Hollow polymer nanocapsules: synthesis, properties, and applications

Abstract

Hollow polymer nanocapsules (HPNs) have gained tremendous interest in recent years due to their numerous desirable properties compared to their solid counterparts. Dramatically increased surface area, extremely low densities, and myriad tailorable functionalities make HPNs a target of numerous research efforts. Herein, this review focuses specifically on organic, polymer-based, hollow particles on the nanometer size scale. This review aims to cover the diverse array of synthetic techniques for the fabrication of HPNs, the unique properties displayed by these particles, and the fascinating applications being envisioned and realized by these materials, with particular focus on work conducted in the past three years.