Microspheres and microcapsules: A survey of manufacturing techniques. Part 1: Suspension cross‐linking

A methodological survey of preparation of microspheres and microcapsules by suspension cross‐linking is presented. Thus, basic features of suspension cross‐linking, i.e., the formation of small droplets of a polymer solution (or melt) in an immiscible liquid followed by hardening of these droplets by covalent cross‐linking, are discussed. Typical microspherical and microcapsular products manufactured by suspension cross‐linking of naturally occurring and preformed synthetic polymers, including agarose and cellulose beads, albumin microspheres and microcapsules, polystyrene beads and epoxy resin microcapsules, are described. Manufacturing parameters controlling microsphere/microcapsule characteristics are also briefly outlined.