• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.8-15
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• 2000

Phenolic/furfural(P/F) gel microspheres were successfully produced by new supercritical $CO_2$-based process. $CO_2$-soluble poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) was used as the stabilizer in this system. Spherical morphology of the gel microspheres was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. Particle size and particle size distribution of P/F gel microspheres can be modified by variety of the solids content and the stabilizer content. The resultant P/F gel microspheres have average particle size in the range of 1-6 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$. The structure of P/F gel microspheres was revealed by thermogravimetric analysis and IR analysis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.510-518
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• 2005

In this study, we investigated whether PLGA microspheres in combination with hyaluronic acid (HA) gel have appropriate properties as a bulking agent for urologic injection therapies and whether the implantation of PLGA microspheres and HA gel induces angiogenesis in the newly formed tissues. In order to investigate whether this bulking agent is injectable, this material was injected through 24-gauge needles into the subcutaneous dorsum of the mouse. The bulking agent was easily injected without needle obstruction. Histological analyses of the hybrid tissues at 2 weeks showed that host cells at the surrounding tissues migrated into the spaces between the implanted PLGA microspheres and formed tissue-like structures. An inflammatory response to the implants was mild at 2 weeks and diminished at 8 weeks. Importantly, extensive ingrowth of blood vessels was observed in the hybrid tissues formed by the injection of PLGA microspheres and HA, whereas blood vessels rarely formed in the hybrid tissues formed by the injection of PLGA microspheres only. The implant volume was conserved for almost the entire implantation period. Histological analyses of the distant organs of the bulking agent-implanted animals, such as the lungs, liver, heart, brain, kidney, and spleen, showed no evidence of the injected microsphere migration. These results show that PLGA microspheres in combination with HA possess the appropriate characteristics for a bulking agent for urologic injection therapies and induce extensive blood vessel formation in the hybrid tissues.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.257-262
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• 2019

The control of microstructure is critical for the porous fuel particles used for infiltrating actinide nuclides. This study concerns the effect of heating processes on properties and microstructure of the fuel particles. The uniform gel precursor beads were synthesized by a microfluidic sol-gel process and then the porous $CeO_2$ microspheres, as a surrogate for the ceramic nuclear fuel particles, were obtained by heating treatment of the gel precursors. The fabricated $CeO_2$ microspheres have a narrow size distribution and good sphericity due to the feature of microfluidics. The effects of heating processes parameters, such as heating mode and peak temperatures on the properties of microspheres were studied in detail. An optimized heating mode and the peak temperature of $650^{\circ}C$ were selected to produce porous $CeO_2$ microspheres. The optimized heating mode can avoid the appearance of broken or crack microspheres in the heating process, and as-prepared porous microspheres were of suitable pore size distribution and pore volume for loading minor actinide (MA) solution by an infiltration method that is used for fabrication of MA-bearing nuclear fuel beads. After the infiltration process, $1000^{\circ}C$ was selected as the final temperature to improve the compressive strength of microspheres.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.188-198
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• 2021

A modern approach to nuclear energy involves reprocessing like transmutations of spent nuclear fuel products to reduce their radiotoxicity and time needed for their storage. For this purpose, they are immobilized in inert matrices made of zirconia and can be "burned" in fast neutron reactor or Accelerator Driven System. These matrices in spherical form can be obtained by sol-gel process. The paper presents a method of microspheres fabrication based on the combined Complex Sol-Gel Process and double extraction process consisting in the preparation of zirconium-ascorbate sol and simultaneous extraction of water and nitrates. The procedure allows obtaining gel microspheres with a diameter of 50 ㎛, which after heat treatment are processed into the final product. The synthesis of zirconia microspheres with Yttrium by internal gelation process is well known for over a decade now. However, the explanation and characterization of synthesis of such material by extraction of water process is rarely found. Parameters such as: pH, viscosity, shape, sphericity and crystal structure have been determined for synthesized products and semi-products. In addition, preliminary research consisting in irradiation of the obtained materials in fast and thermal neutron flux was carried out. The obtained results are presented and described in this work.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1995.05a
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• pp.662-667
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• 1995

An internal gelation process was adopted for the fabrication of carbon-dispersed UO$_3$ microspheres which will be fed to the fabrication for uranium nitride microsphere fuels by the carbothermic reduction. For investigating the proper process conditions, a composition range of feed solution for preparing good UO$_3$ gel spheres was firstly defined by observing the gelation behavior. Within the defined solution compositions, carbon-dispersed microspheres were prepared and carbon distribution in microspheres were observed by SEM. The results showed that production of good carbon-dispersed microspheres was possible, and the most of carbon were evenly distributed in the microspheres although large carbon-rich aggregates were sparsely existent.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.443-450
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• 2006

