Hybrid Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Films: Fabrication, Properties and Applications

A special issue of Coatings (ISSN 2079-6412). This special issue belongs to the section "Thin Films".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 14021

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Institut UTINAM–UMR 6213–CNRS –Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté 16, Route de Gray, 25030 Besançon Cedex, France
Interests: thin film; polyelectrolyte multilayer film; colloidal particle; optical reflectometry; electrically conductive coatings; surface functionalization

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Coatings based on polyelectrolyte multilayer films are frequently used to functionalize substrate today. Following its discovery 30 years ago, interest in multilayer film continues to expand. Indeed, the layer-by-layer deposition technique allowing preparation of specific architecture is a technique which often qualifies as easy, inexpensive, robust, and versatile. Multilayer film can be easily assembled on flat surfaces or complex geometries using different methods such as dip-coating, spin-coating, or spray-coating. Using polyelectrolytes of opposite charges, electrostatic interactions allow the assembly of macromolecules. After each adsorption, surface charge is reversed, which constitutes the key element of film growth. Consequently, numerous parameters induce modifications of film properties. By controlling these physicochemical parameters, properties of coating are adjustable as functions of targeted applications and small chemical species embedded into the film enhance coating functionalities.

The layer-by-layer technique is also a powerful tool to create hybrid multilayer film made of polymer and other materials, such as colloids and proteins. In the case of colloids, which are usually inorganic particles, surface charge must be adjusted to ensure film deposition. As for a polycation/polyanion assembly, properties of hybrid multilayer architecture mainly depend on the elaboration process. By combining polyelectrolyte with another chemical species, a new class of coatings has emerged and potential applications in various areas such as energy, environment, optics, electronics, and medicine are already available.

This Special Issue is thus focused on original studies on fabrication, properties, and applications of hybrid polyelectrolyte multilayer film. Fundamental and applied research topics will be accepted.

