Ring-shaped nanoparticle assembly and cross-linking on lipid vesicle scaffolds

We show the assembly of carboxylate-modified polystyrene nanoparticles into flexible circular, ring-shaped structures with micrometer sized diameters around the base of surface-adhered lipid vesicles. The rings remain around the vesicles but disintegrate when the lipid membranes are dissolved in detergent. The aqueous medium allows carbodiimide-based cross-linking chemistry to be applied to the particle assemblies resulting in the preservation of the rings even after the lipid compartments are dissolved.