This thesis deals with the synthesis and characterization ofnovel polyhydroxyl surfactants. The first part describes thesynthesis of a number of stereoisomers of a polyhydroxylsurfactant, and the second part concerns surface chemicalcharacterization. A stereodivergent route for preparation of the hydrophilichead group was developed, featuring consecutive stereoselectivedihydroxylations of a diene. This afforded in total fourdifferent polyhydroxyl head groups. These surfactant headgroups were natural and unnatural sugar analogues, and wereused for the coupling with two different hydrophobic tailgroups. Three of these surfactants were used to investigate thechiral discrimination in Langmuir monolayers at an air-waterinterface. The isotherms showed a remarkable difference incompressibility between surfactants of diastereomericrelationship and also a pronounced chiral discriminationbetween racemic and enantiomerically pure surfactants favoringheterochiral discrimination. / <p>NR 20140805</p>

Partitioning of poly(ethyleneglycol) (PEG) molecules in 2-D and 3-D systems is presented as a self-assembly approach for controlling non-specific adsorption of proteins at interfaces. Lateral restructuring of multi-component Langmuir monolayers to accommodate adsorbing proteins was investigated as a model 2-D system. Ferritin adsorption to monolayers containing cationic, nonionic, and PEG bearing phospholipids induced protein sized binding pockets surrounded by PEG rich regions. The number, size, and distribution of protein imprint sites were controlled by the molar ratios, miscibility, and lateral mobility of the lipids. The influence of PEG chain length on the ternary monolayer restructuring and protein distribution was also investigated using DSPE-PEGx (x= 7, 16, 22). Monolayer miscibility analysis demonstrated that longer PEG chains diminished the condensed phase formation for a fixed ratio of lipids. Thus, incorporation of longer PEG chains, intended to diminish protein adsorption outside of the imprint sites of cationic / non-ionic lipids, leads to dramatic changes in monolayer phase behavior and protein distribution in this 2-D system. The assembly of PEG-amphiphiles at elastomer surfaces and subsequent protein adsorption was investigated as a model 3-D system. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates were modified with block copolymers comprised of PEG and PDMS segments by two methods: (1) the block copolymer was mixed with PDMS during polymerization; (2) the block copolymer diffused into solvent swollen PDMS monoliths. Hydrophilic surfaces resulted for both approaches that, for 600 D block copolymer, exhibited up to 85% reduction in fibrinogen adsorption as compared to native PDMS. Higher MW block copolymers (up to 3000 D) resulted in less hydrophilic surfaces and greater protein adsorption, presumably due to diffusion limitations of copolymer in the PDMS monolith. All modified PDMS surfaces were dynamic and restructured when cycled between air and water. PDMS transparency also decreased with increase in block copolymer concentration for both methods, limiting this modification protocol for applications requiring high polymer transparency. The 2-D system presents a bottom-up approach, where adsorbing protein constructs the binding site, while the 3-D system presents a top down approach, where protein-binding elements may be introduced into the PEG-bearing polymer for fabrication of surfaces with controlled protein adsorption.

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No description available.

