Encapsulation Strategy Matters: Pre- and Post-Loading of Macromolecules into Surface-Supported Microgels Formed via Vaterite Templates
Deniya Joseph, Harrison Brown, Emmanuelle A. B. Konzi, Mehwish Khan, Dmitry Volodkin, Anna Vikulina
TL;DR
This study compares two methods for loading macromolecules into microgels made using vaterite templates, finding pre-loading to be more effective for encapsulation.
Contribution
The paper introduces a comparison of pre- and post-loading strategies for macromolecule encapsulation in vaterite-based microgels.
Findings
Pre-loading achieved up to 9% w/w encapsulation efficiency, while post-loading resulted in less than 1% w/w.
Dextran adsorption followed the Langmuir model, while its derivatives followed the Freundlich model.
Trypsin-induced PLL degradation enabled sustained dextran release from microgels.
Abstract
Calcium carbonate vaterite crystals have attracted increasing attention as sacrificial templates for forming polymer microgels. Vaterite’s porous structure, biocompatibility, and eco-friendly synthesis make it ideal for biomedical applications. In this study, vaterite is grown on the surface, and surface-supported (ss)-microgels are formed by coating it with alternating layers of polyelectrolytes, sodium alginate (ALG), and poly-l-lysine (PLL), followed by core dissolution. Pre-loading (during vaterite synthesis) and post-loading (after microgel formation) of macromolecules are compared using dextran and its charged derivatives. Pre-loading proved to be more efficient, achieving up to 9% w/w encapsulation. Dextran adsorption follows the Langmuir model (ΔG = – 31.0 kJ/mol), while its derivatives follow the Freundlich model (1/n = 0.7–0.8), indicating intermolecular repulsion.…
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Taxonomy
TopicsHydrogels: synthesis, properties, applications · Polymer Surface Interaction Studies · Advanced Polymer Synthesis and Characterization