Assembly of electroactive layer-by-layer films of myoglobin and small-molecular phytic acid

In the present work, small-molecular phytic acid (PA) with its unique structure was successfully assembled with myoglobin (Mb) into {PA/Mb}_n layer-by-layer films on solid surfaces. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) were used to monitor or confirm the assembly process. IR and UV–vis spectroscopy indicate that the Mb in {PA/Mb}_n films retains its near native structure. The direct electrochemistry of Mb was realized in this new kind of films at pyrolytic graphite (PG) electrodes, and was used to electrocatalyze the reduction of various substrates. The interaction between PA and Mb under different pH conditions was also explored. Not only the oppositely charged PA and Mb at pH 5.0, but also the likely charged PA and Mb at pH 9.0, could be assembled into {PA/Mb}_n films. This work provides a novel avenue to fabricate protein multilayer films with small molecules and realizes the direct electrochemistry of redox proteins in the films.     

Assembly of layer-by-layer films of electroactive hemoglobin and surfactant didodecyldimethylammonium bromide

When a solid substrate with negative surface charges was placed in an aqueous didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) vesicle dispersion, the cationic surfactant DDAB with two hydrocarbon chains could be assembled into the biomembrane-like tail-to-tail double-layer structure on the solid surface with the positively charged head groups toward outside, making the surface charge reverse from negative to positive. After the solid substrate with DDAB was immersed in a hemoglobin (Hb) solution at pH 9.0, the negatively charged Hb was adsorbed on the surface of DDAB layer by electrostatic attraction, forming a DDAB/Hb film. By repeating this adsorption cycle, the {DDAB/Hb}(n) layer-by-layer films were assembled on solid surfaces, which was confirmed by UV-vis spectroscopy, quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The stable {DDAB/Hb}(n) films assembled on pyrolytic graphite (PG) electrodes showed two pairs of nearly reversible redox peaks at about -0.22 and -1.14 V vs SCE in pH 7.0 buffers, characteristic of the Hb heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) and Fe(II)/Fe(I) redox couples, respectively. The direct electrochemistry of Hb in the films could be used to electrocatalyze reduction of various substrates. UV-vis and IR spectroscopic results and comparison experiments with {DDAB/hemin}(n) films indicate that Hb in the {DDAB/Hb}(n) films essentially retains its native structure. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to characterize the morphology of the films with different outermost layers.     

Fabrication of electroactive layer-by-layer films of myoglobin with gold nanoparticles of different sizes

Alternate adsorption of oppositely charged myoglobin (Mb) and gold nanoparticles with different sizes were used to assemble {Au/Mb}n layer-by-layer films on solid surfaces by electrostatic interaction between them. The direct electrochemistry of Mb was realized in {Au/Mb}n films at pyrolytic graphite (PG) electrodes, showing a pair of well-defined, nearly reversible cyclic voltammetry (CV) peaks for the Mb heme FeIII/FeII redox couple. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and CV were used to monitor or confirm the growth of the films. Compared with other Mb layer-by-layer films with nonconductive nanoparticles or polyions, {Au/Mb}n films showed much improved properties, such as smaller electron-transfer resistance (Rct) measured by EIS with Fe(CN)3-/4- redox probe, higher maximum surface concentration of electroactive Mb (Gamma*max), and better electrocatalytic activity toward reduction of O2 and H2O2, mainly because of the good conductivity of Au nanoparticles. Because of the high biocompatibility of Au nanoparticles, adsorbed Mb in the films retained its near native structure and biocatalytic activity. The size effect of Au nanoparticles on the electrochemical and electrocatalytic activity of Mb in {Au/Mb}n films was investigated, demonstrating that the {Au/Mb}n films assembled with smaller-sized Au nanoparticles have smaller Rct, higher Gamma*max, and better biocatalytic reactivity than those with larger size.     

Proton conductivity in the dry membrane of poly(sulfonic acid) and polyamine layer-by-layer complex

A layer-by-layer assembled and molecular-complexed polymer membrane was prepared by the simple combination of poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid) and poly(allylamine) on a comb-shaped gold electrode: it displayed a very high proton conductivity of 10(-3) S cm(-1) under a dry condition at 120 degrees C.     