Poly (caprolactone) (PCL) has been widely studied as a model system for investigating polymer crystallization. In this thesis, PCL crystallization along with other phase transitions in PCL-based polymer blends are studied as Langmuir films at the air/water (A/W) interface. In order to understand the phase behavior of PCL-based blends, surface pressure induced crystallization of PCL in single-component Langmuir monolayers was first studied by Brewster angle microscopy (BAM). PCL crystals observed during film compression exhibit butterfly-shapes. During expansion of the crystallized film, polymer chains detach from the crystals and diffuse back into the monolayer as the crystals "melt". Electron diffraction on Langmuir-Schaefer films suggests that the lamellar crystals are oriented with the chain axes perpendicular to the substrate surface, while atomic force microscopy (AFM) reveals a crystal thickness of ~ 7.6 nm. In addition, the competition between lower segmental mobility and a greater degree of undercooling with increasing molar mass produces a maximum average growth rate at intermediate molar mass. PCL was blended with poly(t-butyl acrylate) (PtBA) to study the influence of PtBA on the morphologies of PCL crystals grown in monolayers. For PCL-rich blends, BAM studies reveal dendritic morphologies of PCL crystals. The thicknesses of the PCL dendrites are ~ 7-8 nm. BAM studies during isobaric area relaxation experiments at different surface pressure reveal morphological transitions from highly branched dendrites, to six-arm dendrites, four-arm dendrites, seaweedlike crystals, and distorted rectangular crystals. In contrast, PCL crystallization is suppressed in PtBA-rich blend films. For immiscible blends of PCL and polystyrene (PS) with intermediate molar masses as Langmuir films, the surface concentration of PCL is the only factor influencing surface pressure below the collapse transition. For PS-rich blends, both BAM and AFM studies reveal that PS nanoparticle aggregates formed at very low surface pressure form networks during film compression. For PCL-rich blends, small PS aggregates serve as heterogeneous nucleation centers for the growth of PCL crystals. During film expansion, BAM images show a gradual change in the surface morphology from highly continuous networklike structures (PS-rich blends) to broken ringlike structures (intermediate composition) to small discontinuous aggregates (PCL-rich blends). / Ph. D.

Controlling the surface morphology and degree of crystallinity of poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) substrates have recently attracted considerable attention because of their applications in cell adhesion, tissue engineering, and drug delivery. Several techniques have been used to fabricate PLLA substrates, some of which may be invalid because PLLA can degrade during fabrication processes. This dissertation provides the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique as a mechanism for fabricating PLLA substrates at temperatures where PLLA degradation is uncommon. In order to fully understand surface morphologies of PLLA LB-films, studies of Langmuir monolayers at the air/water (A/W) interface using surface pressure-area (Pi-A) isotherm and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) are vital. PLLA exhibits a first-order liquid expanded to condensed (LE/LC) phase transition with molar mass dependent critical phenomena, the first such observation for a homopolymer Langmuir monolayer. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of PLLA LB-films prepared in the LC phase exhibit well-ordered lamellar structures. Molar mass scaling of lamellar dimensions, x-ray reflectivity, and reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS) measurements on PLLA LB-films are consistent with PLLA existing as single molecule 10/3-helices at the A/W interface. Morphologies observed after collapse of the LC monolayer are dependent upon the collapse mechanism and subsequent thermal treatment. For temperatures below the LE/LC critical temperature (Tc), two mechanisms are identified for the formation of three dimensional structures: a buckling and stacking of lamellar monolayers on top of existing lamellae during constant compression rate experiments, and a modified nucleation and growth mechanism during isobaric area relaxation experiments. PLLA LB-films prepared in different Langmuir film phases at temperatures below Tc all contain lamellae with different surface roughnesses and similar helical content. Conventional thermal annealing studies on PLLA LB-films reveal that well-ordered lamellar features are destroyed after annealing the LB-films at bulk crystallization temperature through a melting-recrystallization process, which is confirmed by RAIRS and AFM. Our results may prove useful for studying critical behavior and experimentally testing scaling predictions for two dimensions, the development and testing of theories for crystallization in confined geometries, and separating the roles that roughness and crystallinity play in cell adhesion and spreading on biocompatible polymer surfaces. / Ph. D.

