Fabrication of calcium phosphate microcapsules using emulsion droplets stabilized with branched copolymers as templates. Issue 27 (15th June 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bell, Robert V.; Rochford, Luke A.; de Rosales, Rafael T. M.; Stevens, Molly; Weaver, Jonathan V. M.; Bon, Stefan A. F.
• Is Part Of: Journal of materials chemistry. Volume 3:Issue 27(2015)
• Page Start: 5544
• Page End: 5552
• Publication Date: 2015-06-15
• Subjects: Materials -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Analytic -- Periodicals; Biomedical materials -- Research -- Periodicals; 543.0284
• DOI: 10.1039/c5tb00893j
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-750X

Abstract

Abstract : An efficient emulsion templating route using branched copolymers as droplet stabilizers for the synthesis of fluorescently labelled calcium phosphate capsules. Abstract : We report on a versatile and time-efficient method to fabricate calcium phosphate (CaP) microcapsules by utilizing oil-in-water emulsion droplets stabilized with synthetic branched copolymer (BCP) as templates. The BCP was designed to provide a suitable architecture and functionality to produce stable emulsion droplets, and to permit the mineralization of CaP at the surface of the oil droplet when incubated in a solution containing calcium and phosphate ions. The CaP shells of the microcapsules were established to be calcium deficient hydroxyapatite with incorporated chlorine and carbonate species. These capsule walls were made fluorescent by decoration with a fluorescein–bisphosphonate conjugate.