Electrospinning is rapidly emerging as a new pharmaceutical processing technology with great potential in medicines development. In the most common experimental set-up, a solution of a polymer and functional component (in this context an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) is prepared in a volatile solvent. This is then loaded into a syringe fitted with a metal needle (the spinneret). A pump is used to extrude the solution through the needle at a controlled rate. The solution is ejected towards a collector, and a power supply is used to apply a high voltage between the spinneret and the collector (Figure 1). This results in the evaporation of solvent and the formation of a non-woven mat of one-dimensional fibers on the collector. The fibers typically have diameters on the nanoscale, and comprise amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) of drug in polymer (Figure 1). This gives them significant promise for the development of drug delivery systems, particularly where very rapid release is required.
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