To demonstrate their possibilities as an enhanced vaccine delivery system, protein-loaded Poly lactide glycolide copolymer (PLGA) microspheres were prepared with different physical characteristics. Ethyl acetate (EA) solvent extraction process was employed to prepare microspheres and the effects of process parameters on drug release properties were evaluated. The biodeuadability of microspheres was also evaluated by the pH change and GPC (Gel permeation chromatography). Primary IgG antibody responses in BALB/c mice were compared with protein saline solutions as negative controls and adsorbed alum suspensions as positive controls after single subcutaneous injection for in vivo studies. The microspheres showed a erosion with a highly porous structure and did not keep their spherical shape at 45 days and this result could be confirmed by GPC. In vitro release of proteinous drug showed initial burst effect in all batches of microspheres, followed by gradual release over the next 4 weeks. PLGA microspheres were degraded until 45 days and the secondary structure of OVA was not affected by the preparation method. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays demonstrated that the single subcutaneous administrations of OVA-loaded PLGA microspheres induced enhanced serum IgG antibody response in comparison to negative and positive controls. These results demonstrated that microspheres providing the controlled release of antigens might be useful in advanced vaccine formulations for the parenteral carrier system.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.225-232
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• 2004

We have successfully synthesized relatively monodisperse and cross-linked melamine-formaldehyde (M-F) microspheres by dispersed polycondensation and subsequent pH adjustment with serum replacement cleaning. The average particle sizes (equation omitted): weight-average and (equation omitted) : number-average), the polydispersity index (equation omitted), the number of particles N$\_$p/ and the gel content of the M-F microspheres were observed by varying the pH, the surfactant concentration, and the polymerization temperature. We observed that both the pH and the polymerization temperature were predominant factors in determining (equation omitted) and N$\_$p/, but the effect that the temperature and pH had on the gel content ( ＞ 94% for all samples) was negligible. The exponents of the slopes of plots of N$\_$p/ versus pH and surfactant concentration were －10 and 0.6, respectively. Particle nucleation and growth were achieved within short periods; the incessant coagulation occurred even in the presence of surfactants.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.245-250
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• 2010

Porous poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) microspheres (PLGA MS) have been utilized as an inhalation delivery system and a matrix scaffold system for tissue engineering. Here, gelatin (type A) is introduced as an extractable pH-responsive porogen, which is capable of controlling the porosity and pore size of PLGA microspheres. Porous PLGA microspheres were prepared by a water-in-oil-in-water ($w_1/o/w_2$) double emulsification/solvent evaporation method. The surface morphology of these microspheres was examined by varying pH (2.0~11.0) of water phases, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Also, their porosity and pore size were monitored by altering acidification time (1~5 h) using a phosphoric acid solution. Results showed that the pore-forming capability of gelatin was optimized at pH 5.0, and that the surface pore-formation was not significantly observed at pHs of < 4.0 or > 8.0. This was attributable to the balance between gel-formation by electrostatic repulsion and dissolution of gelatin. The appropriate time-selection between PLGA hardening and gelatin-washing out was considered as a second significant factor to control the porosity. Delaying the acidification time to ~5 h after emulsification was clearly effective to make pores in the microspheres. This finding suggests that the porosity and pore size of porous microspheres using gelatin can be significantly controlled depending on water phase pH and gelatin-removal time. The results obtained in this study would provide valuable pharmaceutical information to prepare porous PLGA MS, which is required to control the porosity.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.254-261
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• 2009

In this study, we investigated the unit process parameters in spherical $UO_2$ kernel preparation. Nearly perfect spherical $UO_3$ microspheres were obtained from the 0.6M of U-concentration in the broth solution, and the microstructure of the $UO_2$ kernel appeared the good results in the calcining, reducing, and sintering processes. For good sphericity, high density, suitable microstructure, and no-crack final $UO_2$ microspheres, the temperature control range in calcination process was $300{\sim}450^{\circ}C$, and the microstructure, the pore structure, and the density of $UO_2$ kernel could be controlled in this temperature range. Also, the concentration changes of the ageing solution in aging step were not effective factor in the gelation of the liquid droplets, but the temperature change of the ageing solution was very sensitive for the final ADU gel particles.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.129-134
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• 2011

Herein, macroporous carbon materials were readily prepared by carbonization of cured body of resorcinol and formaldehyde using poly(methyl methacrylate) colloid microspheres which were employed as the template in the gelation of resorcinol with formaldehyde. The gel in the water was solvent exchanged with methanol and the wet gel was dried. After carbonization of the template-gel composite at $800^{\circ}C$, it was found that pores were left corresponding to the size of the template, yielding carbon materials with a fine porous structure with enlarged surface area and significant porosity. Properties of the carbon foams including the structure, morphology, thermal stability, and porosity were investigated. Finally, it was concluded that the method using polymer colloids as the template provided a facile route to prepare carbon foams.