Issue 6, 2010
From the journal:

Soft Matter

Formation of square lamellae by self-assembly of long-chain bolaphospholipids in water†‡

Annette Meister,*a   Simon Drescher,b   Göran Karlsson,c   Gerd Hause,d   Ute Baumeister,a   Günter Hempel,e   Vasil M. Garamus,f   Bodo Dobnerb  and  Alfred Blumea  

* Corresponding authors

a Institute of Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, MLU Halle-Wittenberg, Von-Danckelmann-Platz 4, Halle, Germany

b Institute of Pharmacy, Biochemical Pharmacy, MLU Halle-Wittenberg, Wolfgang-Langenbeck-Str. 4, Halle, Germany

c Department of Physical and Analytical Chemistry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

d Biocenter, MLU Halle-Wittenberg, Weinbergweg 23, Halle, Germany

e Institute of Physics, MLU Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 7, Halle, Germany

f GKSS Research Centre, Max-Planck-Str., Geesthacht, Germany

Abstract

The self-assembly process of the symmetric single-chain polymethylene-1,ω-bis(phosphocholine) (PC-C34-PC) with a chain length of 34 carbon atoms and two polar phosphocholine headgroups when put into water is exclusively driven by hydrophobic interactions of the long alkyl chains. This process leads to the formation of a dense network of helical nanofibers and the formation of a hydrogel (Meister et al. J. Phys. Chem. B, 2008, 112, 4506). In contrast, the single-chain bolalipids tetra- and hexatriacontane-1,ω-diyl-bis[2-(dimethylammonio)ethylphosphate] (Me2PE-Cn-Me2PE, n = 34, 36) and the partly deuterated analogue Me2PE-C11-(CD2)12-C11-Me2PE (dMe2PE-C34-Me2PE) form a different type of stable aggregate. In a first step, the self-assembly of these long-chain bolalipids in water at room temperature leads to the formation of a dense network of nanofibers which eventually form a hydrogel. Within one day, the nanofibers transform into square lamellae that grow up to an edge length of about 100 nm. Nanofibers are linked to one or two (opposite) corners of the squares leading to the appearance of a kite-like structure. After one week, all fibers have been transformed into square lamellae which are apparently stacked and form a gel cake. Within several weeks, a more compact cake is formed by syneresis, i.e. the expulsion of water.

Graphical abstract: Formation of square lamellae by self-assembly of long-chain bolaphospholipids in water

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Article information

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/B923066A
Article type
Paper
Submitted
04 Nov 2009
Accepted
15 Dec 2009
First published
29 Jan 2010

Soft Matter, 2010,6, 1317-1324

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Formation of square lamellae by self-assembly of long-chain bolaphospholipids in water

A. Meister, S. Drescher, G. Karlsson, G. Hause, U. Baumeister, G. Hempel, V. M. Garamus, B. Dobner and A. Blume, Soft Matter, 2010, 6, 1317 DOI: 10.1039/B923066A

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