Preparation and optimization of biodegradable self-assembled PCL-PEG-PCL nano-sized micelles for drug delivery systems

Abstract

Biodegradable polymeric micelles have potential therapeutic applications; nevertheless, preparing micelles of a specific diameter and uniform size distribution is a challenge. Micelles were formed from the copolymer of poly(ε-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone) and the effect of PCEC molecular weight, PCL/PEG ratio, solvent-water miscibility, solvent concentration on particle size, polydispersity index and zeta potential of micelles were also investigated. The average particle sizes of the PCEC micelles ranged between 225–959 and 232–1211 nm for micelles prepared with acetone and dimethylformamide, respectively. The encapsulation efficiency is 78.98%. These results indicate that PCEC micelles can be used as drug carriers in controlled delivery systems.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Poly(ε-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone)
• polymeric micelles
• nano-precipitation method
• biodegradable
• self-assembly

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Research Fund of the Yildiz Technical University. Project Number: 2014-07-01-DOP04.