A one-step electrospray-based technique for modulating morphology and surface properties of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) microparticles using Pluronics(®)

The influence of morphology and surface properties on the therapeutic efficacy of degradable polymeric microparticles has not been well understood. One of the primary reasons for this is the limited ability to fabricate microparticles with controlled morphology and surface properties. Here, we report the electrospraying of blends of Pluronic(®) with poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) as a novel, one-step approach for the simultaneous modulation of morphology and surface properties of PLGA microparticles. Blending with Pluronic(®) altered the morphology from doughnut-shaped to smooth, spherical-shaped microparticles, and variation in the type of Pluronic(®) systematically modulated the surface properties of the microparticles. Hence, blending with Pluronic(®) can be a facile technique for the modulation of morphology and surface properties of electrosprayed PLGA microparticles.