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Versatile Fabrication of Polymer Microcapsules with Controlled Shell Composition and Tunable Performance via
Kaiyun Wu1, Ziyue Wei1, Ren Liu1
1The Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Biological Colloids, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical and Material Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, P. R. China.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|May 16, 2023
Summary
Researchers created polymer microcapsules using UV-curable prepolymers and photopolymerization. Adjusting shell composition and cross-linking density, particularly with epoxy acrylates, enhanced microcapsule properties like impermeability and mechanical strength.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Polymer microcapsules are essential for various applications, including coatings and drug delivery.
- Controlling microcapsule shell structure is key to tailoring their performance.
- UV-curable prepolymers offer a versatile platform for microcapsule fabrication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize polymer microcapsules using UV-curable prepolymers.
- To investigate the impact of shell chemistry and functionality on microcapsule properties.
- To establish structure-property relationships for controlled microcapsule design.
Main Methods:
- Emulsion templating combined with photopolymerization.
- Utilized various UV-curable prepolymers: polyurethane acrylates, polyester acrylates, and epoxy acrylates.
- Varied prepolymer functionality (di-, tetra-, hex-) to control cross-linking density.
Main Results:
- Microcapsule properties are effectively regulated by shell composition and cross-linking density.
- Epoxy acrylate-based microcapsules demonstrated superior impermeability, solvent resistance, and mechanical properties.
- Higher prepolymer functionality led to improved impermeability, solvent resistance, and barrier properties.
- Microcapsule dispersion in coating matrices follows a 'like dissolves like' principle for optimal compatibility.
Conclusions:
- Shell structure modulation via UV-curable prepolymers allows for precise control over microcapsule properties.
- Epoxy acrylate-based microcapsules and those with higher functionality offer enhanced performance.
- Understanding structure-property relationships guides the rational design of advanced microcapsules for specific applications.
