Journal article

Subcompartmentalized polymer hydrogel capsules with selectively degradable carriers and subunits

O Kulygin, AD Price, SF Chong, B Städler, AN Zelikin, F Caruso

Small | Published : 2010

Abstract

Subcompartmentalized hydrogel capsules (SHCs) with selectively degradable carriers and subunits are designed for potential applications in drug delivery and microencapsulated biocatalysis. Thiolated poly(methacrylic acid) and poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) are used to assemble 3-mm-diameter carrier capsules and 300-nm-diameter subunits, independently stabilized by a diverse range of covalent linkages. This paper presents examples of SHCs with tens of subcompartments and their successful drug loading, as well as selective degradation of the SHC carrier and/or subunits in response to multiple chemical stimuli. © 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

University of Melbourne Researchers