems. Fine particles of pharmaceuticals with narrow particle size distributions are essential for the development of inhalation aerosols, injectable suspensions, transdermal formulations, controlled release dosage forms, and other specialised drug delivery systems. Particle size has a significant effect on the bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs for which dissolution is the rate-limiting step in the absorption process.
In this study a custom-made process that comprises of dual spinning disk was designed for the bulk production of fine particles. Both solvent and anti-solvent were injected into a dual-disk structure, in which one of the disks is stationary and the other one rotates rapidly, enabling free and efficient micromixing. The effect of process variables such as solution flow rate, concentration and angular velocity on the characteristics of model compounds such as NaCl and benzoic acid were investigated. Fine particles of NaCl with narrow particle size distributions were produced using the spinning disk system. The process variables had significant impacts on the particle size of benzoic acid. The preliminary data acquired from this study demonstrate the potential of the designed process for the rapid fabrications of nano-sized particles with a narrow size distribution, particularly for inhalation and other drug delivery systems. Decreasing the particle size will dramatically enhance the bioavailability of a drug, decrease the doses in formulation and also the side effects, therefore promotes the patient’s compliances.