Hollow polyelectrolyte multilayer tubes: Mechanical properties and shape changes
Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review
Contributors
Abstract
In this paper, novel hollow polyelectrolyte multilayer tubes from poly(diallyldinlethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC), polystyrene sulfonate) (PSS), and poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) were prepared: Readily available glass fiber templates are coated with polyelectrolytes using the layer-by-layer technique, followed by subsequent fiber dissolution. Depending on the composition of the polymeric multilayer, stable hollow tubes or tubes showing a pearling instability are observed. This instability corresponds to the Rayleigh instability and is a consequence of an increased mobility of the polyelectrolyte chains within the multilayer. The well-defined stable tubes were characterized with fluorescence microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The tubes were found to be remarkably free of defects, which results in an impermeable tube wall for even low molecular weight molecules. The mechanical properties of the tubes were determined with AFM force spectroscopy in water, and because continuum mechanical models apply, the Young's modulus of the wall material was determined. Additionally, scaling relations for the dependency of tube stiffness on diameter and wall thickness were validated. Because both parameters can be experimentally controlled by our approach, the deformability of the tubes can be varied over a broad range and adjusted for the particular needs.
Details
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 8547-8553 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Journal of Physical Chemistry B |
Volume | 111 |
Issue number | 29 |
Publication status | Published - 26 Jul 2007 |
Peer-reviewed | Yes |
Externally published | Yes |