Preparation of pH-responsive hydrophilic core-shell particles for encapsulation of water-soluble material

Dual pH-responsive PAAc/PVAm core-shell particles to encapsulate water-soluble material were prepared through the deposition of PVAm on the surface of PAAc core particles. The structural characteristics of the core-shell particles were confirmed by SEM and CLSM. To investigate the release profiles of the core-shell particles and PAAc core, methylene blue, which is a cationic water-soluble dye, was introduced. Release profiles were dominantly affected by the core swelling behavior at different pH values. The release rate of the core-shell was less than the PAAc core, indicating that it is by ionic interactions between the particle and the cationic dye.