Patent ID: 7323540
Filing Date: 2008-01-29
Classification: A61K,C08J,D01D,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for forming polymer microrods, comprising: providing a polymer solution comprising a polymer dissolved in a first solvent; providing a dispersion medium comprising a second solvent, wherein the first solvent and the second solvent are miscible or partially soluble in each other, and wherein the polymer is insoluble in the second solvent; adding the polymer solution to the dispersion medium to form a dispersed phase of polymer solution droplets within the dispersion medium; and introducing a shear stress to the dispersion medium and dispersed polymer solution droplets at a shear rate of at least about 20 1/s for a time sufficient to elongate the polymer solution droplets to form microrods and solidify the microrods by attrition of the first solvent into the dispersion medium, wherein the formed microrods have an average aspect ratio of at least about 5.