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Fabrication of thermo-responsive multicore microcapsules using a facile extrusion process
Jean-Danick Lavertu1, Kamaljeet Kaur Bawa2, Sabahudin Hrapovic1
1Aquatic and Crop Resource Development, National Research Council of Canada 6100 Royalmount Avenue Montreal Quebec H4P 2R2 Canada Usha.Hemraz@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca.
RSC Advances
|June 25, 2024
Summary
New multicore microcapsules made from carrageenan and chitosan enable controlled pesticide release. These smart microcapsules respond to temperature and light, reducing environmental pollution in agriculture.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Agricultural Science
Background:
- Thermo-responsive polymers offer potential for controlled release applications.
- Carrageenan and chitosan are biocompatible polymers with tunable properties.
- Current pesticide delivery methods can lead to environmental pollution and reduced efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop novel multicore microcapsules for controlled release of pesticides.
- To investigate the temperature- and light-triggered release mechanism.
- To demonstrate the potential application in agriculture for reduced environmental impact.
Main Methods:
- Extrusion process to create multicore microcapsules with κ-carrageenan inner beads and chitosan outer layer.
- Encapsulation of ammonium glufosinate pesticide within the microcapsules.
- Controlled release studies under elevated temperature and solar simulation conditions.
Main Results:
- Successfully produced κ-carrageenan/chitosan multicore microcapsules.
- Demonstrated gradual release of encapsulated pesticide in response to temperature and solar simulation.
- Observed enhanced controlled release compared to simple beads.
Conclusions:
- The developed multicore microcapsules offer a promising platform for controlled pesticide delivery.
- The release mechanism is tunable by external stimuli like temperature and light.
- This technology has significant implications for sustainable agriculture, reducing chemical leaching and extending efficacy.
