Fabrication of flocculation-resistant pH/ionic strength/temperature multiresponsive hollow microspheres and their controlled release.

pH/ionic strength/temperature multiresponsive hollow microspheres were successfully prepared by the Ce(IV) initiated grafting polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm) onto the multilayered polyelectrolyte shells encapsulating the polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) microsphere templates fabricated by the layer-by-layer assembly of chitosan (CS) and alginate (SAL), after etching the templates by dialysis. The hollow structure of the obtained multiresponsive hollow microspheres was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which indicated that the inner diameter of the hollow microspheres was about 200 nm. The environmental responsive properties of the multiresponsive hollow microspheres were characterized with dynamic light scattering (DLS) in an aqueous system. The introduction of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) brushes onto the pH/ionic strength dual-responsive hollow microspheres achieved temperature-responsive characteristics. It also could prevent flocculation among the obtained multiresponsive hollow microspheres in a solution with higher salt concentration. Their controlled release of drug molecules (a model hydrophobic drug, dipyridamole (DIP)) was also investigated.