Vesicle budding from polymersomes templated by microfluidically prepared double emulsions

Abstract

Many approaches to mimic and understand the dynamics of vesicle budding lack precise control over vesicle membrane properties or require external stimuli to induce budding. We use copolymer-loaded double-emulsion droplets to precisely control size, size distribution, composition and morphology of giant polymersomes. By tuning the copolymer concentration in the polymersome membrane, we identify conditions under which vesicles spontaneously bud from the polymersome surface. Our findings have important implications for the design of copolymer membranes and contribute to the understanding of polymersome formation from double emulsions.