POLIMERI DI INTERESSE FARMACEUTICO VEICOLAZIONE E DIREZIONAMENTO DEI FARMACI

Module POLIMERI DI INTERESSE FARMACEUTICO

The course aims to provide students with fundamental concepts related to the structure and behavior of polymeric materials, as well as the main techniques and equipment used to determine their technological characteristics and chemical properties. It also offers an overview of the most important synthetic and natural polymeric materials used in biomedical and pharmaceutical applications.

Lectures will be delivered in person. Should the course be offered in a hybrid or remote format, necessary adjustments may be introduced to ensure alignment with the planned syllabus and learning objectives.

Basic knowledge of general and organic chemistry.

Attendance is mandatory and is considered fulfilled by attending at least 70% of the scheduled lectures.

Introduction to polymers.

Definition

Historical Evolution
Nomenclature
Polymer Structure: Homopolymers and Copolymers
Polymer Architecture: Linear, Branched, and Crosslinked Polymers
Molecular Weight; Degree of Polymerization; Polydispersity Index
Constitution, Configuration, and Conformation of Polymers
Overview of Polymerization Reactions: Polycondensation, Radical and Ionic Polyaddition (Cationic, Anionic, Coordination)
Tacticity
Glassy and Crystalline States
Thermal Properties: Thermoplastics, Thermosets, and Elastomers

Classification of synthetic, semi-synthetic and natural polymers

Biopolymers, Polysaccharides: Cellulose and its derivatives, Starch, Chitin/Chitosan, Alginate.
Polyesters: PLA (Polylactic Acid), PLGA (Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)), PCL (Polycaprolactone), PHA (Polyhydroxyalkanoates).
Polyacrylates: Eudragit, Eudraguard.
PEG: Polyethylene Glycol.

Characterization of polymers. 

Introduction to chemical, structural, thermal, and spectroscopic analysis techniques.
Microscopy (Optical Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), thermal analysis (Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA),  Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)); Spectroscopy  (Infrared (IR) Spectroscopy , Ultraviolet-Visible (UV/VIS) Spectroscopy; X-ray diffraction (XRD).
Group laboratory activities on selected key techniques for the characterization of polymers and/or polymeric systems: Thermal characterization (DSC); Physicochemical characterization (dynamic light scattering; UV-VIS spectroscopy).

Applications of polymers in the biomedical and pharmaceutical fields.

Controlled drug release.

Pharmaceutical formulation (excipients).

Medical devices and biodegradable implants.

Tissue engineering (scaffolds).

Nanotechnologies (production of micro- and nanoparticulate systems).

Biotechnologies.

Gene delivery.

Pharmaceutical packaging

Polymeric materials used for the manufacture of containers for pharmaceutical use.

1. Fondamenti di struttura, proprietà e tecnologia dei polimeri (Edizioni Nuova Cultura).

2. Fondamenti di scienza dei polimeri (Edizioni Nuova Cultura).

3. Tecniche di caratterizzazione dei polimeri (Edizioni Nuova Cultura).

4. Biopolimeri (Edizioni Nuova Cultura).

5. Materiale fornito dal docente.

Morphological analysis for polymer characterization

Alginate

Elastomers