초록 |
It is well known that the adsorption kinetics of Layer-by-Layer (LbL) film is controlled by several parameters. Yet, previous research has been restricted to the adsorption mechanism. For effective application of the LbL films, the mechanism of desorption should also be elucidated. The primary focus of the present study is to analyze the release mechanism of LbL films composed of weak polyelectrolytes (PEs). The pH-triggered change in the films was monitored by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). QCM-D was employed to assess the change in physical properties during the release. For CLSM, each PE was labeled with fluorescent dyes. The use of dye-conjugated PEs allowed a direct three-dimensional visualization of the film constructions after the release. From those two measurements, we gathered important insights on the change of construction and physical properties within weak PE LbL films during the release. |