(523h) Vesicle-Stabilized Polyelectrolyte Complex Coacervate Emulsions

Polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) coacervates form upon electrostatic complexation of oppositely charged macromolecules and their subsequent condensation into aqueous macromolecule-rich phases. These aqueous two-phase systems have been demonstrated to possess unique capabilities to achieve dynamic spatial compartmentalization and spontaneous sequestering of biological molecules. Despite such exciting prospects, their use has been limited owing to our inability to stabilize coacervate droplets and prevent their macro-phase separation. Inspired by pioneering work on stabilization of water-water emulsions by triblock polyelectrolytes, in this contribution, we will highlight our research progress on coacervate emulsions stabilized by amphiphilic block polyelectrolyte vesicles. We hypothesize that the vesicles absorb at the coacervate-water interfaces and provide steric stabilization to the droplets while allowing the transport of small molecules in and out of the coacervate droplets. Our PEC coacervate emulsions exhibit long-term stability and retain the tendency to sequester proteins and other charged molecules from solution, paving the way for them to be employed as bioreactors and encapsulants in agricultural, cosmetics, food, and pharmaceutical formulations.