Dr. Cédric C. Buron
Guest Editor

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 6621 KiB  
Article
Transport of Magnetic Polyelectrolyte Capsules in Various Environments
by Carmen Stavarache, Mircea Vinatoru and Timothy Mason
Coatings 2022, 12(2), 259; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12020259 - 15 Feb 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1792
Abstract
Microcapsules consisting of eleven layers of polyelectrolyte and one layer of iron oxide nanoparticles were fabricated. Two types of nanoparticles were inserted as one of the layers within the microcapsule’s walls: Fe2O3, ferric oxide, having a mean diameter (Ø) [...] Read more.
Microcapsules consisting of eleven layers of polyelectrolyte and one layer of iron oxide nanoparticles were fabricated. Two types of nanoparticles were inserted as one of the layers within the microcapsule’s walls: Fe2O3, ferric oxide, having a mean diameter (Ø) of 50 nm and superparamagnetic Fe3O4 having Ø 15 nm. The microcapsules were suspended in liquid environments at a concentration of 108 caps/mL. The suspensions were pumped through a tube over a permanent magnet, and the accumulation within a minute was more than 90% of the initial concentration. The design of the capsules, the amount of iron embedded in the microcapsule, and the viscosity of the transportation fluid had a rather small influence on the accumulation capacity. Magnetic microcapsules have broad applications from cancer treatment to molecular communication. Full article
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12 pages, 2110 KiB  
Article
Assembly and Transport Properties of Nanoscale Biopolyelectrolyte Multilayers
by Jaebum Park and Michael J. McShane
Coatings 2021, 11(9), 1024; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings11091024 - 26 Aug 2021
Viewed by 1579
Abstract
Nanoscale coatings are attractive for managing the biological/material interface as well as for transport control in medical device applications. Construction of biologically derived and mimicking polyelectrolyte multilayers (BioPEMs) and their chemically crosslinked derivatives was evaluated at the nanometer scale and the glucose mass [...] Read more.
Nanoscale coatings are attractive for managing the biological/material interface as well as for transport control in medical device applications. Construction of biologically derived and mimicking polyelectrolyte multilayers (BioPEMs) and their chemically crosslinked derivatives was evaluated at the nanometer scale and the glucose mass transfer properties were characterized in a physiological environment. Glucose diffusivity through all the BioPEMs was found to be three to four orders of magnitude lower than that of bare substrate. In contrast, permeation rates (dC/dt) were significantly higher than when compared to films comprising the same number of bilayers of synthetic materials—poly(acrylic acid)/poly(allylamine hydrochloride). Crosslinked BioPEMs exhibited decreased diffusivity of glucose up to 51% compared to native BioPEMs. These findings provide fundamental insight into the transport properties of BioPEM coatings that may be useful in maximizing biomimetic properties while also controlling permeation of small molecules in applications such as sensors, filtration, and drug delivery systems. Full article
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12 pages, 3097 KiB  
Article
Surface Functionalization Utilizing Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Enhanced Evanescent-Field Mid-Infrared Waveguide Gas Sensing
by Diana Al Husseini, Yashaswini Karanth, Junchao Zhou, Daniel Willhelm, Xiaofeng Qian, Ricardo Gutierrez-Osuna, Gerard L. Coté, Pao Tai Lin and Svetlana A. Sukhishvili
Coatings 2021, 11(2), 118; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings11020118 - 21 Jan 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3630
Abstract
This work focuses on the development of nanoparticle-based layer-by-layer (LbL) coatings for enhancing the detection sensitivity and selectivity of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using on-chip mid-infrared (MIR) waveguides (WGs). First, we demonstrate construction of conformal coatings of polymer/mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) on the [...] Read more.
This work focuses on the development of nanoparticle-based layer-by-layer (LbL) coatings for enhancing the detection sensitivity and selectivity of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using on-chip mid-infrared (MIR) waveguides (WGs). First, we demonstrate construction of conformal coatings of polymer/mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) on the surface of Si-based WGs using the LbL technique and evaluate the coating deposition conditions, such as pH and substrate withdrawal speed, on the thickness and homogeneity of the assemblies. We then use the modified WGs to achieve enhanced sensitivity and selectivity of polar organic compounds, such as ethanol, versus non-polar ones, such as methane, in the MIR region. In addition, using density functional theory calculations, we show that such an improvement in sensing performance is achieved due to preferential adsorption of ethanol molecules within MSNs in the vicinity of the WG evanescent field. Full article
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Review

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28 pages, 2794 KiB  
Review
Nanoparticles in Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Layer-by-Layer (LbL) Films and Capsules—Key Enabling Components of Hybrid Coatings
by Ekaterina V. Lengert, Semyon I. Koltsov, Jie Li, Alexey V. Ermakov, Bogdan V. Parakhonskiy, Ekaterina V. Skorb and Andre G. Skirtach
Coatings 2020, 10(11), 1131; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings10111131 - 21 Nov 2020
Cited by 43 | Viewed by 6184
Abstract
Originally regarded as auxiliary additives, nanoparticles have become important constituents of polyelectrolyte multilayers. They represent the key components to enhance mechanical properties, enable activation by laser light or ultrasound, construct anisotropic and multicompartment structures, and facilitate the development of novel sensors and movable [...] Read more.
Originally regarded as auxiliary additives, nanoparticles have become important constituents of polyelectrolyte multilayers. They represent the key components to enhance mechanical properties, enable activation by laser light or ultrasound, construct anisotropic and multicompartment structures, and facilitate the development of novel sensors and movable particles. Here, we discuss an increasingly important role of inorganic nanoparticles in the layer-by-layer assembly—effectively leading to the construction of the so-called hybrid coatings. The principles of assembly are discussed together with the properties of nanoparticles and layer-by-layer polymeric assembly essential in building hybrid coatings. Applications and emerging trends in development of such novel materials are also identified. Full article
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