Open AccessTriggered Release of Encapsulated Cargo from Photoresponsive Polyelectrolyte Nanocomplexes
Author(s) -
Xiaoran Hu,
Matthew Feeney,
Ethan McIntosh,
James Mullahoo,
Jia Feng,
Qiaobing Xu,
Samuel W. Thomas
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
acs applied materials and interfaces
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.535
H-Index - 228
eISSN - 1944-8252
pISSN - 1944-8244
DOI - 10.1021/acsami.6b07366
Subject(s) - polyelectrolyte , nile red , materials science , aqueous solution , copolymer , nanotechnology , nanoparticle , chemical engineering , photochemistry , fluorescence , polymer , chemistry , organic chemistry , optics , engineering , composite material , physics
Combining the numerous advantages of using light as a stimulus, simple free radical random copolymerization, and the easy, all-aqueous preparation of polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs), we prepared photolabile PEC nanoparticles and demonstrated their rapid degradation under UV light. As a proof of concept demonstration, the dye Nile Red was encapsulated in the PECs and successfully released into the surrounding solution as the polyelectrolyte nanocomplex carriers dissolved upon light irradiation.