New study on temperature change induced structure recovery patterns could help drug delivery

Researchers at the Raman Research Institute, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology, have conducted a study revealing that applying sudden temperature shocks can temporarily liquefy jammed systems, such as microgel glasses, and erase their memory imprints. The study discovered that the structural recovery path of microgel suspensions differs during heating and cooling, exhibiting asymmetry. By increasing the temperature ramp rate suddenly, scientists were able to control and eliminate these asymmetries. Because microgel particles are used in thermo-responsive drug delivery—where they swell when cool and collapse to release medication when exposed to temperatures slightly below body temperature—understanding these thermal shocks and structural recovery patterns can improve targeted drug release and reduce side effects.