On the Structure of Solid Lipid Nanoparticles

Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) have a crystalline lipid core which is stabilized by interfacial surfactants. SLNs are considered favorable candidates for drug delivery vehicles since their ability to store and release organic molecules can be tailored through the identity of the lipids and surfactants used. When stored, polymorphic transitions in the core of drug-loaded SLNs lead to the premature release of drug molecules. Significant experimental studies have been conducted with the aim of investigating the physicochemical properties of SLNs, however, no molecular scale investigations have been reported on the behaviors that drive SLN formation and their polymorphic transitions. A combination of small angle neutron scattering and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations is therefore used to yield a detailed atomistic description of the internal structure of an SLN comprising triglyceride, tripalmitin, and the nonionic surfactant, Brij O10 (C_18:1E₁₀). The molecular scale mechanisms by which the surfactants stabilize the crystalline structure of the SLN lipid core are uncovered. By comparing these results to simulated liquid and solid aggregates of tripalmitin lipids, how the morphology of the lipids vary between these systems is demonstrated providing further insight into the mechanisms that control drug encapsulation and release from SLNs.