Enhancing the Throughput of Membrane Emulsification Techniques to Manufacture Functional Particles

Formulation technologies increasingly demand the manufacture of droplets with user-controlled size and size distributions for applications in emulsions, capsules, and semisolid particulates. These are used in various functional consumer products. This paper introduces methods to enhance throughput for two types of membrane emulsification system, using cross-flow and rotating membrane technology. Modification of the interaction between the dispersed phase and the surface of the membrane, the inner wall of the pores (through control of hydrophobicity), pore orientation, and pore shape is demonstrated to increase emulsion droplet productivity. Such methods can also be deployed in the production of capsule materials using emulsion precursors. The possible mechanisms underlying the enhancements are discussed. It is concluded that noncircular pores can offer significant process benefits for the production of uniform droplets and semisolid particulates. It is demonstrated that the droplet formation rate can be doubled through optimization of the orientation of noncircular pores in a rotating membrane process.