Droplet sizes and delivery rates from film breakup aerosolisation mode in porous materials

A novel two-phase aerosolisation mode utilizing porous materials is investigated, aiming to improve aerosol delivery for medical inhalation. Sintered stainless steel filters with varied pore sizes (PS) from 0.2 μm to 7 μm were used to generate aerosols from a 0.9 wt.% sodium chloride solution. Dropl...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Clement Alexander, Koch Wolfgang, Glasmacher Birgit, Pohlmann Gerhard
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: De Gruyter 2024-12-01
Series:Current Directions in Biomedical Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1515/cdbme-2024-2040
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:A novel two-phase aerosolisation mode utilizing porous materials is investigated, aiming to improve aerosol delivery for medical inhalation. Sintered stainless steel filters with varied pore sizes (PS) from 0.2 μm to 7 μm were used to generate aerosols from a 0.9 wt.% sodium chloride solution. Droplet sizes and delivery rates were measured using laser diffraction spectroscopy. Further measurements included shadow imaging. Results indicate that aerosolisation occurs within a specific range of PS with droplet sizes increasing with increasing PS. The droplets generated are suitable for inhalation therapies. A hypothesis is established about the process of droplet formation which states that different PS within the porous material serve distinct functions that contribute to the breakup of liquid films into aerosol particles. Droplet formation is the result of film breakup in pores filled with fluid. This low-energy aerosolisation method has the potential to be used in handheld devices for sensitive drug formulations, overcoming the limitations of current technologies. Further research is needed to optimize the pore size distribution and enhance aerosol generation efficiency.
ISSN:2364-5504