Two-dimensional (2D) nanoscale confinement effects on poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) crystallization were probed through crystallization studies of PCL-b-poly(tert-butyl acrylate) (PCL-b-PtBA) copolymers, PCL with bulky tri-tert-butyl ester endgroups (PCL triesters), PCL with triacid end groups (PCL triacids), and magnetic nanoparticles stabilized by PCL triacid (PCL MNPs) at the air/water (A/W) interface. Thermodynamic analyses of surface pressure-area per monomer (Π−A)) isotherms for the Langmuir films at the A/W interface showed that PCL-b-PtBA copolymers, PCL triheads and PCL MNPs all formed homogenous monolayers below the dynamic collapse pressure of PCL, Π_C ~11 mN•m⁻¹. For compression past the collapse point, the PCL monolayers underwent a phase transition to three-dimensional (3D) crystals and the nanoscale confinements impacted the PCL crystalline morphologies. Studies of PCL-b-PtBA copolymers revealed that the morphologies of the LB-films became smaller and transitioned to dendrites with defects, stripes and finally nano-scale cylindrical features as the block length of PtBA increased. For the case of PCL triester, irregularly shaped crystals formed at the A/W interface and this was attributed to the accumulation of bulky tert-butyl ester groups around the crystal growth fronts. In contrast, regular, nearly round-shaped lamellar crystals were obtained for PCL triacids. These morphological differences between PCL triacids and PCL triesters were molar mass dependent and attributed to differences in dipole density and the submersion of carboxylic acid groups in the subphase. Nonetheless, enhanced uniformity for PCL triacid crystals was not retained once the polymers were tethered to the spherical surface of a PCL MNP. Instead, the PCL MNPs exhibited small irregularly shaped crystals. This nano-scale confinement effect on the surface morphology at the A/W interface was also molar mass dependent. For the small molar mass PCL MNPs, two layers of collapsed nanoparticles were observed. In a later chapter, studies of polyethylene glycol (PEG) surfactant adsorption onto phospholipid bilayers through quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) measurements revealed a strong dependence of the adsorption and desorption kinetics on hydrophobic tail group structure. PEG surfactants with a single linear alkyl tail inserted and saturated the bilayer surface quickly and the surfactants had relatively fast desorption rates. In contrast, PEG lipids, including dioleoyl PEG lipids and cholesterol PEGs, demonstrated slower adsorption and desorption kinetics. The interactions of Pluronics and Nonoxynol surfactants with phospholipid bilayers were also studied. Pluronics showed no apparent affinity for the phospholipid bilayer, while the Nonoxynol surfactants damaged the lipid bilayers as PEG chain length decreased. / Ph. D.

For over a century, Langmuir films have served as excellent two-dimensional model systems for studying the conformation and ordering of amphiphilic molecules at the air/water (A/W) interface. With the equipment of Wilhelmy plate technique, Brewster angle microscopy (BAM), and surface light scattering (SLS), the interfacial phase and rheological behavior of Langmuir films can be investigated. In this dissertation, these techniques are employed to examine Langmuir films of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS), polymer blends, and magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). In a first time, SLS is employed to study POSS molecules. The interfacial rheological properties of trisilanolisobutyl-POSS (TiBuP) indicate that TiBuP forms a viscoelastic Langmuir film that is almost perfectly elastic in the monolayer state with a maximum dynamic dilational elasticity of around 50 mNâ m-1 prior to film collapse. This result suggests that TiBuP can serve as model nanofiller with polymers. As an interesting next step, blends of TiBuP and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with different compositions are examined via surface pressure (surface pressureâ surface area occupied per molecule (A) isotherms and SLS. The results show that TiBuP, with its attendant water, serves as a plasticizer and lowers the dilational modulus of the films at low surface pressure. As surface pressure increases, composition dependent behavior occurs. Around the collapse pressure of PDMS, the TiBuP component is able to form networks at the A/W interface as PDMS collapse into the upper layer. Blends of non-amphiphilic octaisobutyl-POSS (OiBuP) and PDMS are also studied as an interesting comparison to TiBuP/PDMS blends. In these blends, OiBuP serves as a filler and reinforces the blends prior to the collapse of PDMS by forming "bridge" structure on top of PDMS monolayer. However, OiBuP is non-amphiphilic and fails to anchor PDMS chains to the A/W interface. Hence, OiBuP/PDMS blends exhibit negligible dilational viscoelasticity after the collapse of PDMS. Furthermore, the phase behavior of PDMS blended with a trisilanol-POSS derivative containing different substituents, trisilanolcyclopentyl-POSS (TCpP), is also investigated via the Wilhelmy plate technique and BAM. These TCpP/PDMS blends exhibit dramatically different phase behavior and morphological features from previously studied POSS/PDMS blends, showing that the organic substituents on trisilanol-POSS have considerable impact on the phase behavior of POSS/PDMS blends. The interfacial rheological behavior of tricarboxylic acid terminated PDMS (PDMS-Stabilizer) and PDMS stabilized MNPs are investigated and compared with "regular" PDMS containing non-polar end groups. The tricarboxylic acid end group of the PDMS-Stabilizer leads to a different collapse mechanism. The PDMS stabilized MNPs exhibit viscoelastic behavior that is similar to PDMS showing all the tricarboxylic acid end groups are bound to the magnetite cores. Studying the interfacial behavior of different Langmuir films at the A/W interface provides us insight into the impact of molecule-molecule and molecule-subphase interactions on film morphology and rheology. These results are able to serve as important guides for designing surface films with preferred morphological and mechanical properties. / Ph. D.

