PHOTOCONTROL · Design of photocontrollable polyelectrolyte-based nanoengineered container systems

Design of photocontrollable polyelectrolyte-based nanoengineered container systems

Light-sensitive active coatings and light-addressable microdispensors were developed during the execution of Photocontrol project based on the incorporated mesoporous photocatalytic particles loaded with active agent (lubricant, biocide, corrosion inhibitor). The sensitivity of the coating to the external stimuli (light) provides the tool for releasing encapsulated material only upon the light treatment. This leads to the self-healing activity of the coating induced by the UV or visible light. The coating includes micro or nanocontainers (capsules) either with the inorganic scaffold made of photoactive material (TiO2) coated with polyelectrolyte shell or inert scaffold (e.g., SiO2) coated with polyelectrolyte/nanoparticles shell where the introduced nanoparticles are sensitive to the external light. The encapsulation employing Layer-by-Layer (LbL) electrostatic adsorption of polyelectrolyte molecules or charged nanoparticles represents novel and very efficient approach to creation of micro-and nano-sized container structures with controlled composition and permeability of the shell for protection, delivery and storage. In general these nanoengineered container systems represent a generic tool which opens numerous applications in chemical technology, biotechnology and biomedicine. The development of strategy for photosensitization of polyelectrolyte container systems through nanoengineering of polyelectrolyte envelops is seen as of enormous importance to the scientific community as a whole, and particularly for biodetection and development of lab-on-chip devices and remotely controlled systems for delivery of chemical and biological species.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union