Unexpected and successful "one-step" formation of porous polymeric particles only by mixing organic solvent and water under "low-energy-input" conditions.

We found that porous particles were unexpectedly obtained in a "one-step" manner only by mixing an organic solvent and water under "low-energy-input" (i.e., low-homogenization-rate) conditions. This phenomenon was attributable to the unexpected formation of the spontaneously formed water-in-oil (w/o) emulsions in the droplets of o/w emulsions. The unexpected formation resulted in the successful formation of water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) emulsions instead of o/w emulsions, although the mixed solution containing both an organic solvent and water were simply emulsified in the presence of block copolymers. The present study clarifies the effects of the various preparation conditions on the morphology of unexpected w/o/w emulsions and resulting particles. The porous particles are expected to be suitable drug carriers for pulmonary delivery. The results obtained in the present study show that a newly developed one-step emulsification can be a powerful and facile technique for preparing porous polymeric particles.