Simultaneous two drugs release form Janus particles prepared via polymerization-induced phase separation approach

Seeded emulsion polymerization of 2-dimethylaminoethylamino methacrylate (DMAEMA) was carried out using monodispersed poly(2-hydroxyehtyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) seeds to produce Janus particles. Three feeding approaches were used comprising one together, rest and continuous feeding methods to investigate different morphologies. However, FE-SEM results showed that all feeding approaches yielded dumbbell-like Janus particles. Furthermore, snowman-like Janus particles were obtained via seeded distillation precipitation polymerization (DPP). It is shown that minimizing the total interfacial free energy alongside difference in solubility parameters of Janus domains are responsible for obtained morphologies. Two different morphologies (dumbbell-like and snowman-like) were chosen as carriers of ibuprofen and DOX simultaneously. Also, simultaneous release of two drugs were investigated in different conditions. Dumbbell-like Janus particles showed higher ibuprofen loading whereas DOX was more loaded onto snowman-like Janus particles. Also, DOX was released more rapidly through Janus particles at different pH values and both types of Janus particles showed similar drugs release behaviors.