Synthesis of hydrogel microbeads using a centrifuge system with UV irradiation and ultrasonic vibration

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K14920
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 20010:Mechanics and mechatronics-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Kurashina Yuta 東京工業大学, 物質理工学院, 助教 (40801535)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 超音波 / マイクロ加工 / ハイドロゲル / アルギン酸 / NIPAM / インテリジェントデバイス / 応答性マテリアル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we developed a power supply system for centrifugation and generated intelligent microbeads, which respond to minute stimuli, by using UV irradiation during centrifugation and the resonance mode of ultrasonic vibration of the glass tube during injection. The pregel solution, which was being ejected at high speed by centrifugation, was irradiated with UV light and ejected into an aqueous calcium chloride solution to induce photopolymerization and ionic crosslinking at the same time, resulting in the synthesis of microbeads with a core-shell structure. The microbeads with a core-shell structure were produced simultaneously by photopolymerization and ionic crosslinking. The microbeads were also synthesized by applying ultrasonic vibration during centrifugation using a glass tube mounted on a multilayered ultrasonic transducer.

Free Research Field

バイオメカトロニクス

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

生成したマイクロビーズは，生体内で薬剤をモニタリングすることや徐放することに用いられるドラッグデリバリーシステム（DDS）に応用することができる．また，本研究で用いた遠心駆動システムによる生成方法は従来のOil/Waterエマルジョン法と比較して極めて少ないサンプルで生成できる特徴を有している．そのため，貴重なサンプルである生体高分子などを用いた治療・研究への応用など医療の最先端の幅広い治療と研究に応用することが可能である．