Complexation of charged polymers and nanoparticles at all aqueous interfaces for functional membrane formation

微胶囊是由膜包围的内部核心组成的颗粒。它们被广泛应用于微胶囊内部含有释放到周围环境的活性成分的应用中。微胶囊用于各种产品，包括食品添加剂、定时释放的药物载体、治疗剂和杀虫剂。当膜的渗透性有选择性时，微胶囊特别有效，这样可以控制微胶囊内化学成分的释放速度，并可以通过编程来响应环境条件的变化。该奖项将支持合成和表征由聚电解质对或聚电解质和纳米颗粒组成的膜制成的微胶囊的实验。膜是由两水相界面处的络合物自发形成的。这些微胶囊的优点是它们完全是在水基系统中配制的，这使得它们与活细胞和生物体兼容。膜形成过程的细节，膜的运输和机械性能，以及封装效率将使用多种技术进行研究。该项目将为研究生和本科生提供参与研究的机会。该团队还将为学生和教师准备一套演示乳剂形成的动手工具包。该奖项将支持一个实验项目，以了解通过水两相系统中聚电解质-聚电解质对或聚电解质-纳米颗粒对的界面络合，由聚电解质和带电纳米颗粒合成的功能膜形成和性质的传输现象和热力学。膜的生长和膜动力学将被研究(1)用荧光显微镜观察标记成分形成的膜，以确定它们作为膜形式的位置；(2)基于垂坠液滴的弹性膜观察和表征，并辅以原子力显微镜测量；(3)利用光漂白技术测量膜内聚电解质迁移率后的荧光恢复；(4)等温滴定量热法检测络合过程中的热事件。膜的力学性能将通过微移液管抽吸和渗透压诱导的屈曲方法来测量。该研究结果不仅将改进具有功能膜的微胶囊的形成方法，而且将为其他构型的功能膜的形成提供信息。

CBET - 1705891PI: Lee, DaeyeonMicrocapsules are particles consisting of an interior core surrounded by a membrane. They are widely used in applications where the interior of the microcapsule contains an active ingredient that is released to the surroundings. Microcapsules are used in a variety of products, including food additives, drug carriers for timed release, healing agents, and pesticides. Microcapsules are especially effective when the permeability of the membrane is selective so that release rates of chemical components inside the microcapsule can be controlled and can be programmed to respond to changes in environmental conditions. This award will support experiments to synthesize and characterize microcapsules made with membranes composed of pairs of polyelectrolytes or a polyelectrolyte and nanoparticle. The membrane is formed by the spontaneous formation of a complex at the interface between two aqueous phases. The advantage of these microcapsules is that they are formulated completely in water-based systems, which makes them compatible with living cells and organisms. The details of the membrane formation process, the transport and mechanical properties of the membrane, and the encapsulation efficiency will be studied using a variety of techniques. The project will provide opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students to participate in the research. The team will also prepare a hands-on kit for students and teachers that demonstrates emulsion formation.This award will support an experimental program to understand the transport phenomena and thermodynamics that govern the formation and properties of functional membranes synthesized from polyelectrolytes and charged nanoparticles via interfacial complexation of polyelectrolyte-polyelectrolyte pairs or polyelectrolyte-nanoparticle pairs in aqueous two phase systems. The growth of the membranes and membrane dynamics will be investigated using (1) fluorescence microscopy of membranes formed with labeled components to identify their location as membranes form; (2) pendant drop-based observation and characterization of the elastic membranes, complemented by atomic force microscopy measurements;(3) fluorescence recovery after photobleaching-enabled measurements of polyelectrolyte mobility within the membranes; and (4) isothermal titration calorimetry to detect the thermal events during complexation. Membrane mechanical properties will be measured using micropipette aspiration and osmotic pressure-induced buckling methods. Results of the research will not only improve methods of forming microcapsules with functional membranes, but also will provide information that can be applied to the formation of functional membranes in other configurations.