All‐Silica Submicrometer Colloidosomes for Cargo Protection and Tunable Release |
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Authors: | Hang Jiang Prof Liangzhi Hong Prof Yunxing Li Prof To Ngai |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong;2. Department of Polymer Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, P. R. China;3. The Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Biological Colloids, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical and Material Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, P. R. China |
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Abstract: | Colloidosomes have received considerable attention for the controlled delivery of active ingredients in medicine, agrochemicals, and cosmetics. However, most reported colloidosomes are highly permeable and size is larger than 1 μm. All silica colloidosomes have now been prepared with adjustable size, compact shell and low permeability. Our approach is based on the formation of inverse water‐in‐oil (w/o) emulsions stabilized solely by hydrophobic silica nanoparticles and subsequent locking of the particle at the oil–water interface by a simple sol–gel reaction of silica precursor at room temperature. The colloidosomes obtained display a robust and closed shell, ensuring a long‐term retention of small hydrophilic molecules such as Methylene Blue. Remarkably, unlike all other reported silica colloidosomes, a timely and stepwise release of the encapsulated cargo can be triggered by adding ethanol or surfactant without destroying the capsule shell. |
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Keywords: | capsules colloidosomes controlled release Pickering emulsions |
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