Polymersome Poration and Rupture Mediated by Plasmonic Nanoparticles in Response to Single-Pulse Irradiation.

The self-assembly of amphiphilic diblock copolymers into polymeric vesicles, commonly known as polymersomes, results in a versatile system for a variety of applications including drug delivery and microreactors. In this study, we show that the incorporation of hydrophobic plasmonic nanoparticles within the polymersome membrane facilitates light-stimulated release of vesicle encapsulants. This work seeks to achieve tunable, triggered release with non-invasive, spatiotemporal control using single-pulse irradiation.