University of Minnesota

Tsi, Inc.

Basf Se Corporation

Nanocopoeia, LLC

David Y H Pui

Da-Ren Chen

Heinz Fissan

Stanley L Kaufman

John V Carlson

Robert A Hoerr

Jing Wang

Frank D Dorman

Bernd Sachweh

Frederick R Quant

Markus Linsenbühler

Gilmore J Sem

Michael Mertler

Michael Schäfer

Detlef Hummes

Chang Hyuk Kim

Sheng-Chieh Chen

Weon Gyu Shin

Andreas Trampe

A novel filter effectiveness detection method for AMCs (Airborne Molecular Contaminations) is provided herein, which is on-line, economical and applicable for diverse AMCs, using gas-to-particle conversion with soft X-ray irradiation radiation. In one embodiment, this method was conducted through AMC filter evaluations comparing two granular activated carbons (GACs), which are widely used AMC filter media, challenged with sulfur dioxide (SO), which is one of the major known AMCs in cleanrooms. Using this method, the concentration of gaseous SOwas assessed in terms of particle volume concentrations after the gas-to-particle conversion assisted by the soft X-ray irradiation. The results of this detection method showed high sensitivity to SO, down to parts per trillion-levels, which are levels that are too low to be detectable by currently available commercial gas sensors.

Detection system for determining filtering effectiveness of airborne molecular contamination

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

A system and method for characterizing a totality of particles selects a class of the totality of particles having a defined mobility; determines the total particle concentration of the class of particles; filters the class of particles using the filter apparatus and determines a filtered particle concentration indicative of the particles of the class which penetrate the filter apparatus; and determines at least one morphological parameter based on the fraction of particles of a class penetrating the filter apparatus.

Measurement of particle morphology using filtration

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

A method is proposed for characterizing a totality of particles. The method can be used in particular for characterizing microparticular or nanoparticular aerosols. The method comprises the following steps:

Measurement system for the multidimensional aerosol characterization

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

An instrument for non-invasively measuring nanoparticle exposure includes a corona discharge element generating ions to effect unipolar diffusion charging of an aerosol, followed by an ion trap for removing excess ions and a portion of the charged particles with electrical mobilities above a threshold. Downstream, an electrically conductive HEPA filter or other collecting element accumulates the charged particles and provides the resultant current to an electrometer amplifier. The instrument is tunable to alter the electrometer amplifier output toward closer correspondence with a selected function describing particle behavior, e.g. nanoparticle deposition in a selected region of the respiratory system. Tuning entails adjusting voltages applied to one or more of the ion trap, the corona discharge element and the collecting element. Alternatively, tuning involves adjusting the aerosol flow rate, either directly or in comparison to the flow rate of a gas conducting the ions toward merger with the aerosol.

Instruments for measuring nanoparticle exposure

Electrospraying apparatus and method for coating particles

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.

Growing community of inventors

Plymouth, MN, United States of America

David Y H Pui