Active encapsulation in biocompatible nanocapsules

Abstract

Co-precipitation is generally refers to the co-precipitation of two solids and is widely used to prepare active-loaded nanoparticles. Here, it is demonstrated that liquid and solid can precipitate simultaneously to produce hierarchical core–shell nanocapsules that encapsulate an oil core in a polymer shell. During the co-precipitation process, the polymer preferentially deposits at the oil/water interface, wetting both the oil and water phases; the behavior is determined by the spreading coefficients and driven by the energy minimization. The technique is applicable to directly encapsulate various oil actives and avoid the use of toxic solvent or surfactant during the preparation process. The obtained core–shell nanocapsules harness the advantage of biocompatibility, precise control over the shell thickness, high loading capacity, high encapsulation efficiency, good dispersity in water, and improved stability against oxidation. The applications of the nanocapsules as delivery vehicles are demonstrated by the excellent performances of natural colorant and anti-cancer drug-loaded nanocapsules. The core–shell nanocapsules with a controlled hierarchical structure are, therefore, ideal carriers for practical applications in food, cosmetics, and drug delivery.