Self-doping effect in poly(o-methoxyaniline)/poly(3-thiopheneacetic acid) layer-by-layer films

Nanostructured films from two conducting polymers, poly(o-methoxyaniline) (POMA) and poly(3-thiopheneacetic acid) (PTAA), were fabricated with the layer-by-layer (LBL) technique. The electrochemical response of the LBL films differs from that of a POMA cast film, even in a potential range where PTAA is inactive. This is attributed to differences in the diffusion-controlled charge and mass transport, where distinct ionic species participate in the LBL films, as demonstrated by quartz crystal microbalance measurements. The results show that the transport properties of conducting polymers can be changed by alternation with layers of appropriate materials in LBL films.     

pH-dependent behaviors of electroactive myoglobin loaded into layer-by-layer films assembled with alginate and hydroxyethyl cellulose ethoxylate

In the present work, strong polybase quaternized hydroxyethyl cellulose ethoxylate (HECE) and weak polyacid alginate (AA) were assembled into {HECE/AA} n layer-by-layer (LBL) films on electrodes by electrostatic interaction between them, and the films were then immersed in myoglobin (Mb) solution to load Mb into the films, designated as {HECE/AA}n-Mb. The {HECE/AA}n-Mb films showed a nearly reversible cyclic voltammetric (CV) peak pair at about -0.34 V vs SCE in pH 7.0 buffers for Mb heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple, and the surface concentration of electroactive Mb in the films (Gamma*) was affected significantly by the pH of Mb loading solution and testing solution. The amount of Mb loaded from pH 5.0 solution was much larger than that from pH 9.0 solution, which is mainly attributed to the higher degree of swelling, porosity, and permeability of {HECE/AA}n films at pH 5.0 than at pH 9.0. In addition, the electrostatic interaction between Mb and the AA component in the films might also play an important role in Mb loading. The pH of the testing solution where {HECE/AA}n-Mb films were tested by CV also influenced the Gamma* value, showing that the fraction of electroactive Mb among the total Mb loaded into the films increased remarkably as the pH of the testing solution decreased. This result is rationalized in terms of the pH-dependent film permeability toward counterions and the electron-hopping mechanism in electron transfer of redox proteins in the film phase. This model system may provide a general and effective approach to control the electroactivity of immobilized redox proteins in the multilayer assembly containing weak polyions by adjusting pH and may guide us to develop the new kind of controllable electrochemical biosensors based on the direct electrochemistry of enzymes.     

Electrochemical decomposition of layer-by-layer thin films composed of TEMPO-modified poly(acrylic acid) and poly(ethyleneimine)

The decomposition of layer-by-layer (LbL) thin films composed of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl free radical-appended poly(acrylic acid) (TEMPO-PAA) and poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) was studied by using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and cyclic voltammetry. The electrode potential of the (PEI/TEMPO-PAA)₄/PEI film-coated Au resonator was scanned from +0.2 to +0.8 V vs Ag/AgCl. The CV showed that the oxidation peak current decreased as the number of scans increased. The change in the resonance frequency of the QCM increased after electrolysis, indicating that the film was decomposed by electrolysis. The positive charges originating from the oxoammonium ions probably destabilized the (PEI/TEMPO-PAA)₄/PEI film. Furthermore, the release of 5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl-21H,23H-porphine tetrasulfonic acid (TPPS) from TPPS-loaded (PEI/TEMPO-PAA)₄/PEI-coated ITO electrodes was investigated. TPPS was released at electrode potentials greater than +0.6 V by the decomposition of the film. The results suggest that TEMPO-PAA/PEI LbL films are suitable for electrochemically controlled drug delivery systems.     

Counterions in poly(allylamine hydrochloride) and poly(styrene sulfonate) layer-by-layer films

The amount of counterions in layer-by-layer (LBL) films of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) has been determined with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for films prepared from solutions with various NaCl concentrations. Sodium and chloride counterions are present in LBL films produced from salt solutions, which are located at the surface and in the bulk of the films. The percentage of bulk counterions increases with the ionic strength of the polyelectrolyte before reaching a constant value. The bulk sodium/sulfur percentage ratios tend to 0.8 for samples washed with pure water and for samples washed with NaCl aqueous solutions, while the bulk chlorine/nitrogen percentage ratios tend to 0.5 for the same samples. The ratio between the percentages of polyelectrolyte ionic groups lies close to unity for all samples, indicating that counterions do not contribute to charge compensation in the polyelectrolyte during the adsorption process. The presence of counterions in LBL films is explained by Manning condensation near the polyelectrolyte ionic groups, leading to inter-polyelectrolyte ionic bondings via ionic networks. It is believed that condensation leads to the formation of NaCl crystallites in these LBL films, which was confirmed by X-ray diffraction measurements.     

