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Core–Shell Capsules Based on Supramolecular Hydrogels Show Shell‐Related Erosion and Release Due to Confinement
Author(s) -
Guo Mingyu,
Cao Xiaoyu,
Meijer E. W.,
Dankers Patricia Y. W.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
macromolecular bioscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.924
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1616-5195
pISSN - 1616-5187
DOI - 10.1002/mabi.201200310
Subject(s) - ethylene glycol , self healing hydrogels , supramolecular chemistry , shell (structure) , core (optical fiber) , chemical engineering , drug delivery , chemistry , swelling , polymer chemistry , nanotechnology , materials science , composite material , organic chemistry , molecule , engineering
Hydrogel‐containing core–shell capsules are useful as drug delivery vehicles for many biomedical applications, especially when release of incorporated guests can be controlled. Here, we developed a one‐step organic solvent‐free method to prepare such core–shell capsules using a synthetic and a natural supramolecular hydrogel, for the core and shell, respectively. A solution containing ureido‐pyrimidinone modified poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogelators and calcium chloride was drop‐wise added to an alginate solution, yielding core–shell structures. It was found that the outer shell provides a confined space for the inner supramolecular hydrogel and therefore prevents swelling of the core. This consequently slows down both erosion of the less stable core, and release of dextran guests.