Self-Assembled Mosaic Lamellar Structures in Hydrophobic Phospholipid Polymer Films

In this study, a hydrophobic phospholipid polymer (PMS) consisting of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) and stearyl methacrylate (SMA) was synthesized by conventional radical copolymerization. A thin film of PMS was formed by casting an aqueous solution of the PMS nano-dispersion. This solution was prepared by using a self-aggregation technique that was previously reported. An endothermic peak was observed from DSC study of the PMS cast film. This peak suggested the association of stearyl groups. The microstructure in the PMS cast film was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the structural parameter was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The XRD patterns showed periodic structures in the length of 5.7 nm and 0.42 nm, which is similar to a lipid bilayer. From the TEM image, a continuously flexed mosaic lamellar structure was observed.