Kamelia Kamburova

Effect of pectin charge density on formation of multilayer films with chitosan.

The effect of pectin charge density on the formation of multilayer films with chitosan (PEC/CHI) is studied by means of electro-optics. Pectins of low (21%) and high (71%) degrees of esterification, which are inversely proportional to the pectin charge density, are used to form films on colloidal beta-FeOOH particles at pH 4.0 when the CHI is fully ionized. We find that, after deposition of the first 3-4 layers, the film thickness increases linearly with the number of adsorbed layers. However, the increase in the film thickness is larger when the film is terminated with CHI. Irregular increase of the film thickness is more marked for the PEC with higher density of charge. Oscillation in the electrical polarizability of the film-coated particles with the number of deposited layers is also registered in the PEC/CHI films. The charge balance of the multilayers, calculated from electrical polarizability of the film-coated particles, is positive, with larger excess of positive charge within the film constructed from CHI and less charged PEC. This is attributed to the ability of CHI to diffuse into the film at each deposition step. Despite the CHI diffusion, the film thickness increases linearly due to the dissolution of unstable PEC/CHI complexes from the film surface.

Nanocolloids of indomethacin prepared using sonication and subsequent encapsulation with polysaccharide films.

A new procedure was applied for preparation of indomethacin (IMC) nano-particles (ca. 200nm), which includes ultrasonication of micron range IMC crystals in water, followed by short centrifugation to remove the larger drug particles. In order to stabilize the suspension against aggregation and to reduce the release time of the drug, water insoluble IMC particles were coated with chitosan/pectin (CHI/PEC) multilayer film at pH 4. Charge balance in the multilayer film and increase in the film thickness with the number of adsorbed layers was studied by means of electro-optics. The release time of IMC molecules from the encapsulated particles was measured at physiological pH 7, when the solubility of IMC in water increases several times. Addition of small amount of CaCl2 after deposition of PEC layers was applied to compact the multilayer films on the IMC particles.

Electrical Properties of Polyelectrolyte Layers Adsorbed on Colloidal Particles at Different Ionic Strength

The investigation presents results on the low-frequency electrical polarization of β-FeOOH particles with adsorbed layers from sodium salts of poly(4-styrene sulfonate), poly(acrylic acid), and carboxymethyl cellulose, obtained by electric light scattering. The adsorption is realized in aqueous NaCl solutions of different concentration, and the suspensions of the coated particles are then rinsed to low conductivity. Several electro-optical parameters are sensitive to the conformation of the adsorbed polyelectrolyte layer. The particle electrical polarizability increases drastically with the concentration of NaCl (correlating with significant increase of the adsorbed amount of polyelectrolyte), while their electrophoretic mobility remains practically unchanged. Two time scales are involved in the stepwise relaxation of the electrical polarizability. The faster process is attributed to movement of ions in the polymer layer, restricted by the coiled conformation to smaller distances. The contribution of the Debye atmosphere outside the polymer layer remains almost unchanged, which correlates with the low sensitivity of the electrophoretic mobility to the increasing amount of adsorbed polyelectrolyte. Abrupt increase in a narrow interval of salt concentrations is observed both for the low-frequency component of the particle polarization and for the hydrodynamic layer thickness, indicating changes in the surface electric state, most probably due to swelling of the adsorbed polymer layer.

Complexation of Ferric Oxide Particles with Pectins of Different Charge Density

The effect of polyelectrolyte charge density on the electrical properties and stability of suspensions of oppositely charged oxide particles is followed by means of electro-optics and electrophoresis. Variations in the electro-optical effect and the electrophoretic mobility are examined at conditions where fully ionized pectins of different charge density adsorb onto particles with ionizable surfaces. The charge neutralization point coincides with the maximum of particle aggregation in all suspensions. We find that the concentration of polyelectrolyte, needed to neutralize the particle charge, decreases with increasing charge density of the pectin. The most highly charged pectin presents an exception to this order, which is explained with a reduction of the effective charge density of this pectin due to condensation of counterions. The presence of condensed counterions, remaining bound to the pectin during its adsorption on the particle surface, is proved by investigation of the frequency behavior of the electro-optical effect at charge reversal of the particle surface.

Complexation of Ferric Oxide Particles with Pectins of Ordered and Random Distribution of Charged Units

Complexation between ferric oxide particles and pectins with degree of methylation 50% but having ordered or random arrangement of free carboxyl groups is investigated by electric light scattering and electrophoresis. The influence of charge distribution in pectin chain on the electrical properties of oppositely charged oxide particles and stability of their suspensions is examined as a function of pectin concentration. Although the difference in charge density of pectin samples is ~5%, we found small but measurable difference in the behavior of both oxide/pectin complexes. This is attributed to condensation of counterions near the chains of pectin with ordered distribution of charges, leading to a decrease in the effective charge density and to a corresponding decrease in the contour length of the adsorbing pectin chains. Two parameters are sensitive to the conformation of the adsorbed chains in suspensions, stabilized by pectin adsorption (at particle charge reversal). The electro-optical effect is higher for the complex with less charged pectin, which is explained with larger amount of chains, adsorbed in more coiled conformation than the chains of pectin with random distribution of free carboxyl groups. The addition of small amounts of CaCl(2) has no significant influence on the thickness of the layer from the less charged pectin, in agreement with a more compact conformation of the chains in this adsorbed layer. In contrast, the thickness of the layer from pectin with random distribution of charged groups decreases with increasing concentration of CaCl(2), indicating a more loose structure of this layer.

Polyelectrolyte-modified kaolinite nanocontainers for entrapment of corrosion inhibitor benzotriazole

AbstractKaolinite nanoparticles are encapsulated with polymers for application as nanocontainers (NCs) that can release the entrapped corrosion inhibitor benzotriazole (BTA) at neutral conditions. The NCs are prepared using layer-by-layer assembly of poly(diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) on kaolinite surface at different pH and salt conditions. The inhibitor is entrapped within polyelectrolyte multilayer in the assembly step. In the absence of salt, stable NCs with BTA are prepared at pH 8/5 for adsorption of PDADMAC and PAA layers, respectively. In the presence of 0.01 M NaCl, stable suspension of NCs cannot be prepared at these pH values. Instead, stabilized suspension of NCs is obtained at pH 8/8 of both polyelectrolyte solutions, which is attributed to the stronger electrostatic interactions between PDADMAC and more highly charged PAA chains. Larger amount of BTA is measured in the NCs prepared in the presence of salt. Graphical abstractᅟ