Laminar and turbulent flow effects in high-pressure homogenization of liposomes and perfluorocarbon nanoemulsions

Abstract Since flow characteristics are still largely unexplored for high-pressure homogenization, we investigated particle break-up at different Reynolds numbers and transition ranges in two channels (Y- and Z-channel). While the channel geometries are often treated as “black boxes”, opening the channels and measuring their geometries allowed a detailed analysis of flow conditions. Transitions from laminar to turbulent flow for pressures of 250–2,000 bar have measurable effects on the sizes of perfluorocarbon (PFC)-nanoemulsion droplets emulsified by phospholipids processed simultaneously in liposomal conformation. Laminar flow has a higher size-reducing rate with growing pressure compared to turbulent flow and leads to a minimum in polydispersity. A density-driven sucrose gradient allows differential analysis of size-reducing effects on liposomes and PFC-nanoemulsion droplets separately. Liposomes can be broken up in both laminar and turbulent flow at the same size reduction rate. In contrast, emulsion droplets have much smaller size reduction rates in turbulent flow and need sufficient emulsifiers, made available by liposomal break-up, to enable size decreases. Repetitive homogenization is only effective for a limited number of cycles. Beyond this threshold, size distributions remain similar or can be deteriorated because of increased particle collisions and aggregation or coalescence effects.