Application-driven multi-layered particles - The role of polymers in the architectural design of particles

- To describe the role of polymers in the design of multi-layered particulate systems intended for various applications.
- The scope is on polymer-polymer, polymer-inorganic and inorganic-polymer core-shell particles.
- Emphasis is on the role of polymers for different architectural design and their corresponding applications.

Particulate systems, regardless micron or nano-sized, play an important role in various applications. In recent years, multi-layered, including core-shell, particles have been developed and exploited for a number of applications ranging from biomedical, catalysis, diagnostic, energy to wastewater treatment. While some multi-layered particles are designed to be wholly inorganic-based, a substantial proportion of these functionalized particles are designed using polymers. Polymers may play a role as a template, a material component of the particle or may be employed in the full design of the particle. In this review article, the key applications of multi-layered particles will be highlighted, while addressing to the role of polymers in the architectural design of these functionalized, application-driven particles.

197