Polyurea microcapsules as effective carriers for biomedical and agricultural applications

Polyurea microcapsule is a synthetic polymer obtained from the interfacial polymerization of isocyanates and amine monomers, resulting in a hollow spherical microstructure with a rigid Polyurea shell. Due to its biocompatibility, rigid structure, and surface functionality, microencapsulation to carry active agents within thin polymeric coatings of PUMCs can isolate the core materials from the surrounding medium, therefore acting as a protective barrier to avoid an early exposure or burst release of the encapsulated agents. Upon the slow degradation of PUMCs, core materials can be delivered to the targeted region over a sustained period. This chapter, therefore, reviews the encapsulation of active agents, drugs, and agrochemicals within PUMCs, together with their application in the fields of biomedical imaging, targeted and sustained drug delivery, as well as agricultural utilization. The effectiveness of utilizing PUMCs for the controlled release of encapsulated agents will also be discussed in the present chapter.