Process for producing layered bodies

1. A process for producing layered bodies with an electrohydrodynamic device, the device comprising a first needle, a second needle, and a third needle arranged concentrically with one another, the process comprising:

providing a first fluid medium comprising a polymer dispersed in a non-halogenated liquid solvent, wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid, polycaprolactone, polvglycolic acid, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), polymethylsilsesquioxane, and mixtures thereof,

providing a second fluid medium comprising or consisting of a volatile halogenated hydrocarbon compound in a liquid form, the second fluid medium comprising a perfluorocarbon having 10 carbons or less, a halogenated hydrocarbon having 10 carbons or less, or a mixture thereof,

forming a fluid jet through the device by

passing the second fluid medium through an intermediate channel radially between the first needle and the second needle, and, at the same time,

passing the first fluid medium through each of a core channel defined by the first needle and an outer channel radially between the third needle and the second needle, wherein the core channel is radially inward of the intermediate channel, and the outer channel is radially outward of the intermediate channel, and

applying a voltage of 15 kV to 25 kV to each of the first needle, the second needle, and the third needle as the first and second fluid media pass through the respective core channel, intermediate channel, and outer channel,

wherein, upon exiting a distal end of the device defined by distal ends of the first, second, and third needles, the fluid jet breaks up to form sequentially a plurality of spherical layered bodies, each layered body comprising:

a core region comprising the polymer;

an outer layer comprising the polymer; and

an intermediate layer of gas between the core region and the outer layer, wherein the gas is formed by vaporizing the second fluid medium.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein each layered body has a diameter of 100 μm or less as measured by scanning electron microscopy.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the first fluid medium further comprises an active agent selected from a diagnostic agent or a therapeutic agent.

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the second fluid medium has a dynamic viscosity of 1.3 mPa·s or less as measured by a U-tube viscometer or a rotational viscometer.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the second fluid medium has a surface tension of 20 mNm −1 or less as measured by a tensiometer.

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the conductivity of the second fluid medium is 1×10 −8 Sm −1 or less.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid of the first fluid medium has a boiling point of at least 100° C. at a standard temperature of 25° C. and a standard pressure of 101.325 kPa.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the first fluid medium has a dynamic viscosity of 1.5 mPa·s or more as measured by a U-tube viscometer or a rotational viscometer.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the first fluid medium has a surface tension of more than 20 mNm −1 as measured by a tensiometer.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the conductivity of the first fluid medium is more than 1×10 −8 Sm −1 .

11. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the second fluid medium passes through the intermediate channel at a rate from 1 μl/min to 2000 μl/min, and wherein the first fluid medium passes through the core channel at a rate different than the rate the second fluid medium passes through the intermediate channel.

12. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of layered bodies is a plurality of first layered bodies, the process further comprising:

providing a fluid medium different from the first fluid medium, wherein the fluid medium different from the first fluid medium comprises a polymer dispersed in a non-halogenated liquid solvent, the polymer being selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid, polycaprolactone, polyglycolic acid, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), polymethylsilsesquioxane, and mixtures thereof,

providing the second fluid medium; and

repeating the forming and applying steps with the fluid medium different from the first fluid medium in place of the first fluid medium and with the second fluid medium to thereby produce a plurality of second layered bodies having a chemical composition different from a chemical composition of the plurality of first layered bodies.

13. The process according to claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the first needle is flush with a distal end of each of the second needle and the third needle.

14. A process for producing layered bodies with an electrohydrodynamic device comprising a first needle, a second needle, and a third needle arranged concentrically with one another, the process comprising:

forming a fluid jet by

passing a first fluid medium through a core channel defined by the first needle, wherein the first fluid medium comprises a polymer dispersed in a non-halogenated liquid solvent, wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid, polycaprolactone, polyglycolic acid, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), polymethylsilsesquioxane, and mixtures thereof;

passing a second fluid medium through an intermediate channel radially between the first needle and the second needle, the intermediate channel being radially outward of the core channel, wherein the second fluid medium comprises air or a volatile halogenated hydrocarbon compound in a liquid form, wherein the volatile halogenated hydrocarbon compound comprises a perfluorocarbon having 10 carbons or less, a halogenated hydrocarbon having 10 carbons or less, or a mixture thereof; and

passing the first fluid medium through an outer channel radially between the second needle and the third needle, the outer channel being radially outward of the intermediate channel;

wherein the first fluid medium and the second fluid medium pass through the respective core channel, intermediate channel, and outer channel simultaneously; and

wherein the fluid jet exits a distal end of the device defined by distal ends of the first, second, and third needles, a distal end of the first needle being flush with a distal end of each of the second needle and the third needle; and

applying a voltage of 15 kV to 25 kV to each of the first needle, the second needle, and the third needle;

wherein, upon exiting the distal end of the device, the fluid jet breaks up to form sequentially a plurality of spherical layered bodies, each layered body comprising:

a core region comprising the polymer;

an outer layer comprising the polymer; and

an intermediate layer of gas between the core region and the outer layer, wherein the gas comprises air or the halogenated hydrocarbon compound in gaseous form.

15. The process of claim 14 , wherein the first fluid medium has a dynamic viscosity of 1.5 mPa·s or more as measured by a U-tube viscometer or a rotational viscometer and a conductivity of more than 1×10 −8 Sm −1 , and wherein the second fluid medium has a dynamic viscosity of 1.3 mPa·s or less as measured by a U-tube viscometer or a rotational viscometer and a conductivity of 1×10 −8 Sm −1 or less.

16. A process for producing layered bodies with an electrohydrodynamic device, the device comprising a first needle, a second needle, a third needle, and a fourth needle arranged concentrically with one another, the process comprising:

providing a first fluid medium comprising a polymer dispersed in a non-halogenated liquid solvent, wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid, polycaprolactone, polyglycolic acid, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), polymethylsilsesquioxane, and mixtures thereof,

providing a second fluid medium comprising or consisting of a volatile halogenated hydrocarbon compound in a liquid form, the second fluid medium comprising a perfluorocarbon having 10 carbons or less, a halogenated hydrocarbon having 10 carbons or less, or a mixture thereof,

forming a fluid jet through the device by

passing the second fluid medium through each of a core channel defined by the first needle and a second intermediate channel radially between by the second needle and the third needle, wherein the second intermediate channel is radially outward of the core channel,

passing the first fluid medium through each of a first intermediate channel and an outer channel, wherein the first intermediate channel is radially between the core channel and the second intermediate channel, and the outer channel is radially outward of the second intermediate channel,

wherein the second fluid medium and the first fluid medium pass through the respective core channel, first intermediate channel, second intermediate channel, and outer channel simultaneously; and

wherein the fluid jet exits a distal end of the device defined by distal ends of the first, second, third, and fourth needles; and

applying a voltage of 15 kV to 25 kV to each of the first, second, third, and fourth needles as the fluid jet exits the distal end of the device;

wherein, upon exiting the distal end of the device, the fluid jet breaks up to form sequentially a plurality of spherical layered bodies, each layered body comprising:

a core region of gas formed by vaporizing the second fluid medium;

an outer layer comprising the polymer;

a first intermediate layer radially between the core region and the outer layer comprising the polymer; and

a second intermediate layer of gas between the core region and the first intermediate layer, wherein the gas is formed by vaporizing the second fluid medium.