Adsorption of liposomes by clay

The interaction between liposomes and clay was investigated. Lecithin liposomes were adsorbed by montmorillonite, and aggregation of the clay particles occurred. From studies using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), the transition temperature (Tc) from a gel to a liquid-crystalline state of this phospholipid increased by several degrees on adsorption by the clay. Although a lecithin molecule as a whole seems to have no net charge, liposomes were considered to have been adsorbed by the clay via the choline positive charge, which occupies the outermost part of the liposome membrane, as the clay is known to be negatively charged.