Unraveling the Mechanisms of Ultrasound-Induced Mechanical Degradation of Microgels: Effects of Mechanoresponsive Cross-Links, Softness, and Core–Shell Architecture

Ultrasound-induced degradation of soft polymeric colloids, like microgels, as well as a controlled drug release enabled by mechanoresponsive bonds, has recently attracted considerable attention. However, most examples in the literature focus primarily on the applications rather than examining the underlying mechanisms of the structural changes occurring in microgels due to cavitation─changes that are crucial for developing effective drug delivery systems. In this work, we provide a comprehensive view of how microgel structure governs the susceptibility to rupture and mass loss upon cavitation, investigating both conventional microgels containing mechanoresponsive disulfide bonds and more complex asymmetrically cross-linked core-shell microgels. By combining dynamic and static light scattering, small-angle X-ray scattering, and atomic force microscopy, we demonstrate that an interplay between mechanoresponsive cross-links and the swelling degree determines the microgels' susceptibility to ultrasound-induced damage. Our findings indicate that local stress from cavitation bubbles varies strongly within the microgel dispersion. The majority of microgels undergo gradual erosion at their periphery, resulting in smaller yet structurally intact particles over time, observable by light scattering and AFM. In contrast, microgels closer to a cavitation bubble can experience partial rupture or complete disintegration, producing smaller, more polydisperse fragments, which contribute substantially to the overall mass loss observed. In the core-shell microgels with different cross-linkers in the core and shell, degradation occurs nearly uniformly across both regions, instead of selectively targeting the weaker part. These observations highlight the complexity of the degradation dynamics as well as the similarity to processes seen in linear polymers and bulk hydrogels.