| Summary: | Many useful organic molecules such as drugs are poorly soluble in water. Novel ways of the deployment of these molecules are as stable nanodispersions. In our research we aim to produce a method for the creation of nanoparticles via a technique called emulsion-evaporation. These techniques include the creation of emulsions, ~olymerisation and A.,. .•••• ,. • freeze-drying. The production of these nanoparticles in-situ with templated porous polymers by these techniques was used. This avoids the problem of nanoparticle aggregation. These nanoparticles can be released into an aqueous medium by diffusing out of the porous scaffold or by a stimuli-sensitive trigger. We describe here the preparation of porous poly N-isopropylacrylamide. The swelling of the polymer and contraction above a solution temperature were explored for the uptake and release of polymeric colloids. The thesis discusses the application of readily soluble aqueous nanodispersions prepared by using a polyvinyl alcohol/sodium dodecyl sulphate (PVA/SDS) monolith prepared by emulsion templating. The monoliths can be prepared with the in-situ formation of drug nanoparticles which, readily solubilises the drug as nanodispersions. The thesis continues to explore stimuli as a method for the release of the organic nanoparticles: a chitosan based emulsion templated monolith was prepared which can release the formed nanoparticles from the scaffolds via control of pH. Finally, the use of a disulphide crosslinked polymer was explored for the release of organic nanoparticles. The particles could be released from the polymer by using a disulphide bond "cleaver" which degrades the polymer and thus releasing the internal organic nanoparticles. ii
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