Ultrasound-induced polymer mechanochemistry enabling molecule release

This thesis investigates ultrasound-induced molecule release in various polymer systems. In Chapter 2, ultrasound-induced drug release from microcapsules was investigated. We found that within 10 min of ultrasonic treatment, 80% of the nanodrug was released from the polyelectrolyte microcapsules, and about 30% from silica capsules. In Chapter 3, I synthesized the network core star polymers. In this study, disulfide mechanophores were incorporated into the network core, and we found that the mechanophore activation rate in network core star polymers is faster than in linear polymers. In Chapter 4, I prepared microgels with an average size of around 400 nm. In this study, we found that approximately 27% of the probe molecules were released from the microgels after 20 minutes of 0.66 MHz irradiation. In Chapter 5, I prepared the polymeric microbubbles. The average size is around 30 μm. Ultrasound-induced diverse mechanophores activation in microbubbles was investigated, including disulfide mechanophore, furylcarbinol Diels-Alder adduct, and flex-mechanophore.