Hydrogel microsphere preparation device
By designing a hydrogel microsphere preparation device including a constant-speed extruder, a syringe, a hydrogel microsphere cutter, a hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder and a photocuring irradiator, the problems of difficult preparation of hydrogel microspheres and uneven diameters in the prior art are solved, and a simple preparation of hydrogel microspheres with high uniformity is achieved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202421687856.6
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-07-17
- Publication Date
- 2025-06-20
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-07-17
AI Technical Summary
The existing hydrogel microsphere preparation methods are difficult to achieve low-cost acquisition of hydrogel microspheres while reducing the difficulty of collection.
A hydrogel microsphere preparation device is designed, including a constant speed extruder, a syringe, a hydrogel microsphere cutter, a hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder and a photocuring irradiator. Simple preparation of homogeneous hydrogel microspheres is achieved by ejecting the hydrogel precursor at a constant speed and cutting it into small droplets using metal filaments.
It is easy to prepare hydrogel microspheres of uniform size, reducing the production difficulty and improving production efficiency.
Smart Images
Figure CN222998754U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The utility model belongs to the field of biomaterial preparation, and particularly relates to a device for preparing hydrogel microspheres. Background Art
[0002] Hydrogels are a special type of material made from highly water-absorbent polymers. These materials can absorb and retain tens of times their own weight in water without dissolving in it. Their unique three-dimensional network structure allows water and small molecules to pass through while restricting the passage of large molecules or particles, ensuring that they remain in a highly elastic state even at high water content. This is due to the cross-linking of the internal polymer networks, which strengthens the structural stability.
[0003] In recent years, hydrogels have received great attention in the biomedical field. The application scope of this material is very wide, including as cell culture media, 3D bioprinting inks, carriers for bioactive molecules, and applications in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. In the market, there are various ways to prepare hydrogel microspheres, and the commonly used one is the droplet microfluidics method. This method refers to allowing two immiscible liquids to enter a microchannel at a specific flow rate. When the two phases meet, the instability of the mixing of the two-phase liquids is induced by adjusting the flow rate ratio, and then uniform dispersed droplets are formed under the action of surface tension and viscous force. Subsequently, microspheres are generated through polymerization or curing. This process can produce monodisperse microspheres, but its output is relatively small and it relies on an injection pump. Another commonly used method is the stirring method, which mixes and stirs the hydrogel precursor solution and the oil phase to prepare microspheres. This method is simple and direct. By mechanical action, the prepolymer is dispersed into droplets of different sizes, and then through cross-linking, washing, and centrifugation to remove the oil phase, hydrogel microspheres are obtained. The equipment of this technology is excellent in expanding the production scale, but the disadvantages are that the diameter of the microspheres is not uniform enough and the controllability is poor.
[0004] However, none of the above methods can achieve low-cost acquisition of uniform hydrogel microspheres while reducing the collection difficulty. Summary of the Utility Model
[0005] In order to solve the problems of difficult preparation of existing hydrogel microspheres and non-uniform diameter of microspheres, the present application designs a device for preparing hydrogel microspheres, which realizes the simple preparation of hydrogel microspheres with uniform size by ejecting the hydrogel precursor solution at a constant speed and using a metal wire cutting method.
[0006] A device for preparing hydrogel microspheres includes a constant-speed extruder, a syringe, a hydrogel microsphere cutter, a hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder, and a photocuring irradiator;
[0007] The constant-speed extruder is arranged at the upper end of the piston of the syringe, and the syringe barrel is fixed above the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder;
[0008] The hydrogel microsphere cutter is fixedly arranged in the middle of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder;
[0009] The photocuring irradiator is arranged at the bottom of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder.
[0010] Preferably, the hydrogel microsphere cutter comprises a rotating motor and a metal wire;
[0011] The metal wire is arranged on the rotating shaft of the rotating motor;
[0012] The main body of the rotating motor is fixed at the upper part of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder, and the rotating shaft of the rotating motor is arranged in the middle of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder.
