Master of Science / Department of Chemistry / Daniel A. Higgins / Three water-soluble perylene diimides (PDIs) were investigated to examine differences in their thin film forming properties. The PDI thin films investigated in this thesis are formed in an electrostatic-self-assembled (ESA) layer-by-layer (LBL) process by the use of a dip coater. The three PDIs employed are sodium bis (sulfonatopropyl) perylene diimide (PDISO[subscript]3[superscript]2-), bis (trimethylammonioethyl) perylene diimide diiodide (PDIDI[superscript]2+), and N-(butoxypropyl)-N'-(2-(N,N,N-trimethylammonio)-ethyl) perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide iodide (C[subscript]7OPDI[superscript]+). Thin films were made by alternately depositing the PDIs with counter polyelectrolyte (PEs). The PEs employed were poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA[superscript]+) and poly(acrylic acid) (PA[superscript]-), depending on the charge of the PDI. PDIs were determined to be aggregated in all three PDI precursor solutions. The fraction of PDI aggregated in each was found to be 0.972, 0.903, and 0.993, for the PDISO[subscript]3[superscript]2-, PDIDI[superscript]2+, and C[subscript]7OPDI[superscript]+, respectively. The C[superscript]7OPDI[superscript]+ solution was the most aggregated only having one charge group, which makes it more hydrophobic. Thin films prepared from the solutions all displayed an absorbance spectrum similar to the aggregated form. All the composites displayed linear growth in film thickness and fiber width with bilayer number. However, the three composites gave unique surface morphologies. The PDISO[subscript]3[supercript]2-[dot in middle of line]PDDA+ composite was found to incorporate highly curled intertwined fibers compared to the PDIDI[superscript]2+[dot in middle of line]PA[superscript]- composite, where the fibers were not intertwined. The fiber structure was found to change after 15 bilayers. This change in morphology was attributed to the fibers grafting together and overlapping causing the loss of original fiber structure. The two symmetric composites differed in the film thickness with the PDISO[subscript]3[superscript]2-[dot in middle of line]PDDA[superscript]+ being thicker than the PDIDI[superscript]2+[dot in middle of line]PA[superscript]- composite. This was attributed to the molecular weights (MW) of the polyelectrolytes investigated during thin film deposition, with the PDDA[superscript]+ having a much higher MW. C[subscript]7OPDI[superscript]+[dot in middle of line]PA[superscript]- thin film composite had a film thickness approximately equal to the PDISO[subscript]3[superscript]2-[dot in middle of line]PDDA[superscript]+ composite, indicating precursor aggregation also influences deposition rate. The C[subscript]7OPDI[superscript]+[dot in middle of line]PA[superscript]- composite incorporated wavy thin fibers that appeared aligned in the dipping direction. This alignment was visible for bulk samples in UV-vis absorption dichroism studies. The alignment was parallel to the dipping direction of the substrate.

L'amélioration de la dissolution des médicaments peu solubles présente de nombreux défis.Dans cette thèse, un procédé d'extrusion-sphéronisation a été étudié en profondeur pour améliorer la dissolubilité du médicament avec une formulation de nano-émulsion. Le but du travail de thèse est de décrire les propriétés et les procédés de fabrication de minigranules permettant d'augmenter la solubilité des principes actifs peu solubles dans l'eau et donc d‘améliorer leur biodisponibilité lors de l'administration par voie orale, pour deux modèles de molécules différentes qui sont l‘acide folique (vitamine peu soluble dans l'eau) et le kétoprofène (anti-inflammatoire non stéroïdien qui présente une solubilité limitée dans les fluides gastriques à cause de son pKa (classe II dans le système de classification biopharmaceutique – BCS, ayant une action anti-inflammatoire, antalgique et antipyrétique). Cette étude décrit la préparation par extrusion-sphéronisation, caractérisation et étude de dissolution in vitro d'acide folique et de pastilles de kétoprofène revêtues de Acryl-EZE®, Advantia® Performance dans un minicoatère à lit fluidisé. Les résultats des essais ont montré la faisabilité de la préparation de pastilles enrobées entériques contenant un AINS et que, en revêtant le système multiparticulaire avec Acryl-EZE® 93A92545 et Advantia® Performance190024HA49 à un gain pondéral de 17,5%, 12,0%, respectivement, du médicament à partir des pastilles peuvent être obtenus. Les résultats des essais de dissolution ont indiqué que dans un milieu acide, le revêtement de film a entraîné un retard dans la libération du médicament, alors qu'aucun retard n'a été observé dans un milieu tampon à pH 6,8. / Improvement in dissolution of poorly soluble drugs has many challenges.In this thesis, an extrusion-spheronization process was thoroughly studied forimproving dissolubility of drug with nano-emulsion formulation.The aim of the thesis work is to describe the properties and manufacturing processes ofpellets to increase the solubility of poorly soluble active ingredients in water and thus improvetheir bioavailability when administered orally: folic acid (water-insoluble vitamin) andketoprofen (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, having anti-inflammatory, analgesic andantipyretic action, class II in the Biopharmaceutical Classification System).This study describes the preparation by extrusion-spheronization, characterisation andin vitro dissolution study of folic acid and ketoprofen pellets. Ketoprofen pellets coated withAcryl-EZE®, Advantia® Performance in a fluid-bed minicoater. The results of the tests showedthe feasibility of the preparation of enteric-coated pellets containing a NSAID and that bycoating the multiparticulate system with either 17.5% Acryl-EZE® 93A92545 or with 12%Advantia® Performance 190024HA49 weight gain, an enteric release of the drug from thepellets can be obtained. The results of dissolution testing indicated that in acidic media, entericfilm coating resulted in a delay in the release of the drug, while no delay was observed in pH6.8 buffer media.