Polyelectrolyte-induced vesicle formation in lamellar liquid-crystalline model systems

 The object of the research was to investigate the influence of a semiflexible polyanion (carboxymethylcellulose) in the absence and presence of a more flexible cationic polyelectrolyte [poly(diallyldimethyl-ammonium chloride)] on structure formation in liquid-crystalline model systems consisting of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)/ decanol/water. Small-angle X-ray measurements in combination with electron microscopic investigations show the adsorption of the polycation on the SDS head groups. These polymer-modified lamellae form multilamellar vesicles. The semiflexible polyanion was embedded into the liquid crystal without macroscopic phase separation and multivesicular vesicles were formed on the supramolecular level. In combination the oppositely charged polyelectrolytes induce the formation of multivesicular structures where two lamellar structures coexist. Received: 15 July 1999/Accepted in revised form: 22 September 1999