Smart thermo-triggered squirting capsules for nanoparticle delivery

Abstract

A squirting capsule is designed to deliver nanoparticles inspired by the squirting cucumber ejecting its seeds. The capsule has a thermo-sensitive hydrogel shell, and encapsulates nanoparticles by emulsifying the nanoparticle aqueous suspension in the water-in-oil emulsion core. The squirting capsule can completely squirt out the encapsulated nanoparticles with a high momentum, just like a nanoparticle bomb, by the dramatic shrinkage and sudden rupture of the capsule membrane upon heating.