Surface properties of biopolymer multilayer thin films produced by the Layer-by-Layer technique

• Grant number: 12/03622-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2013
• End date: December 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Marisa Masumi Beppu
• Grantee: Rogério Aparecido Bataglioli
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Química (FEQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Layer-by-Layer technique has established itself as a simple and versatile method for coating and functionalizing surfaces of materials with different sizes and shapes. For this reason, this technique has been used in a range of applications, from the production of optical and electronic devices to its use in materials for clinical applications. In the last years, many articles have been published describing the use of biopolymer multilayered thin films for biotechnological processes. Interestingly, lots of them utilize chitosan as a cationic polyelectrolyte, because of its biocompatible properties; however, there are few articles reporting chemical and structural aspects and potential applications of films composed of carboxymethylcellulose and chitosan. In this sense, this project suggests the automated production of multilayered thin films by the Layer-by-Layer technique utilizing chitosan and carboxymethylcelulose polyelectrolytes solutions with different conditions of pH and ionic strength. The first objective will be to understand the influence of these parameters in the physicochemical properties of biopolymers multilayered thin films. Structural and chemical properties of these films such as thickness, roughness, hydrophilicity, and free ionic groups will be evaluated by profilometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM), water contact angle measurements, and UV-visible spectroscopy, respectively. Further, it will be evaluated the influence of pH and ionic strength in the antibacterial surface properties of these films, with the purpose of creating antibacterial coatings with properties of both materials (chitosan and carboxymethylcelulose) for biotechnological applications.(AU)