Cascade Release of Payloads from Polymer Nanofibers with Conjugated Hydrotropes and Kosmotropes

Over 60% of hydrophobic substances currently exploited in the pharmaceutical industry encounter a reduction of therapeutic efficacy due to limited water solubility. Herein, we report a strategy for exhibiting a sustained and large amount of released payloads while allowing for their controlled release upon specific conditions. The strategy relies on the conjugation of solubilizers to polymers via responsive linkages, which are used as a matrix for the encapsulation of payloads. In the presence of mild acidic conditions, hydrotropes and kosmotropes are released from polymer nanofibers after cleavage of thioether ester linkages, subsequently inducing the release of drugs and dyes used as model payloads. This approach can be applied for preparing materials for an enhanced delivery of hydrophobic sensor molecules, drugs, phytosanitary treatments, or corrosion inhibitors.