An automated multidimensional thin film stretching device for the generation of anisotropic polymeric micro- and nanoparticles

Anisotropic polymeric particles are of growing interest for biomaterials applications due to their unique properties. These include the ability for these particles to evade nonspecific cellular uptake and to have enhanced targeted cellular uptake and interaction. One of the most widely used methods for generating anisotropic polymeric particles is the thin film stretching procedure. Despite its theoretical simplicity, this procedure, as it has been implemented to date, can be difficult due to the inconsistent nature of the manual operation of machinery used to stretch the film. We have constructed an automated thin film stretcher for control over biomaterials via thin film stretching in 1D and 2D and as a result, have enabled precise generation of anisotropic polymeric particles. We demonstrate that this device can be utilized to produce anisotropic biodegradable particles of different size, shape, and material consistency. Furthermore, we show that this machine has enabled the scaled up and rapid production of anisotropic polymeric particles, including polymeric microparticles that mimic the shape of red blood cells. Further application of this automated thin film stretching device could allow for significant impact to diverse biomaterial and biomedical applications such as biomimetic particles for immunoengineering and long-circulating particles for controlled release of drugs.