A Preferable Method for the Formation of Vesicles from Lamellar Liquid Crystals Using Chemical Additives

We present a method for vesicle formation from lamellar liquid crystals (LCs) using a cationic amphiphilic substance, namely 2-hydroxyethyl di(alkanol)oxyethyl methylammonium methylsulfate (DEAE). Vesicle formation from the DEAE lamellar dispersion occurred via a two-step chemical addition. This method required neither additional mechanical energy nor the use of special solvents. The transition was solubilized using an organic substance (e.g., limonene) in the lamellar DEAE LC, after which, a small amount of inorganic salt was added to the solubilized lamellar LC dispersion with gentle stirring. The viscosity of the DEAE dispersion following salt addition decreased sharply from 10⁵ mPa·s to 10² mPa·s, and the DEAE dispersion was converted into a high fluidity liquid. Several organic substances were examined as potential solubilizates to initiate the lamellar-vesicle transition. Inorganic salts were also examined as transition triggers using various types of electrolytes; only neutral salts were effective as trigger additives. Dissociation of inorganic salts yielded anions, which inserted between the DEAE bilayer membranes and induced OH^- ion exchange. In addition, a number of cations simultaneously formed ion pairs with the DEAE counter ions (CH₃SO₄^- ions). However, as the amount of solubilized organic substances in the DEAE bilayer membrane decreased over time, the vesicles were transformed into lamellar LCs once again. The DEAE states in each step were measured by monitoring the zeta potential, pH, viscosity, and by examination of scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy images. A possible molecular mechanism for the lamellar-vesicle transition of DEAE was proposed.