Supercritical CO2-assisted impregnation/deposition of polymeric materials with pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and biomedical applications: A review (2015–2021)

Abstract

The loading of polymeric carriers with active pharmaceutical and nutraceutical ingredients using supercritical CO2 (scCO2) as solvent and diffusion enhancer has received increasing attention as an alternative for the development of active materials and delivery systems. In this contribution, recent advances in scCO2 impregnation/deposition in the pharmaceutical, biomedical, and nutraceutical fields are reviewed, covering the period 2015–2021. The main physicochemical phenomena underlying the impregnation/deposition process (phase equilibrium, diffusion, plasticization, sorption, adsorption, etc.) are briefly presented and discussed. Applications are reviewed including drug and botanical drug products, medical devices, and dietary supplements. The effects of different process variables on the impregnation efficiency and some relevant properties of the obtained materials are also critically discussed and compared.