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Surface Chemistry-Dependent Binding Interactions between Kraft Lignin and Polyelectrolyte-Encapsulated Gold
Akinsola A Oluwaseun1, Samuel E Lohse1
1Department of Chemistry, Central Washington University, 400 E University Way, Ellensburg, Washington 98926, United States.
ACS Omega
|November 17, 2025
Summary
This study shows that lignin
Area of Science:
- Nanomaterials Science
- Surface Chemistry
- Biomaterials Engineering
Background:
- Lignin adsorption onto nanoparticle surfaces is crucial for understanding eco-corona formation.
- Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are widely used in nanomedicine and materials science.
- Polyelectrolyte coatings on AuNPs influence their interactions with biomolecules.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how the surface chemistry of polyelectrolyte-coated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) affects lignin binding affinity.
- To determine the binding constants (Ka) of lignin to AuNPs coated with different polymers.
- To elucidate the driving forces behind lignin adsorption onto functionalized AuNP surfaces.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis and characterization of 90 nm citrate-stabilized AuNPs.
- Coating AuNPs with poly-(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH), polyacrylate (PAA), and poly-(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC).
- Fluorescence quenching titrations to measure lignin binding affinity (Ka).
- Characterization using UV-vis absorbance spectroscopy, ζ-potential, and dynamic light scattering (DLS).
Main Results:
- Lignin binding affinity varied significantly with the polyelectrolyte coating on AuNPs.
- PDADMAC-coated AuNPs exhibited the highest lignin binding affinity (Ka = 240 ± 13 nM⁻¹).
- Citrate-, PAH-, and PAA-coated AuNPs showed statistically similar, lower binding affinities (Ka ≈ 87–92 nM⁻¹).
- Lignin-AuNP conjugate size, charge, and aggregation depended on AuNP surface chemistry and lignin concentration.
Conclusions:
- Electrostatic interactions are not the primary drivers of lignin adsorption to these polyelectrolyte-coated AuNPs.
- Van der Waals forces, including hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding, likely play a more significant role.
- Understanding these surface chemistry-driven interactions is essential for predicting eco-corona formation on polymer-coated nanomaterials.
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