[0013] Preferably, a water inlet pipe is arranged at the bottom left of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder, and a water outlet pipe is arranged at the bottom right of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder.
[0014] Preferably, a filter screen is arranged at the tail end of the water outlet pipe.
[0015] Preferably, the top of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder is of an uncovered structure.
[0016] Preferably, a light-shielding layer is arranged outside the syringe barrel.
[0017] Preferably, the metal wire is a stainless steel wire.
[0018] Preferably, a temperature control sleeve is arranged outside the syringe.
[0019] The advantages and effects of this application are as follows:
[0020] A preparation device for hydrogel microspheres designed in the present application includes a constant-speed extruder, a syringe, a hydrogel microsphere cutter, a hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder, and a photocuring irradiator; the constant-speed extruder is arranged at the upper end of the piston of the syringe, and the syringe barrel is fixed above the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder; the hydrogel microsphere cutter is fixedly arranged in the middle of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder; the photocuring irradiator is arranged at the bottom of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder and remains in the working state of irradiation during the entire hydrogel microsphere preparation process. When the hydrogel precursor liquid is evenly ejected through the syringe needle, and then cut into small droplets by the hydrogel microsphere cutter, the hydrogel precursor liquid droplets fall into the colorless mineral oil or vegetable oil in the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder to form water-in-oil emulsion droplets. Under the irradiation of the curing light, the water-in-oil emulsion droplets settle into the water phase below the colorless mineral oil or vegetable oil to form solidified hydrogel microspheres. The hydrogel microspheres are discharged from the water outlet pipe at the bottom through the flow of circulating water, and then the microspheres are collected on the filter screen at the outlet of the water outlet pipe. The technical effect of simply preparing hydrogel microspheres with uniform size is achieved.
[0021] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present application. In order to be able to understand the technical means of the present application more clearly, so as to be implemented in accordance with the content of the specification, and in order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and understandable, the following takes the preferred embodiments of the present application and combines with the drawings to describe in detail as follows.
[0022] According to the following detailed description of the specific embodiments of the present application in combination with the drawings, those skilled in the art will understand the above and other purposes, advantages and features of the present application more clearly. Brief Description of the Drawings
[0023] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the following drawings are some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings. In all the drawings, similar elements or parts are generally identified by similar reference numerals. In the drawings, the elements or parts are not necessarily drawn to actual scale.
[0024] Figure 1 A side view of a preparation device for hydrogel microspheres designed in the present application;
[0025] Figure 2 A front view of a preparation device for hydrogel microspheres designed in the present application;
[0026] Figure 3 A structural diagram of a rotating shaft plus a metal wire designed in the present application;
[0027] Reference Signs:
[0028] 1. Constant-speed extruder; 2. Syringe; 3. Hydrogel microsphere cutter; 4. Hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder; 5. Photo-curing irradiator; 6. Rotating shaft; 7. Metal wire; 8. Water inlet pipe; 9. Water outlet pipe. Detailed Embodiments
[0029] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Apparently, the described embodiments are some but not all of the embodiments of the present application. In the following description, specific details such as specific configurations and components are provided only to assist in a comprehensive understanding of the embodiments of the present application. Therefore, those skilled in the art should understand that various changes and modifications can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the present application. In addition, descriptions of known functions and structures are omitted for clarity and conciseness in the embodiments.
[0030] It should be understood that the phrase "an embodiment" or "the embodiment" mentioned throughout the specification means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic related to the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present application. Therefore, the phrase "an embodiment" or "the embodiment" appearing throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, these specific features, structures or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
[0031] In addition, the present application may repeat reference numerals and / or letters in different examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself indicate the relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed.
[0032] The term "and / or" in this document is merely a description of the associated relationship of the associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B may represent: A exists alone, B exists alone, and both A and B exist simultaneously. The term " / and" in this document is a description of another associated object relationship, indicating that two relationships may exist. For example, A / and B may represent: A exists alone, and both A and B exist. In addition, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.
