Priscila M. Kosaka

Hybrid Materials from Intermolecular Associations between Cationic Lipid and Polymers

Intermolecular associations between a cationic lipid and two model polymers were evaluated from preparation and characterization of hybrid thin films cast on silicon wafers. The novel materials were prepared by spin-coating of a chloroformic solution of lipid and polymer on silicon wafer. Polymers tested for miscibility with the cationic lipid dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB) were polystyrene (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The films thus obtained were characterized by ellipsometry, wettability, optical and atomic force microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and activity against Escherichia coli. Whereas intermolecular ion-dipole interactions were available for the PMMA-DODAB interacting pair producing smooth PMMA-DODAB films, the absence of such interactions for PS-DODAB films caused lipid segregation, poor film stability (detachment from the silicon wafer) and large rugosity. In addition, the well-established but still remarkable antimicrobial DODAB properties were transferred to the novel hybrid PMMA/DODAB coating, which is demonstrated to be highly effective against E. coli.

Cellulose acetate propionate coated titanium: characterization and biotechnological application

Surfaces of pure titanium and Ti coated with cellulose acetate propionate (CAP) have been characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy X ray coupled with elemental microanalysis (SEM-EDS), ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and contact angle measurements. Coating Ti surfaces with CAP ultrathin films reduced original surface roughness. Surface energy and wettability of CAP covered Ti surfaces pure Ti surfaces were similar. The adsorption of lysozyme (LYZ), an antibacterial protein, onto Ti and CAP-coated Ti surfaces has been studied by means of ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The adsorption of LYZ was mainly driven by hydrophobic interaction between protein hydrophobic residues and CAP propyl groups. Pure Ti and CAP coated Ti surfaces presented no cytotoxicity effect and proved to be adequate substrates for cell adhesion. The biocompatibility of CAP coated Ti surfaces was attributed to the surface enrichment in glucopyranosyl residues and short alkyl side groups.

Stability and interface properties of thin cellulose ester films adsorbed from acetone and ethyl acetate solutions

Stability and interface properties of cellulose acetate propionate (CAP) and cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) films adsorbed from acetone or ethyl acetate onto Si wafers have been investigated by means of contact angle measurements and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Surface energy (gamma(S)(total)) values determined for CAP adsorbed from acetone are larger than those from ethyl acetate. In the case of CAB films adsorbed from ethyl acetate and acetone were similar. Dewetting was observed by AFM only for CAP films prepared from ethyl acetate. Positive values of effective Hamaker constant (A(eff)) were found only for CAP prepared from ethyl acetate, corroborating with dewetting phenomena observed by AFM. On the contrary, negative values of A(eff) were determined for CAP and CAB prepared from acetone and for CAB prepared from ethyl acetate, corroborating with experimental observations. Sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectra indicated that CAP and CAB films prepared from ethyl acetate present more alkyl groups oriented perpendicularly to the polymer-air interface than those films prepared from acetone. Such preferential orientation corroborates with macroscopic contact angle measurements. Moreover, SFG spectra showed that acetone binds strongly to Si wafers, creating a new surface for CAP and CAB films.