On the Development of All-Cellulose Capsules by Vesicle-Templated Layer-by-Layer Assembly

Polymeric multilayer capsules formed by the Layer-by-Layer (LbL) technique are interesting candidates for the purposes of storage, encapsulation, and release of drugs and biomolecules for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. In the current study, cellulose-based core-shell particles were developed via the LbL technique alternating two cellulose derivatives, anionic carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), and cationic quaternized hydroxyethylcellulose ethoxylate (QHECE), onto a cationic vesicular template made of didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB). The obtained capsules were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), ζ potential measurements, and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM). DLS measurements reveal that the size of the particles can be tuned from a hundred nanometers with a low polydispersity index (deposition of 2 layers) up to micrometer scale (deposition of 6 layers). Upon the deposition of each cellulose derivative, the particle charge is reversed, and pH is observed to considerably affect the process thus demonstrating the electrostatic driving force for LbL deposition. The HR-SEM characterization suggests that the shape of the core-shell particles formed is reminiscent of the spherical vesicle template. The development of biobased nano- and micro-containers by the alternating deposition of oppositely charged cellulose derivatives onto a vesicle template offers several advantages, such as simplicity, reproducibility, biocompatibility, low-cost, mild reaction conditions, and high controllability over particle size and composition of the shell.

Dynamics of the layer-by-layer assembly of a poly(acrylic acid)-lanthanide complex colloid and poly(diallyldimethyl ammonium)

Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and lanthanide (Ln) ions, such as Ce(3+), Eu(3+), and Tb(3+), were prepared as dispersed complex colloidal particles through three different protocols with rigorous control of the pH value and mixing ratio. The negatively charged PAA-Ln complex particles were layer-by-layer (LbL) assembled with positively charged poly(diallyldimethyl ammonium) (PDDA) to prepare a thin film. The film thickness growth is much quicker than PDDA/PAA film. Due to the incorporation of Ln(3+) ions, the film exhibits fluorescence. During LbL assembly, PDDA-PAA association based on electrostatic force and PAA-Ce association based on coordination are in competition, which leads to the LbL assembly of PDDA and PAA-Ln complex colloidal particles being a complicated dynamic process.