Journal of Physical Chemistry B, Vol.101, No.16, 3122-3129, 1997
Structure of Phospholipid Monolayers Containing Poly(Ethylene Glycol) Lipids at the Air-Water-Interface
The density distribution of a lipid monolayer al the air-water interface mixed with varying amounts of lipid with poly(ethylene glycol) polymer headgroups (polymer-lipid or PEG-lipid) was measured using neutron reflectometry. The structure of the monolayer at the interface was greatly perturbed by the presence of the bulky polymer-lipid headgroups resulting in a large increase in the thickness of the headgroup region normal to the interface and a systematic roughening of the interface with increasing polymer-lipid content. These results show how bulky hydrophilic moieties cause significant deformations and out-of-plane protrusions of phospholipid monolayers and presumably bilayers, vesicles, and biological membranes. In terms of polymer physics, very short polymer chains tethered to the air-water interface follow scaling behavior with a mushroom to brush transition with increasing polymer grafting density.
Keywords:X-RAY REFLECTIVITY;STERICALLY STABILIZED LIPOSOMES;GRAFTED POLYMER BRUSH;NEUTRON REFLECTIVITY;INTERACTION FORCES;SOLVENT QUALITY;SURFACES;SURFACTANTS;ADSORPTION;MOLECULES