When a negatively
charged, high molecular weight polymer (hyaluronic acid) is mixed with a positively charged peptide-based,
self-assembling molecule, a membrane is instantaneously formed at the interface
of the two solutions. These closed membranes (sacs) have a complex hierarchical
structure which presents a unique challenge in quantifying its mechanical
properties. Membrane inflation and osmotic swelling techniques have been used
to quantitatively characterize the membrane properties. These findings will be
essential for tailoring the membrane characteristics for specific future
applications.
SEM micrographs of
hierarchically ordered membranes formed with chitosan mixed with negatively charged peptide
(a); λ-carrageenan (b), DNA (c) and
poly(acrylic acid) (d) mixed with positively charged PA.
