Phys.org  May 10, 2018
Tiny capsules deliver signaling molecules from place to place in the body. Using this concept, a team of researchers in the US (UMass Amherst, University of Chicago) designed a hollow synthetic packet made of a double layer of two polymers: The outer rind is water-soluble, while the inner layer is a glassy material that forms a rigid wall. The two polymers are linked by a single molecule that responds to light by changing its shape. When you shine light on the packet, the linking molecules change shape, softening the glassy material that sits below and allowing the contents of the packet to slip out. Once the light turns off, the glass solidifies again, and the packet is resealed. It has applications in medicine, agriculture and decontamination…read more.
This simulation shows the layers of the packets—a black outer layer, a red, changeable layer that connects the two, and the glassy inner layer in gold. Blue water molecules surround the packet. Credit: Lucas Antony