Orientation of Polyelectrolyte Multilayers Containing Charged Polypeptides Determined by ATR-FTIR and AFM

Author: Müller Martin   Ouyang Wuye   Keßler Bernd  

Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

ISSN: 1023-666X

Source: International Journal of Polymer Analysis and Characterization, Vol.12, Iss.1, 2007-01, pp. : 35-45

Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.

Previous Menu Next

Abstract

We report on factors influencing the orientation of polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEM) containing charged polypeptides. As factors, the presence and absence of mechanical unidirectional texturization, the conformation, and the molecular weight will be outlined in four typical samples. For that, the charged cationic homopolypeptide poly(L-lysine) (PLL) was used, whose conformations can be changed from random coil to α-helix by salt type or pH value. PEM of PLL and poly(vinylsulfate) (PVS) were prepared by consecutive adsorption. Dichroic in situ attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used for orientation and surface topology characterization, respectively. Untexturized surfaces, the random coil conformation, and low molecular weight of PLL caused the formation of isotropically structured PEM films, and the α-helical conformation and the high molecular weight of PLL resulted in anisotropic PEM films. Polypeptide-containing PEM could be used as biomimetic coatings for specific interaction with α-helical proteins.