Muitas aplicações biológicas da quitosana dependem de sua interação com membranas celulares, cujo mecanismo não é conhecido em nível molecular. Nesta tese, empregam-se filmes de Langmuir dos fosfolipídios dipalmitoil fosfatidil colina (DPPC), dipalmitoil fosfatidil glicerol (DPPG) e ácido dimiristoil fosfatídico (DMPA) para mimetizar a membrana, e é avaliada a influência dos grupos hidroxila e amino de quitosana nas propriedades dos filmes. Para tanto, O-acilquitosanas foram produzidas por meio de reação de acilação, gerando os derivados 3,6 - O,O\'- dietanoilquitosana (DEQUI) e 3,6 - O,O\'- dipropanoilquitosana (DPPQUI) solúveis em solução aquosa ácida, e 3,6 - O,O\'- dimiristoilquitosana (DMQUI) e 3,6 - O,O\'- dipalmitoilquitosana (DPQUI), solúveis em clorofórmio. DEQUI e DPPQUI afetam mais fortemente as isotermas de pressão de superfície e elasticidade dos filmes do que quitosana, sendo os efeitos de DPPQUI (mais hidrofóbico) maiores do que para DEQUI. Isso indica que ligações hidrogênio envolvendo as hidroxilas da quitosana não são essenciais na interação. Espectros no infravermelho com modulação de polarização (PM-IRRAS) confirmaram interações hidrofóbicas, com penetração dos derivados entre as moléculas de fosfolipídio. DEQUI causa mais ordenamento das cadeias do fosfolipídio, enquanto o efeito de DPPQUI é oposto. DMQUI e DPQUI formam filmes de Langmuir altamente compactados com agregação de moléculas, inferida das isotermas de pressão e potencial de superfície. Os resultados sobre a influência dos grupos amino foram inconclusivos, pois o comportamento atrativo entre os materiais pode ser devido tanto à existência de grupos com cargas opostas, quanto interações hidrofóbicas. Quitosanas com diferentes massas moleculares (alta - QAMM e baixa - QBMM) foram utilizadas para obter informações sobre a orientação dos grupos químicos da quitosana e fosfolipídios e conformação do polímero em solução. Espectros PM-IRRAS indicam maior efeito de QBMM em monocamadas de DPPG, provocando diminuição na intensidade e deslocamento para maiores números de onda das bandas de CH, inversão na orientação do grupo P=O do DPPG e maior intensidade da banda amida II, sugerindo maior densidade desses grupos na interface. Os espectros de geração de soma de frequência (SFG) mostraram diminuição na ordenação/compactação das caudas de DPPG, aumento do espaçamento entre as moléculas e de defeitos gauche. Conclui-se que derivados O-acilados de quitosana têm maior efeito sobre modelos de membrana, principalmente devido às forças hidrofóbicas, sendo mais adequados em aplicações biológicas que dependam dessa interação. Também favorece a interação com a membrana a atração eletrostática, com efeitos mais relevantes para quitosanas de menores massas moleculares. / Many biological applications of chitosan depend on its interaction with cell membranes, whose mechanism at the molecular level is not known. In this thesis, Langmuir films from the phospholipids dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl choline (DPPC), dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl glycerol (DPPG) and dimyristoyl phosphatidic acid (DMPA) were used to mimic the cell membrane, and effects from the hydroxyl and amine groups in chitosan on the film properties were evaluated. For this, O-acylchitosans were produced by acylation reaction, resulting in the derivatives 3,6 - O,O\' - diacetylchitosan (DECT) and 3,6 - O,O\'- dipropionylchitosan (DPPCT), which are soluble in acidic aqueous solution, and 3,6 - O,O\'- dimyristoylchitosan (DMCT) and 3,6 - O,O\'- dipalmitoylchitosan (DPCT), soluble in chloroform. DECT and DPPCT affect the