Electron transfer in electroactive poly(glutamic acid)

Electroactive biopolymer was synthesized by incorporation of ferrocene moieties onto poly(glutamic acid) polymer chains. In the presence of the electron acceptor methyl viologen dichloride, the ferrocene-containing poly(glutamic acid) exhibits efficient photoinduced electron transfer. This redox-active polymer’s electrocatalytic activity for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide and ascorbic acid was investigated by using cyclic voltammetry. As for hydrogen peroxide, the reduction peak current shows proportional response to peroxide concentration in the wide range of 10-100 mM; as for ascorbic acid, the oxidation peak current displays linear dependence on the ascorbic acid concentration under 80 mM, which could lead to the electroactive biopolymer’s applications in catalysis, photosensitizer, sensors, etc. The study could offer a strategy for developing environment-friendly electroactive and photoactive biopolymers.     

Ion-specific swelling of poly(styrene sulfonic acid) hydrogel

Poly(styrene sulfonic acid) (PSSA) hydrogel was prepared by radiation crosslinking using methyl N,N-bis-acrylamide as crosslinker. Effects of ion species and concentration on the swelling behavior of PSSA hydrogel were investigated in aqueous solution of selected anions (F-, Cl-, Br-, SCN-), cations (Li+, Na+, K+, Ca2+), and hydrophobic ions (tetramethylammonium cation TMA+, tetrabutylammonium cation TBA+, and dodecyltrimethylammonium cation TAB+). The deswelling extent of PSSA hydrogel follows anion Hofmeister series, i.e., SCN- < Br- < Cl- < F-, in solutions containing selected anions and K+ as counterion up to a concentration of 2 mol.L(-1). On the contrary, the deswelling extent of PSSA hydrogel in solutions containing selected cations and Cl- follows the sequence of Li+ < Na+ < K+ < Ca2+, which is the reverse of the Hofmeister series except Ca2+. We have discussed the effects of ions on the hydrogen bonding through SO3- and phenyl ring in salt solutions at low and high concentrations. Other interactions, such as the cation-pi and hydrophobic interactions, also contributed to the ion-specific swelling of PSSA hydrogel. The proposed mechanism was further elucidated by FTIR and NMR analysis. A very specific deswelling-reswelling phenomenon of PSSA hydrogel in KF solution has been observed and ascribed to the F- binding to phenyl ring through a specific interaction.     

Fabrication of novel layer-by-layer assembly films composed of poly(lactic acid) and polylysine through cation-dipole interactions

Novel layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly films composed of poly( L-lysine) (PLL) and poly( D-lactic acid) (PDLA) were prepared by the alternate immersion of a gold substrate into an aqueous PLL solution and an acetonitrile solution of PDLA. The formation of the LbL assembly film was confirmed by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) analysis, atomic force microscopy observation, and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy measurement. The driving force responsible for the LbL assembly was determined by investigating the formation behavior of the LbL assembly under various conditions. The formation of the LbL assembly was not affected either by the stereochemistry of polylysine and poly(lactic acid) or by the addition of urea, which is known to inhibit hydrogen bonding interaction between polymers, into the aqueous PLL solution. The LbL assembly was also formed by the combination of PDLA and polycations other than polylysine, such as poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride). On the other hand, the combination of PDLA and any polyanions such as poly(styrene sulfonate sodium salt) produced little corresponding LbL assembly. The increase in positive charge on the amino nitrogen atom of PLL enhanced the LbL assembly. These results suggest that the LbL assembly film composed of PLL and PDLA was fabricated by cation-dipole interactions between the positive charge on the amino nitrogen atom of PLL and the lone pairs of the carbonyl oxygen atom of PDLA.     

