Mechanical properties of polyelectrolyte multilayer microcapsules

Polyelectrolyte multilayer microcapsules were recently suggested as a new type of nanoengineered microstructures and are potentially important in many areas of science and technology. The present review focuses on the mechanics of these microstructures, emphasizing novel experimental approaches and the main experimental observations. Methods based on confocal and atomic force microscopy—osmotic buckling, osmotic swelling, and compression experiments—are detailed. Also covered is the preparation of multilayer microcapsules and various encapsulation techniques. A discussion of the theoretical models suggested is given. Special emphasis is given to the analysis of experimental data. This covers regimes of deformations, the roles of elasticity and permeability in determining the capsule stiffness, the effects of ageing, molecular weight, pH, salt concentration, and organic solvent on the multilayer shell properties, a contribution from encapsulated (charged and neutral) polymers, and more.