A Study of the Effect of Kosmotropic and Chaotropic Ions on the Release Characteristics of Lignin Microcapsules under Stimuli-Responsive Conditions

Stimuli-responsive behavior of lignin microcapsules (LMCs) has been investigated along with the detailed characterization of their stability profiles. The disassembly of LMCs was found to be salt species-dependent, indicating the specific relevance of inherent kosmotropic and chaotropic characteristics. For the first time, a connection between the Hofmeister series and the stability profile of lignin microscale materials is established. LMCs showed excellent stability in water and under high temperature and pressure (autoclaving conditions). Active release is efficiently triggered by pH changes and balancing chaotropic and kosmotropic effects via salinity tuning.