ULTRASONIC METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING PARTICLES HAVING A CONTROLLED SIZE DISTRIBUTION

摘要

An ultrasonic apparatus for producing particles of a pharmaceutical agent or other material comprises a flow-through ultrasonic horn comprising an inlet, an outlet, and an interior channel that connects the inlet to the outlet for flow of a fluid therethrough. The ultrasonic horn is connectable to a transducer, and a crystallization tube is adjacent to the ultrasonic horn. The crystallization tube comprises an inlet port and outlet port for flow of an antisolvent therethrough, and it further includes a side access port. The outlet of the ultrasonic horn is inserted into the side access port so as to be in fluid communication with the crystallization tube.

主权项

1. A ultrasonic method of forming particles having a controlled size distribution, the ultrasonic method comprising:
driving an ultrasonic horn at a resonance frequency thereof, the ultrasonic horn comprising an inlet, an outlet and an interior channel connecting the inlet to the outlet for passage of a fluid therethrough; delivering a solution comprising a solute and a solvent into the inlet while the outlet is immersed in a continuous flow of antisolvent, the solution flowing through the interior channel and into the antisolvent; ultrasonically dispersing the solution in the antisolvent, thereby forming nucleation sites comprising the solute; and forming particles comprising the solute at the nucleation sites.