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Updated: Aug 23, 2025
11:34
Controlled Synthesis and Fluorescence Tracking of Highly Uniform PolyN-isopropylacrylamide Microgels
Published on: September 8, 2016
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Responsive microgels-based colloidosomes constructed from all-aqueous pH-switchable coacervate droplets.
Ritu Toor1, Amanda Neujahr Copstein1, Claire Trébuchet1
1Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, ISM, UMR 5255, 33400 Talence, France.
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
|November 3, 2022
Summary
Stimuli-responsive microgels create elastic colloidosomes from coacervates, enabling tunable encapsulation and release of water-soluble payloads. These advanced polymeric capsules offer controlled transport and size-selective permeability for diverse applications.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Science
- Materials Science
- Colloid Science
Background:
- Colloidosomes offer tunable pore distribution for advanced capsule design.
- Coacervates stabilized by microgels provide a novel route to all-aqueous colloidosomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and characterize stimuli-responsive colloidosomes using coacervates stabilized by microgel monolayers.
- To investigate the encapsulation, release, and permeability properties of these novel polymeric capsules.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing methacrylated poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM) microgels to stabilize coacervates.
- Cross-linking microgels via UV irradiation and analyzing assemblies with confocal microscopy.
- Assessing permeability to dextrans and nanoparticles before and after coacervate dissolution.
Main Results:
- PNIPAM microgels effectively stabilize coacervates, forming elastic colloidosomes after cross-linking.
- The resulting colloidosomes maintain structural integrity after coacervate dissolution and exhibit significant surface deformability.
- Coacervate core enables payload sequestration and controlled release, with size-selective membrane permeability tunable by microgel phase transitions.
Conclusions:
- Coacervate-embedded colloidosomes present a versatile platform for encapsulation and extraction.
- These systems facilitate controlled transport of water-soluble and dispersed species.
- Tunable membrane properties open new avenues for smart material design.
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