In a spin over rotating membrane emulsification
Richardson travel bursar Nita Aryanti reports from Partec 2007, Germany
 Partec 2007, the international
congress on particle technology,
was held from 27 to 29
March 2007 in Nuremberg Messe,
Germany. The conference was
organised by the Institute of
Particle Technology, the
University of Erlangen-
Nuremberg and NurmbergMesse
and ran concurrently with the
Powtech 2007 and TechnoPharm
2007 meetings.
Seven keynote speakers presented
on a wide range of subjects
covering many facets of
particle technology. They discussed
simulation of granular
matter, nanoparticle drug delivery
systems, single nanoparticle
spectroscopy, the 50-year history
of particle characterisation, delivery
of nanoparticles and biomolecules
for nanobiology applications,
particle technology in
China and intelligent wireless
particles. The conference involved
around 200 oral and 250
poster presentations split into 15
topic areas.
My own research is focused on
fundamentals in membrane
emulsification and the rotating
membrane emulsification reactor
(RMR), a new technology that
offers many significant advantages
over conventional emulsification
processes. By using RMR,
size and size distribution of droplets
can be carefully controlled
through the selection of porous
membrane, efflux rate of discontinuous
phase, cross flow velocity
of continuous phase and
other variables. I also have carried
out some experimental investigations
on the use of RMR
for producing multiple emulsions
and polymeric microcapsules.
Moreover, new membrane
designs with different pore
shapes and pore orientations
have been fabricated to improve
the RMR performance.
At the conference I presented
an oral presentation with the
title ‘Novel membrane emulsification
for producing precise
emulsions’. There were many
questions from the audience
about my presentation and a
lively discussion ensued.
Delegates were interested in my
research and offered some helpful
ideas and advice that will
greatly assist me in the development
of my research in future.
The moderator at the session at
which I spoke has worked with
rotating membranes and gave me
some important pointers. The
work of some other delegates
involved emulsion research and
production and I had productive
discussions with them regarding
our work. Interesting papers and
posters were presented concerning
particle characterisation,
particle modelling and microcapsule
production, all of which will
support my research.
In conclusion, the conference
programme, content and schedule
were very well organised.
Personally, it provided me some
valuable experience in presenting
my research orally and improved
my ability to meet other
researchers with similar interests
and learn about developments
in particle technology.
Nita Aryanti
University of Leeds
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