Fabrication of poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV) nanoheterocomposite films via layer-by-layer adsorption

The fabrication of polyelectrolyte multilayer film architectures composed of a polycation precursor (Pre-PPV) of the electroluminescent poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV) and two different counter-polyanions, cellulosesulfate and poly(vinylsulfate), are reported. All multilayers were characterized by UV/VIS-spectroscopy and X-ray reflectometry. Due to the differences in spatial arrangement of charged groups, rigidity, and conformation of the polyanions, the corresponding multilayer films differ in properties such as average thickness increments and surface roughness. The adsorbed amounts per layer can be adjusted by addition of inorganic salts. Thermal conversion of Pre-PPV to PPV is achieved already slightly above 100 °C, yielding identical absorption spectra for after either 3 h at 160 °C or 20 h at 120 °C. The heat treatment causes the film thickness to be reduced by 24–40% due to elimination of dimethylsulfide and HCl and also the loss of water, but the films stay optically transparent.     

Partial poly(glutamic acid) <--> poly(aspartic acid) exchange in layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte films. Structural alterations in the three-component architectures

Layer-by-layer (LBL) polyelectrolyte films were constructed from poly(L-glutamic acid) (PGA) and poly(L-aspartic acid) (PAA) as polyanions, and from poly(L-lysine) (PLL) as the polycation. The terminating layer of the films was always PLL. According to attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared measurements, the PGA/PLL and PAA/PLL films, despite their chemical similarity, had largely different secondary structures. Extended beta-sheets dominated the PGA/PLL films, while alpha-helices and intramolecular beta-sheets dominated the PAA/PLL films. The secondary structure of the polyelectrolyte film affected the adsorption of human serum albumin (HSA) as well. HSA preserved its native secondary structure on the PGA/PLL film, but it became largely deformed on PAA/PLL films. Both PGA and PAA were able to extrude to a certain extent the other polyanion from the films, but the structural consequences were different. Adding PAA to a (PGA/PLL)5-PGA film resulted in a simple exchange and incorporation: PGA/PLL and PAA/PLL complexes coexisted with their unaltered secondary structures in the mixed film. The incorporation of PGA into a (PAA/PLL)5-PAA film was up to 50% and caused additional beta-structure increase in the secondary structure of the film. The proportions of the two polyanions were roughly the same on the surfaces and in the interiors of the films, indicating practically free diffusion for both polyanions. The abundance of PAA/PLL and PGA/PLL domains on the film surfaces was monitored by the analysis of the amide I region of the infrared spectrum of a reporter molecule, HSA, adsorbed onto the three-component polyelectrolyte films.     

Trapping of charge carriers in colloidal particles of self-assembled films from TiO(2) and poly(vinyl sulfonic acid)

Self-assembled electrodes consisting of TiO(2) nanoparticles and poly(vinyl sulfonic acid) (PVS) were prepared by the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique. The electrostatic interaction between the TiO(2) nanoparticles and PVS allowed the growth of visually uniform multilayers of the composite, with high control of the thickness and nanoarchitecture. The electrochemical and chromogenic properties of these TiO(2)/PVS films were examined in an electrolytic solution of 0.5 M LiClO(4)/propylene carbonate. The presence of two intercalation sites was noted during the positive potential scan, and they were attributed to different mobilities of charge carriers. Several charge/discharge cycles demonstrated the trapping of charge carriers in the TiO(2) sites. The absorbance change associated with the oxidation of the trapping sites was attributed to electronic transitions involving energy states in the gap band formed due to the strong distortion of the TiO(2) host. Using the quadratic logistic equation (QLE), it was possible to analyze the electronic intervalence transfer from Ti(3+) to Ti(4+). Using the parameters obtained from this fitting, the amount of trapping sites in the LbL film was also determined. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) data gave the time constant associated with diffusion and the trapping sites. The diffusion coefficient of lithium ions changed from ca. 4.5 x 10(-13) cm(2) s(-1) to 3.0 x 10(-14) cm(2) s(-1) for all the potential range applied, indicating that PVS did not hinder the ionic transport within the LbL film. Finally, on the basis of the spectroelectrochemical data and scanning electron micrographs, the trapping effects were attributed to the colloidal particles of Li(0.55)TiO(2).     

