Responsive Hybrid Microcapsules by the One-Step Interfacial Thiol–Ene Photopolymerization

Abstract

We here demonstrated a general, convenient, and robust method to fabricate the hybrid microcapsules through the one-step thiol-ene photopolymerization at the interface between toluene and water. In the presence of amphiphilic polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) containing thiol groups (PTPS) as reactive surfactants and trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA) as a cross-linker, the wall of hybrid microcapsules can be photo-cross-linked. The obtained hybrid microcapsules (HMCs) were well-characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The results revealed that the obtained HMCs are uniform with the tunable size in diameter (2-4 μm) and wall thickness (55-120 nm). The size of HMCs increased with the increasing content of toluene. The wall thickness of HMCs decreased with the increasing content of toluene, while the wall thickness of HMCs increased with the increasing content of cross-linker TMPTA. Furthermore, HMCs are thermoresponsive in aqueous solution, can encapsulate both hydrophobic and dydrophilic dyes, and can be used in the controlled dispersion of dyes in different mediums. It is believed that this simple, robust, and general method to fabricate the hybrid microcapsules will extend the potential application fields of microcapsules, such as in the controlled dispersion and drug delivery.