Premium
Microgel‐Based Stimuli‐Responsive Capsules
Author(s) -
Berger Sebastian,
Zhang Haiping,
Pich Andrij
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.200801203
Subject(s) - materials science , chloroform , emulsion , chemical engineering , solvent , polymer , aqueous solution , composite number , evaporation , aqueous medium , composite material , organic chemistry , chemistry , physics , engineering , thermodynamics
In this paper, a preparation of stimuli‐responsive capsules based on aqueous microgels is described. Microgel particles act as stabilizers for oil‐in‐water emulsion and organize themselves on the surface of chloroform droplets containing the biodegradable polymer poly(4‐hydroxybutyrate‐ co ‐4‐hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV). After chloroform evaporation, composite capsules consisting of a thin PHBV wall with integrated microgels are obtained. Due to the presence of microgels acting as sensitive building blocks, the capsules respond to different stimuli (temperature, solvent concentration). Preliminary results indicate that the capsule dimensions and morphology can be tuned by microgel and PHBV concentration in water and chloroform, respectively.