This webinar will also run again on Wedesday 24 June 20:00 – 21:00 pm
View the recording here
In this DENSsolutions User webinar, we welcome Dr Jennifer Cookman of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who uses the DENSsolutions LPEM system to conduct fascinating research into the growth of pharmaceutical crystals.
Abstract: Liquid Phase Electron Microscopy (LPEM) enables the visualisation of nanoscale materials suspended in native liquid environments, isolated from the detrimental high-vacuum of the electron microscope. These in situ observations have enabled, insight into nanoparticle growth processes, battery material mechanics and electron beam-influenced decomposition.
Here, the nucleation and growth of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) such as the Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) flufenamic acid are observed. In contrast to conventional crystallisation experiments, the LPEM experiments undertaken here are of undersaturated solutions of the API in a suitable solvent where the crystal development is induced by electron beam irradiation by exploiting the radiation chemistry of the carrier solvent. The potential radiolysis mechanisms are discussed along with the damaging influence they can have on the experiment i.e. gas production.
It is hypothesised that radiolysis of the solvent and the radiolysis products play a vital role in the nucleation and crystallisation of the API in such undersaturated conditions.
An understanding of how the electron beam influences radiolysis of solvents/molecules is required to fully comprehend the manifestation of crystal growth inside the liquid cell initiated by the electron beam. Control of the formation of certain polymorphs, requires furthermore a thorough understanding of the preliminary stages of nucleation regarding intermolecular forces and thermodynamic behaviour.
This webinar will show the growing influence and impact of LPEM holders in unveiling fundamental insights regarding nanoscale crystallisation events of vital pharmaceutical materials.
