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Layer-by-layer Synthesis and Transfer of Freestanding Conjugated Microporous Polymer Nanomembranes
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Layer-by-layer assembly of polymersomes and polyelectrolytes on planar surfaces and microsized colloidal particles
Marcos Coustet1, Joseba Irigoyen2, Teodoro Alonso Garcia2
1Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas (INIFTA), Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), CONICET, Diagonal 113 y 64 (1900), La Plata, Argentina.
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
|March 6, 2014
Summary
Hybrid polyelectrolyte multilayer systems were created using polymersomes and polystyrene sulphonate (PSS). These novel systems show potential for surface engineering and advanced material applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly is a versatile technique for creating multilayered thin films.
- Polymersomes offer unique properties as building blocks for advanced materials due to their tunable structure and composition.
- Developing hybrid systems combining polymersomes with polyelectrolytes can lead to novel functionalities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate hybrid polyelectrolyte multilayer systems using polymersomes and polystyrene sulphonate (PSS).
- To investigate the assembly mechanism and surface characteristics of these hybrid systems on planar surfaces and colloidal particles.
- To explore the potential of these systems for encapsulation and delivery applications.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of polybenzyl methacrylate-block-poly(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (PBzMA-b-PDMAEMA) copolymer and self-assembly into polymersomes.
- Layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly of polymersomes and PSS on planar surfaces and silica particles.
- Characterization using Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation (QCM-D), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), ζ-potential measurements, Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM).
Main Results:
- Successfully fabricated hybrid polyelectrolyte multilayer systems on planar surfaces and colloidal particles.
- Polymersome/PSS films on planar surfaces showed detailed assembly mechanisms and surface topology via QCM-D and AFM.
- Polymersome/PSS coated silica particles exhibited increased diameters (3-5μm) indicating densely packed layers, confirmed by microscopy.
- Films demonstrated high loading capacity for potential encapsulation and delivery applications.
Conclusions:
- Hybrid polyelectrolyte multilayer systems based on polymersomes and PSS can be effectively fabricated.
- These systems exhibit controlled assembly and desirable structural properties for surface engineering.
- The developed materials show promise for encapsulation and delivery, opening avenues for advanced colloidal systems.
