Lipid–Inorganic Hybrid Particles with Non-Lamellar Structures

Nanostructured non-lamellar lipid particles are widely studied in various fields of application, although their self-assembled structure is sensitive to internal and external conditions, which may limit their applicability. The aim of this study was to overcome these limitations and create particles with non-lamellar nanostructures which are stable over time, upon drying and heating. This was achieved by the combination of two approaches: self-assembly of lipids and polymerization of alkoxysilanes. Precursors containing one or two unsaturated acyl chains were functionalized with trialkoxysilane headgroups. Contrarily to previous studies, the use of unsaturated acyl chains led to the formation of hybrid particles with non-lamellar internal nanostructures. These particles showed a sponge or a hexagonal arrangement and were named spongosomes and hexosomes. Due to the covalent linking of the precursors, durable structures were obtained. The particles were stable for at least several months and maintained their nanostructures even when they were dried or exposed to high temperatures. The inorganic functionalization of lipids enabled the fixation of the self-assembled nanostructures.