Spatiotemporal controlled drug delivery minimizes side-effects and enables therapies that require specific dosing patterns. Conjugated polymers (CP) can be used for electrically controlled drug delivery; however so far, most demonstrations were limited to molecules up to 500 Da. Larger molecules could be incorporated only during the CP polymerization and thus limited to a single delivery. This work harnesses the record volume changes of a glycolated polythiophene p(g3T2) for controlled drug delivery. p(g3T2) undergoes reversible volumetric changes of up to 300% during electrochemical doping, forming pores in the nm-size range, resulting in a conducting hydrogel. p(g3T2)-coated 3D carbon sponges enable controlled loading and release of molecules spanning molecular weights of 800–6000 Da, from simple dyes up to the hormone insulin. Molecules are loaded as a combination of electrostatic interactions with the charged polymer backbone and physical entrapment in the porous matrix. Smaller molecules leak out of the polymer while larger ones could not be loaded effectively. Finally, this work shows the temporally patterned release of molecules with molecular weight of 1300 Da and multiple reloading and release cycles without affecting the on/off ratio.

中文翻译：

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通过 3D 电膨胀共轭聚合物水凝胶进行药物输送

时空控制药物输送最大限度地减少副作用，并实现需要特定剂量模式的治疗。共轭聚合物（CP）可用于电控药物输送；然而到目前为止，大多数演示仅限于 500 Da 以内的分子。较大的分子只能在 CP 聚合过程中掺入，因此仅限于单次递送。这项工作利用乙二醇化聚噻吩 p(g3T2) 创纪录的体积变化来控制药物输送。 p(g3T2) 在电化学掺杂过程中经历高达 300% 的可逆体积变化，形成纳米尺寸范围的孔，从而形成导电水凝胶。 p(g3T2) 涂层的 3D 碳海绵能够控制分子量为 800–6000 Da 的分子的加载和释放，从简单的染料到激素胰岛素。分子以与带电聚合物主链的静电相互作用和多孔基质中的物理捕获的组合的形式被负载。较小的分子从聚合物中漏出，而较大的分子则无法有效负载。最后，这项工作展示了分子量为 1300 Da 的分子的时间模式释放以及多次重新加载和释放循环，而不影响开/关比。