Nanocapsules with excellent biocompatibility and stability in protein solutions.

Silica nanocapsules (SiO ₂ NCs) are usually prepared with cationic surfactants that are not cytocompatible. Dialysis can be used to remove surfactants but leads to instability of the SiO ₂ NCs when they are in the presence of proteins or biological media. Herein, SiO ₂ NCs stabilized with a reactive surfactant are synthesized to prevent leaching upon dialysis. The SiO ₂ NCs show superior stability and biocompatibility compared with SiO ₂ NCs prepared with conventional surfactants. The SiO ₂ NCs can be used in self-healing materials, smart agriculture and biomedical applications.