[0033] The term "at least one" in this document is merely a description of the associated relationship of the associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, at least one of A and B may represent: A exists alone, both A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone.
[0034] It should also be noted that in this text, relational terms such as first and second are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the term "comprising", "including" or any other variant thereof is intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.
[0035] Example 1
[0036] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , this example mainly introduces the design of a preparation device for hydrogel microspheres, which is characterized by including a constant-speed extruder 1, a syringe 2, a hydrogel microsphere cutter 3, a hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder 4 and a photocuring irradiator 5;
[0037] The constant-speed extruder 1 is arranged at the upper end of the piston of the syringe 2, and the syringe barrel of the syringe 2 is fixed above the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder 4;
[0038] The hydrogel microsphere cutter 3 is fixedly arranged in the middle of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder 4;
[0039] The photocuring irradiator 5 is arranged at the bottom of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder 4.
[0040] Furthermore, the hydrogel microsphere cutter 3 includes a rotating motor and a metal wire 7;
[0041] The metal wire 7 is arranged on the rotating shaft 6 of the rotating motor;
[0042] The main body of the rotating motor is fixed at the upper part of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder 4, and the rotating shaft 6 of the rotating motor is arranged in the middle of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder 4. When the hydrogel precursor liquid is uniformly ejected through the syringe needle and then cut into small droplets by the hydrogel microsphere cutter.
[0043] Furthermore, a water inlet pipe 8 is arranged at the left bottom of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder 4, and a water outlet pipe 9 is arranged at the right bottom of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder 4.
[0044] Furthermore, a water flow layer and a layer of colorless mineral oil or vegetable oil are arranged in the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder 4. The water flow layer is arranged below the layer of colorless mineral oil or vegetable oil, and both the water inlet pipe 8 and the water outlet pipe 9 are located in the water flow layer;
[0045] Furthermore, a filter screen is arranged at the tail end of the water outlet pipe 9.
[0046] Furthermore, the top of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder 4 is of a lidless structure.
[0047] Further, a light-shielding layer is provided outside the hydrogel microsphere syringe 2.
[0048] Further, the metal wire 7 is a stainless steel wire.
[0049] Further, please refer to Figure 3 , the diameter of the metal wire 7 is 0.2 - 0.5 mm.
[0050] Further, a temperature control sleeve is provided outside the syringe 2; the temperature control sleeve is provided to reach the target temperature and maintain a constant temperature, so that the hydrogel precursor solution remains in a liquid state, preparing for forming a water-in-oil emulsion in the oil phase.
[0051] A preparation device for hydrogel microspheres designed in this application includes a constant-speed extruder, a syringe, a hydrogel microsphere cutter, a hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder, and a photocuring irradiator; the constant-speed extruder is arranged above the piston of the syringe, and the syringe barrel is fixed above the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder; the hydrogel microsphere cutter is fixedly arranged in the middle of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder; the photocuring irradiator is arranged at the bottom of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder and remains in an irradiating working state during the entire hydrogel microsphere preparation process. When the hydrogel precursor solution is uniformly ejected through the syringe needle, and then cut into small droplets by the hydrogel microsphere cutter, the hydrogel precursor solution droplets drop into the colorless mineral oil or vegetable oil in the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder to form water-in-oil emulsion droplets, and under the irradiation of the curing light, the water-in-oil emulsion droplets settle into the water phase below the colorless mineral oil or vegetable oil to form solidified hydrogel microspheres. The hydrogel microspheres are discharged from the bottom water outlet pipe through the flow of circulating water, and then the microspheres are collected on the filter screen at the outlet of the water outlet pipe. The technical effect of simply preparing hydrogel microspheres with uniform size is achieved.
[0052] Example 2
[0053] Based on Example 1, this example mainly introduces the detailed preparation process of hydrogel microspheres.