surface pressure and elasticity of the films more strongly than chitosan, especially DPPCT that is more hydrophobic. This indicates that hydrogen bonds involving the hydroxyl groups from chitosan are not essential for the interaction. Polarization-modulated infrared reflection absorption (PM-IRRAS) spectra confirmed hydrophobic interactions with penetration of derivatives between the phospholipid molecules. DECT induces ordering in the chains, while the opposite occurs for DPPCT. DMCT and DPCT form highly compressed films with aggregation, as shown by surface pressure and surface potential isotherms. The results on the importance of amino groups were inconclusive because the attractive behavior between materials may be due to either the oppositely charged groups or hydrophobic interactions. Chitosans with different molecular weights (high - CHMW and low - CLMW) were used to obtain information about the chitosan and phospholipids chemical groups orientation and polymer conformation in solution. PM-IRRAS spectra indicate greater effect from QBMM on DPPG monolayers, causing a decrease in intensity and shift to higher wavenumbers of the CH bands, inversion in the orientation of the P=O group from DPPG and greater intensity of the amide II band, suggesting greater density of these groups at the interface. The sum-frequency generation (SFG) spectra showed a decrease in ordering/packing of the DPPG chains, increased spacing between molecules and gauche defects. Overall, the O-acyl derivatives of chitosan have greater effect on cell membrane models, owing to hydrophobic forces, being therefore more suitable for biological applications that depend on this interaction. Also important for the interaction is the electrostatic attraction, with more relevant effects observed with low-molecular weight chitosans.

Muitas aplicações biológicas da quitosana dependem de sua interação com membranas celulares, cujo mecanismo não é conhecido em nível molecular. Nesta tese, empregam-se filmes de Langmuir dos fosfolipídios dipalmitoil fosfatidil colina (DPPC), dipalmitoil fosfatidil glicerol (DPPG) e ácido dimiristoil fosfatídico (DMPA) para mimetizar a membrana, e é avaliada a influência dos grupos hidroxila e amino de quitosana nas propriedades dos filmes. Para tanto, O-acilquitosanas foram produzidas por meio de reação de acilação, gerando os derivados 3,6 - O,O\'- dietanoilquitosana (DEQUI) e 3,6 - O,O\'- dipropanoilquitosana (DPPQUI) solúveis em solução aquosa ácida, e 3,6 - O,O\'- dimiristoilquitosana (DMQUI) e 3,6 - O,O\'- dipalmitoilquitosana (DPQUI), solúveis em clorofórmio. DEQUI e DPPQUI afetam mais fortemente as isotermas de pressão de superfície e elasticidade dos filmes do que quitosana, sendo os efeitos de DPPQUI (mais hidrofóbico) maiores do que para DEQUI. Isso indica que ligações hidrogênio envolvendo as hidroxilas da quitosana não são essenciais na interação. Espectros no infravermelho com modulação de polarização (PM-IRRAS) confirmaram interações hidrofóbicas, com penetração dos derivados entre as moléculas de fosfolipídio. DEQUI causa mais ordenamento das cadeias do fosfolipídio, enquanto o efeito de DPPQUI é oposto. DMQUI e DPQUI formam filmes de Langmuir altamente compactados com agregação de moléculas, inferida das isotermas de pressão e potencial de superfície. Os resultados sobre a influência dos grupos amino foram inconclusivos, pois o comportamento atrativo entre os materiais pode ser devido tanto à existência de grupos com cargas opostas, quanto interações hidrofóbicas. Quitosanas com diferentes massas moleculares (alta - QAMM e baixa - QBMM) foram utilizadas para obter informações