Patent ID: 8137699

Claim:
A process for preparing nanoparticles by flash precipitation comprising: dissolving at least one amphiphilic copolymer and at least one organic additive target molecule in an organic solvent, wherein the additive target molecule to amphiphilic copolymer ratio by weight is at least 1:4, wherein said amphiphilic copolymer is a polystyrene-block-polyethyleneoxide; flash precipitating nanoparticles comprising said at least one amphiphilic copolymer and said at least one organic additive target molecule by mixing the organic solvent comprising the amphiphilic copolymer and at least one organic additive target molecule with water or an aqueous solution comprising a buffering agent or salt, wherein the particle size of the resulting nanoparticles is a function of the temperature, the hydrophobic and hydrophilic character of at least one amphiphilic copolymer, and the mixing velocity of the process, and wherein the mixing velocity of the organic solvent and the water or aqueous solution is at least 0.1 m/sec.