Investigation of the doping efficiency of poly(styrene sulfonic acid) in poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrene sulfonic acid) dispersions by capillary electrophoresis

CE can efficiently separate poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrene sulfonic acid) (PEDOT/PSS) complexes and free PSS in dispersions and can be used to estimate the degree of PSS doping. We investigated the doping efficiency of PSS on PEDOT in dispersions using CE and its effect on the conductivity of the resulting PEDOT/PSS films. Results of this study indicate that dispersions containing 1:2.5–3 EDOT:PSS feed ratio (by weight) exhibiting 72–73% PSS doping generate highly processable and highly conductive films. Conductivity can be optimized by limiting the time of reaction to 12 h. At this point of the reaction, the PEDOT/PSS segments, appearing as broad band in the electropherogram, could still exist in an extended coil conformation favoring charge transport resulting in high conductivity. Above a threshold PEDOT length formed at reaction times longer than 12 h, the PEDOT/PSS complex, appearing as spikes in the electropherogram, most likely have undergone a conformational change to coiled core‐shell structure restricting charge transport resulting in low conductivity. The optimal conductivity (5.2 S/cm) of films from dispersions synthesized for 12 h is significantly higher than those from its commercial equivalent Clevios P and other reported values obtained under similar conditions without the addition of codopants.     

Thermostable poly(p-phenylene sulfide sulfonic acid) as ion exchangers

Poly(p-phenylene sulfide sulfonic acid) was thermally crosslinked for use as a cation exchange polymer with high thermal stability. The decomposition temperature (T_d) of the polymer increases with an increase in the crosslinking temperature. The crosslinking reaction at 300°C in air resulted in the formation of a strongly acidic cation exchange polymer with a T = 467°C and having an SO₂ bond, whose crosslinked structure was investigated using IR spectroscopy.     

Synthesis of electroactive and biodegradable multiblock copolymers based on poly(ester amide) and aniline pentamer

A new family of multiblock copolymers (PEA‐b‐AP) based on poly(ester amide) (PEA) and aniline pentamer (AP) with the unique properties of being both electroactive and biodegradable was synthesized via a two‐stage active solution polycondensation. The new synthesis approach proceeded smoothly, and avoided the complicated purification steps for separating the intermediate products. The molecular weight of PEA blocks was regulated by varying the nucleophilic/electrophilic monomers feed ratios. The chemical structures of the copolymers were confirmed by both IR and NMR spectra. UV‐Vis spectroscopy indicated that the copolymers possessed of the intrinsic electroactivity of AP blocks, and showed three reversible oxidation states. The copolymers had lower degradation rates than the PEA homopolymers with similar molecular weight, and their degradation rates were greatly affected by the proportion of AP blocks. In vitro cell culture studies of the PEA‐b‐APs revealed that they facilitated the proliferation of RSC96 Schwann cells and displayed a good biocompatibility. These biodegradable copolymers with electroactive function may have great potential for use as nerve repair and regeneration scaffold materials in tissue engineering. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013 , 51, 4722–4731     

Hollow microstructures of polypyrrole doped by poly(styrene sulfonic acid)

Microstructures with hollow interiors, such as microspheres, microcrocks, microbowls, and micropumpkins, were prepared through the direct electrochemical oxidation of pyrrole in an aqueous solution of poly(styrene sulfonic acid) (PSSA). Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that the microstructures possessed hollow interiors. The addition of polymeric doping ions made the skins of the microstructures very smooth, and several novel structures were observed. The morphology of the microstructures was simply modulated through changes in the electrochemical conditions. Raman and Fourier transform infrared characterizations indicated that the microstructures were made of conductive polypyrrole (PPy) doped by polymeric anions of poly(styrene sulfonate), and X‐ray diffraction showed that the microstructures were amorphous. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated that PPy–PSSA composite films with microstructures had higher thermal stability than pure PPy, PPy‐coated PSSA microspheres, and naphthalene sulfonic acid doped PPy microstructures. Furthermore, PPy–PSSA composite films with microstructures showed cation‐exchange behavior during the redox process in aqueous solutions of sodium dodecyl benzenesulfonate. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 3170–3177, 2004