The Polymer Society of Korea

Abstract

Alginate, a natural polymer extracted from brown seaweed, exhibits excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, and porous structure, which have attracted considerable attention. These properties render it a promising material for diverse applications across environmental, pharmaceutical, and food-related sectors. However, conventional encapsulation methods often involve harsh conditions and complex equipment, limiting control over capsule size and shell thickness. This study introduces a novel fabrication strategy enabling the precise incorporation of organic and inorganic nanomaterials into alginate capsules. The method enhances structural stability, allows multi-capsule integration, and supports controlled release, protection, and reactive functionalities. The developed platform demonstrates high versatility and scalability, providing a flexible foundation for a broad range of applications that demand advanced capsule engineering and sophisticated functional composite design.