| Particle encapsulation in polymer systems has been used in several industrial applications in the biomedical and pharmaceutical fields. The main challenge in particle encapsulation is to obtain a homogeneous particle distribution thought the membrane. For the pharmaceutical industry this is a key issue as it is imperative to know how active ingredients in the form of particles are distributed within a therapeutic dose. Current literature lacks information regarding the understanding of the physichochemical interactions of particles distributed in polymeric membranes. Thus, this investigation focuses on the examination of the physicochemical interaction between particles and crosslinked hydrogels networks for the creation of homogenous dispersed membranes. To achieve this objective the effects of particle charge, concentration and size will be examined to ascertain their effect on particle's dispersion within the matrix. Finally, the effects on the network mechanical properties and rheology will be investigated. |
