A durable and stable hollow carrier based on metal–phenolic network composed of ZnII and proanthocyanidins/polydopamine

Metal-phenolic networks (MPNs), which are formed by phenolic molecules and metal ions via coordination bonds, are emerging as highly templated functional metal-organic materials. These networks are mostly used in the form of particles for short-term in vivo drug delivery; however, there is a lack of research on durable and stable MPN hollow particles as delivery carriers for in vitro applications. In this study, hollow and yolk-like hybrid cubic MPNs were prepared by etching zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) with proanthocyanidins (PCs). Polydopamine (PDA) resulting from the oxidative self-polymerisation of dopamine was deposited on the surface of the fabricated MPN to obtain a PDA coating, which enhanced the mechanical properties of the MPN. The prepared ZnII-PC/PDA capsules consisted of two layers: a ZnII-PC layer and a PDA-PDA layer. It showed stability at 25 ℃ for at least 280 days after freeze-drying. Moreover, when loaded with carvacrol, this MPN exhibited an enhanced antibacterial performance. Therefore, this study lays the foundation for the use of MPNs as long-lasting functional carriers.