[0054] Step S1: Prepare a hydrogel solution by dissolving a photosensitive biomaterial in water, then add a crosslinking reaction initiator, and then disperse the bioactive substance and / or nanoparticles in the above aqueous solution to obtain a hydrogel precursor solution. Among them: the crosslinking reaction initiator is lithium phenyl-2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphonate; the final concentration of the crosslinking reaction initiator is 0.1%; the raw materials can be one or a combination of methacrylated gelatin, methacrylated chitosan, and methacrylic anhydride-modified hyaluronic acid.
[0055] Step S2: Inject the hydrogel precursor solution obtained in Step S1 into the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder through a syringe at a constant flow rate; use a light-shielding hydrogel microsphere syringe to prevent the premature cross-linking of the hydrogel precursor solution and ensure that the hydrogel precursor solution is extruded into the collection cylinder at a constant speed.
[0056] Step S3: A temperature control sleeve is provided outside the hydrogel microsphere syringe 2, which can be set to heat to the target temperature and maintain a constant temperature, so that the hydrogel precursor solution remains in a liquid state.
[0057] Step S4: After the hydrogel precursor solution stream is cut into small droplets by the metal wire of the hydrogel microsphere cutter, the hydrogel precursor solution droplets will drop into the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder.
[0058] Step S5: In the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder, the oil phase uses colorless mineral oil or vegetable oil, so that the hydrogel precursor solution forms water-in-oil emulsion droplets in the oil phase, and then settles into the water phase, and the water phase is ultrapure water; the fine microspheres of the hydrogel precursor solution settle into the water phase to form spheres; the hydrogel precursor solution rapidly cross-links under blue light irradiation to form hydrogel microspheres. The wavelength of the blue light is 405 nm.
[0059] Step S6: The hydrogel microspheres settle to the bottom of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder. The water phase in the connecting pipe at the bottom of the container is made to flow at a certain flow rate by a water pump, and the water flow drives the hydrogel microspheres to pass through the outlet pipe screen at the right bottom to filter out a certain volume of hydrogel microspheres, and the diameter of the hydrogel microspheres is 300 - 600 μm.
[0060] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and it does not thereby limit the protection scope of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention can have various changes and modifications. Any changes, modifications, substitutions, integrations, and parameter changes made to these embodiments through conventional substitutions or capable of achieving the same functions without departing from the principle and spirit of the present invention fall within the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A device for preparing hydrogel microspheres, characterized in that: It comprises a constant speed extruder (1), a syringe (2), a hydrogel microsphere cutter (3), a hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder (4) and a light curing irradiator (5); The constant speed squeezer (1) is arranged on the upper end of the piston of the syringe (2), and the syringe barrel of the syringe (2) is fixed above the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder (4); The hydrogel microsphere cutter (3) is fixedly arranged in the middle of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder (4); The light curing irradiator (5) is arranged at the bottom of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder (4).
2. The device for preparing hydrogel microspheres according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hydrogel microsphere cutter (3) comprises a rotating motor and a metal filament (7); The metal filament (7) is arranged on the rotating shaft (6) of the rotating motor; The main body of the rotary motor is fixed to the upper part of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder (4), and the rotary shaft (6) of the rotary motor is arranged in the middle part of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder (4).
3. The device for preparing hydrogel microspheres according to claim 1, characterized in that: A water inlet pipe (8) is arranged at the bottom of the left side of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder (4), and a water outlet pipe (9) is arranged at the bottom of the right side of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder (4).
4. The device for preparing hydrogel microspheres according to claim 3, characterized in that: A filter screen is arranged at the tail end of the water outlet pipe (9).
5. The device for preparing hydrogel microspheres according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top of the hydrogel microsphere collection cylinder (4) is a coverless structure.
6. The device for preparing hydrogel microspheres according to claim 1, characterized in that: The syringe (2) is provided with a light shielding layer outside.
7. The device for preparing hydrogel microspheres according to claim 2, characterized in that: The metal filaments (7) are stainless steel filaments.
8. The device for preparing hydrogel microspheres according to claim 1, characterized in that: The syringe (2) is provided with a temperature control sleeve outside.