Self-assembly of beta-cyclodextrin in water. Part 1: Cryo-TEM and dynamic and static light scattering

In this article, we report evidence of beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) self-aggregation in water. A critical aggregation concentration (cac) between 2 and 3 mM was determined by using dynamic (DLS) and static (SLS) light scattering to investigate the presence of beta-cyclodextrin aggregates. Transmission electron microscopy at cryogenic temperature (Cryo-TEM) was used to detect the structural features of cyclodextrin self-aggregates. The results show the occurrence of polymorphism depending on the beta-CD concentration: polydisperse nearly spherical objects with diameters of about 100 nm are present at lower concentrations, whereas micrometer planar aggregates are predominant at higher concentrations.