E. Donath, G. B. Sukhorukov, F. Caruso, S. A. Davis and H. Möhwald,Novel hollow polymer shells by colloid-templated assembly of polyelectrolytes,Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.,1998,37(16), 2202-2205.

Summary: It has been shown that the use of soluble cores as templates for the step-wise deposition of polyelectrolytes is a successful pathway to fabricate novel three-dimensional hollow polymer shells. These films combine the advantages of thin organic films of polyelectrolytes with the easy handling and applications of colloids. The most important novel features of the fabricated polyelectrolyte shells are that 1) the composition and thickness of the shells can be controlled, 2) they can be fabricated with controlled physical and chemical properties, and 3) they offer novel structures for micro- and nanocompartmentalization of materials. In addition, unlike liposome structures, the fabricated shells are readily permeable by small (ca. 1 ± 2 nm in diameter) polar molecules and are extremely stable against chemical and physical influences. It is envisaged that different species can be incorporated into the shell structure giving them unique tailored properties, and making them attractive for a wide range of applications.