Patent ID: 8324333

Claim:
A method for controlled delivery of a neutral, zwitterionic, anionic, or cationic agent to a selected environment which comprises the steps of: forming a polyelectrolyte multilayer comprising one or more cations, an anionic polymer and a neutral, zwitterionic, anionic, or cationic agent, where the polyelectrolyte multilayer is in contact with the selected environment; and selectively removing one or more functional groups from the anionic polymer, thereby decreasing the anionic charge of the polymer, disrupting at least one layer of the multilayer and releasing the one or more cations and the neutral, zwitterionic, anionic, or cationic agent into the selected environment; wherein the anionic polymer comprises a polymeric backbone formed from repeat units, and one or more removable functional groups attached to the polymeric backbone and distributed throughout the anionic polymer, wherein the anionic polymer has an anionic charge density which decreases when one or more of the removable functional groups is removed from the dynamic charge state anionic polymer and wherein the anionic polymer is a polymer other than poly(lysine).