Polymeric vesicle formation via temperature-assisted nanoprecipitation

Abstract

We here report an easy and efficient strategy to prepare submicron-sized polymeric vesicles with tetrahydrofuran (THF) as a good solvent through temperature-assisted nanoprecipitation (TAN). While conventional nanoprecipitation did not yield vesicles from block co-polymers (PEG-b-PCL), TAN produced vesicles with morphology and membrane thickness similar to those obtained by film rehydration method. Elevated temperature to allow fast evaporation of THF was identified to be the key process parameter of TAN.