University of Minnesota

Ut-Battelle, Inc.

Tsi, Inc.

Nanocopoeia, LLC

Da-Ren Chen

David Y H Pui

David Y Pui

Robert A Hoerr

John V Carlson

Frank D Dorman

Frederick R Quant

Heinz Fissan

Gilmore J Sem

Meng-Dawn Cheng

David Yh Pui

Detlef Hummes

Devices to deliver one or more active ingredients for medical treatment may include a body of material presenting a surface including a polymer adapted to be rendered conductive such that one or more layers of electrospray particles are formable thereon or a body of conductive material presenting a surface upon which one or more layers of electrospray particles are formable thereon. A coating formed of electrospray particles may be deposited to adhere on the surface of the body of material (e.g., the coating may include one or more layers of coating material, at least one layer of the one or more layers of coating material may include an open matrix coating, the open matrix coating may include one or more active ingredients, the open matrix coating may include one or more polymers and one or more active ingredients, etc.).

Device with electrospray coating to deliver active ingredients

Spraying apparatus and methods that employ multiple nozzle structures for producing multiple sprays of particles, e.g., nanoparticles, for various applications, e.g., pharmaceuticals, are provided. For example, an electrospray dispensing device may include a plurality of nozzle structures, wherein each nozzle structure is separated from adjacent nozzle structures by an internozzle distance. Sprays of particles are established from the nozzle structures by creating a nonuniform electrical field between the nozzle structures and an electrode electrically isolated therefrom.

High mass throughput particle generation using multiple nozzle spraying

Methods and systems for coating at least a portion of a medical device (e.g., a stent structure) include providing a plurality of coating particles (e.g., monodisperse coating particles) in a defined volume. For example, the particles may be provided using one or more nozzle structures, wherein each nozzle structure includes at least one opening terminating at a dispensing end. The plurality of coating particles may be provided in the defined volume by dispensing a plurality of microdroplets having an electrical charge associated therewith from the dispensing ends of the one or more nozzle structures through use of a nonuniform electrical field between the dispensing ends and the medical device. Electrical charge is concentrated on the particle as the microdroplet evaporates. With a plurality of coating particles provided in the defined volume, such particles can be moved towards at least one surface of the medical device to form a coating thereon (e.g., using an electric field and/or a thermophoretic effect).

Coating medical devices

An electrospraying apparatus and/or method is used to coat particles. For example, a flow including at least one liquid suspension may be provided through at least one opening at a spray dispenser end. The flow includes at least particles and a coating material. A spray of microdroplets suspending at least the particles is established forward of the spray dispenser end by creating a nonuniform electrical field between the spray dispenser end and an electrode electrically isolated therefrom. The particles are coated with at least a portion of the coating material as the microdroplet evaporates. For example, the suspension may include biological material particles.

Electrospraying method with conductivity control

Electrospray methods and systems for coating of objects (e.g., medical devices such as a stent structure) with an open matrix coating. The open matrix coating is formed by electrospray using one or more nozzle structures each having at least an inner and outer opening. A first flow of a liquid spray composition is provided to the inner opening and a second flow of a liquid diluent composition is provided to the outer opening (e.g., the liquid diluent composition including at least one solvent, such as a composition having a dielectric constant equal to or greater than 10).

Electrospray coating of objects

Electrospraying apparatus and method for coating particles

A multi-stage differential mobility analyzer (MDMA) for aerosol measurements includes a first electrode or grid including at least one inlet or injection slit for receiving an aerosol including charged particles for analysis. A second electrode or grid is spaced apart from the first electrode. The second electrode has at least one sampling outlet disposed at a plurality different distances along its length. A volume between the first and the second electrode or grid between the inlet or injection slit and a distal one of the plurality of sampling outlets forms a classifying region, the first and second electrodes for charging to suitable potentials to create an electric field within the classifying region. At least one inlet or injection slit in the second electrode receives a sheath gas flow into an upstream end of the classifying region, wherein each sampling outlet functions as an independent DMA stage and classifies different size ranges of charged particles based on electric mobility simultaneously.

Stackable differential mobility analyzer for aerosol measurement

A method of introducing biological material into cells includes providing one or more target cells and establishing a spray of substantially dispersed particles including biological material. The substantially dispersed particles have an electrical charge applied thereto such that one or,more of the substantially dispersed particles of the spray is introduced into one or more of the target cells. The spray of substantially dispersed particles may be established by dispensing a spray of microdroplets suspending particles. The electrical charge is concentrated on the suspended particles as the microdroplet evaporates. The suspended particles may include carrier particles with biological material or the suspended particles may be particles of biological material alone. The space charge effect of the concentrated electrical charge on the substantially dispersed particles of the spray enable one or more of the particles to be introduced into one or more of the target cells. An apparatus for introducing biological material into one or more target cells includes a biological material source including at least biological material and a dispensing device operably connected to the biological material source to receive biological material therefrom. The dispensing device provides a spray of substantially dispersed particles of at least the biological material with the spray of substantially dispersed particles having an electrical charge applied thereto.

Electrospraying apparatus and method for introducing material into cells

An apparatus for classifying polydisperse aerosols includes aerosol and sheath gas conduits for conducting a sample aerosol and a sheath gas toward a merger area. At the merger area the sheath gas and about ten percent of the sample aerosol merge, then travel through a differential mobility analyzer (DMA) and along a tubular electrode of the DMA. Selected particles, i.e. particles having electrical mobilities within a narrow range, pass through a collection aperture of the electrode. The DMA output, an aerosol consisting of the selected particles, is provided to a condensation particle counter or other device for determining the aerosol concentration. The remainder of the sample aerosol is conducted away from the merger area along a bypass flow conduit. The bypass flow and an improved aerodynamic design provide for a slit at the merger area that is sufficiently narrow to minimize unwanted electric field penetration at the slit and DMA entrance. An annular flow restriction feature in the bypass conduit promotes and maintains laminar, uniform-velocity flow near the slit. The collection aperture is located medially along the tubular electrode, to prevent electrical field fringing near the aperture.

Instrument for measuring and classifying nanometer aerosols

A method for use in neutralizing a charged discharge includes providing a neutralizer housing having a longitudinal axis extending between an inlet and an outlet thereof. A charged discharge is introduced into the inlet of the neutralizer housing for flow parallel to the inlet of the longitudinal axis from the inlet to the outlet. An alternating electric field is created within the housing parallel to the longitudinal axis for directing bursts of negatively charged ions and positively charged ions alternately towards the inlet for use in neutralizing the charged discharge. An apparatus for carrying out this method is also described.

Charged particle neutralizing apparatus and method of neutralizing

A method of introducing biological material into cells includes providing one or more target cells and establishing a spray of substantially dispersed particles including biological material. The substantially dispersed particles have an electrical charge applied thereto such that one or more of the substantially dispersed particles of the spray is introduced into one or more of the target cells. The spray of substantially dispersed particles may be established by dispensing a spray of microdroplets suspending particles. The electrical charge is concentrated on the suspended particles as the microdroplet evaporates. The suspended particles may include carrier particles with biological material or the suspended particles may be particles of biological material alone. The space charge effect of the concentrated electrical charge on the substantially dispersed particles of the spray enable one or more of the particles to be introduced into one or more of the target cells.

Growing community of inventors

Creve Coeur, MO, United States of America

Da-Ren Chen