Porous ultrathin-shell microcapsules designed by microfluidics for selective permeation and stimuli-triggered release
Li Chen1,2,3, Yao Xiao2, Zhiming Zhang2, Chun-Xia Zhao4, Baoling Guo1(), Fangfu Ye3,5(), Dong Chen2,6()
1. Department of Oncology, Longyan First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Longyan 364000, China 2. Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Smart Biomaterials, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China 3. Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou 325001, China 4. Faculty of Engineering, Computer, and Mathematical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia 5. Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China 6. College of Energy Engineering and State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
Microcapsules are versatile delivery vehicles and widely used in various areas. Generally, microcapsules with solid shells lack selective permeation and only exhibit a simple release mode. Here, we use ultrathin-shell water-in-oil-in-water double emulsions as templates and design porous ultrathin-shell microcapsules for selective permeation and multiple stimuli-triggered release. After preparation of double emulsions by microfluidic devices, negatively charged shellac nanoparticles dispersed in the inner water core electrostatically complex with positively charged telechelic α,ω-diamino functionalized polydimethylsiloxane polymers dissolved in the middle oil shell at the water/oil interface, thus forming a porous shell of shellac nanoparticles cross-linked by telechelic polymers. Subsequently, the double emulsions become porous microcapsules upon evaporation of the middle oil phase. The porous ultrathin-shell microcapsules exhibit excellent properties, including tunable size, selective permeation and stimuli-triggered release. Small molecules or particles can diffuse across the shell, while large molecules or particles are encapsulated in the core, and release of the encapsulated cargos can be triggered by osmotic shock or a pH change. Due to their unique performance, porous ultrathin-shell microcapsules present promising platforms for various applications, such as drug delivery.
. [J]. Frontiers of Chemical Science and Engineering, 2022, 16(11): 1643-1650.
Li Chen, Yao Xiao, Zhiming Zhang, Chun-Xia Zhao, Baoling Guo, Fangfu Ye, Dong Chen. Porous ultrathin-shell microcapsules designed by microfluidics for selective permeation and stimuli-triggered release. Front. Chem. Sci. Eng., 2022, 16(11): 1643-1650.
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