sobre a orientação dos grupos químicos da quitosana e fosfolipídios e conformação do polímero em solução. Espectros PM-IRRAS indicam maior efeito de QBMM em monocamadas de DPPG, provocando diminuição na intensidade e deslocamento para maiores números de onda das bandas de CH, inversão na orientação do grupo P=O do DPPG e maior intensidade da banda amida II, sugerindo maior densidade desses grupos na interface. Os espectros de geração de soma de frequência (SFG) mostraram diminuição na ordenação/compactação das caudas de DPPG, aumento do espaçamento entre as moléculas e de defeitos gauche. Conclui-se que derivados O-acilados de quitosana têm maior efeito sobre modelos de membrana, principalmente devido às forças hidrofóbicas, sendo mais adequados em aplicações biológicas que dependam dessa interação. Também favorece a interação com a membrana a atração eletrostática, com efeitos mais relevantes para quitosanas de menores massas moleculares. / Many biological applications of chitosan depend on its interaction with cell membranes, whose mechanism at the molecular level is not known. In this thesis, Langmuir films from the phospholipids dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl choline (DPPC), dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl glycerol (DPPG) and dimyristoyl phosphatidic acid (DMPA) were used to mimic the cell membrane, and effects from the hydroxyl and amine groups in chitosan on the film properties were evaluated. For this, O-acylchitosans were produced by acylation reaction, resulting in the derivatives 3,6 - O,O\' - diacetylchitosan (DECT) and 3,6 - O,O\'- dipropionylchitosan (DPPCT), which are soluble in acidic aqueous solution, and 3,6 - O,O\'- dimyristoylchitosan (DMCT) and 3,6 - O,O\'- dipalmitoylchitosan (DPCT), soluble in chloroform. DECT and DPPCT affect the surface pressure and elasticity of the films more strongly than chitosan, especially DPPCT that is more hydrophobic. This indicates that hydrogen bonds involving the hydroxyl groups from chitosan are not essential for the interaction. Polarization-modulated infrared reflection absorption (PM-IRRAS) spectra confirmed hydrophobic interactions with penetration of derivatives between the phospholipid molecules. DECT induces ordering in the chains, while the opposite occurs for DPPCT. DMCT and DPCT form highly compressed films with aggregation, as shown by surface pressure and surface potential isotherms. The results on the importance of amino groups were inconclusive because the attractive behavior between materials may be due to either the oppositely charged groups or hydrophobic interactions. Chitosans with different molecular weights (high - CHMW and low - CLMW) were used to obtain information about the chitosan and phospholipids chemical groups orientation and polymer conformation in solution. PM-IRRAS spectra indicate greater effect from QBMM on DPPG monolayers, causing a decrease in intensity and shift to higher wavenumbers of the CH bands, inversion in the orientation of the P=O group from DPPG and greater intensity of the amide II band, suggesting greater density of these groups at the interface. The sum-frequency generation (SFG) spectra showed a decrease in ordering/packing of the DPPG chains, increased spacing between molecules and gauche defects. Overall, the O-acyl derivatives of chitosan have greater effect on cell membrane models, owing to hydrophobic forces, being therefore more suitable for biological applications that depend on this interaction. Also important for the interaction is the electrostatic attraction, with more relevant effects observed with low-molecular weight chitosans.