[O3-15]
Influence of Cargo Loading on Structure and Relaxation of Complex Coacervate Core Hydrogels
발표자유문철 (홍익대학교)
연구책임자최수형 (홍익대학교)
Abstract
Complex coacervate core hydrogels (C3Hs), formed via electrostatic interactions between oppositely charged ABA-type triblock copolyelectrolytes and counter polyelectrolytes, are promising carriers for charged biomacromolecules such as DNA, mRNA, and proteins. Although various cargos have been successfully loaded into C3Hs, systematic studies on loading-dependent dynamics remain limited due to the high cost of biomacromolecules. In this study, we precisely controlled the amount of synthetic homopolyelectrolytes as model cargos to investigate how loading content affects C3H structure and relaxation behavior. As the loading increased, the core size expanded and chain relaxation became slower. These changes were analyzed in terms of structural variations, including inter-core distance, core radius, and chain release pathways. Our findings provide insight into how loading influences micellar dynamics and offer guidance for designing tunable coacervate-based delivery systems.