3 research outputs found
Morphology and Properties of Microcapsules with Different Core Releases
The morphology, mechanical properties, and permeability
of hydrogen-bonded
layer-by-layer (LbL) microcapsule shells assembled on cubic CdCO<sub>3</sub> cores have been studied in comparison with traditional shells
assembled on spherical SiO<sub>2</sub> cores. We observed that the
morphology of LbL shells is dramatically affected by the different
release processes with highly porous and softened LbL shells as a
result of the intense CO<sub>2</sub> gas formation and ion release
during the removal of cubic CdCO<sub>3</sub> cores. A substantial
increase in porosity is reflected in a dramatic change in the mesh
size of LbL shells, from 2 nm for spherical capsules to above 35 nm
for cubic capsules. Shells also possess enhanced permeability with
a many fold increase in diffusion coefficient for dextran molecules
and enhanced softening with the elastic modulus dropping by almost
an order of magnitude for cubic capsules. These dramatic changes in
shell morphology, porosity, permeability, and stiffness, observed
in this study for the first time, are all important for the intelligent
projection of controlled loading and unloading behavior of microcontainers
with different shapes and composition, a component usually overlooked
in current studies