Size-Dependent Properties of Magnetosensitive Polymersomes: Computer Modelling

Magnetosensitive polymersomes, which are amphiphilic polymer capsules whose membranes are filled with magnetic nanoparticles, are prospective objects for drug delivery and manipulations with single cells. A molecular dynamics simulation model that is able to render a detailed account on the structure and shape response of a polymersome to an external magnetic field is used to study a dimensional effect: the dependence of the field-induced deformation on the size of this nanoscale object. It is shown that in the material parameter range that resembles realistic conditions, the strain response of smaller polymersomes, against a priori expectations, exceeds that of larger ones. A qualitative explanation for this behavior is proposed.