We introduce a versatile microfluidic approach for fabricating monodisperse polymersomes with a new type of biocompatible and biodegradable block copolymers, polyglycerin(PG)-b-poly(e-caprolactone)(PCL). We use double emulsions as templates for the assembly of amphiphilic PG-b-PCL block copolymers into a vesicle structure. We observe how molecular architectures of block copolymer affect formation polymer vesicles in microfluidic devices. Depending on the block ratio between PG and PCL, the dewetting of template double emulsions can be controlled. To observe the ability of our polymersomes to encapsulate hydrophilic biomolecules, we encapsulate dextran probes in the core of polymersomes. In response to an osmotic pressure, the polymersomes break and release the probes. The vesicle system fabricated in this study provides a method for drug encapsulation and releasing and may potentially be applied in the fields of cosmetics, dermatology, and pharmaceuticals.

Fabrication of poly(glycerin)-b-poly(e-caprolactone) polymer vesicles in capillary microfluidic devices

245th National Meeting (2013)

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