EXTERNAL PULSED ELECTRIC FIELD REMOTE ACTIVATION OF NANOCOMPOSITE MICROCAPSULES FORMED FROM THE LIPIDS, POLYMERS AND CONDUCTIVE NANOPARTICLES

 

Yu. V. Gulyaev¹, V. A. Cherepenin¹, V. A. Vdovin¹, I. V. Taranov¹, V. V. Faykin¹, V. I. Tyukavin¹,
V. P. Kim², Yu. A. Koksharov², P. A. Kormakova², K. V. Potapenkov²,
A. A. Rakhnyanskaya³, A. V. Sybachin³, E. G. Yaroslavova³, A. A.Yaroslavov³, G. B. Khomutov^1,2

 

¹ Kotel’nikov Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics of RAS, Moscow

² Faculty of Physics, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University

³ Faculty of Chemistry, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University

 

The paper is received on November 10, 2014

 

Abstract. In the paper we present results on the design, preparation and characterization of novel nanocomposite hybrid systems sensitive to external non-thermal electric field pulses and perspective for capsulation, targeted transport, controlled spatial localization and stimuli-addressed delivery of various compounds in aqueous media. The systems were formed from lipids, new functional amphiphilic molecules, polymers and conducting nanoparticles and were based on cationic liposomes containing electroneutral biogenic lipids and specific synthetic amphiphilic polyamine molecules which provide the binding of polyanions and functional inorganic nanoparticles with liposomes. In the present work cationic liposomes were formed from phosphatidylcholine and contained up to 20% of cationic amphiphilic compound stearylspermine. Magnetite Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were used as magnetic conducting inorganic nanoparticles, polystyrene sulfonate was used as a polyanion. Nanocomposite capsules were prepared by sequential adsorption of colloid inorganic nanoparticles and polyanions onto the cationic hybrid liposomes presynthesized using conventional ultrasound technique. The fabricated nanostructures have been studied using a number of techniques including transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, electron mafnetic resonance, laser light scattering, electrophoresis, conductometry, etc. With the aim of additional control of decapsulation resulting from the non-thermal electric pulse effect on the prepared nanocomposite liposomes the NaCl solution was placed in the liposomal internal volume. In the present work we describe the results of the study of possibilities for remote activation of nanocomposite liposomes via action of short high voltage electric pulses (duration ~ 1 ns, electric field strength about hundreds kV/m). The model describing the mechanism of interaction of nanostructured liposomes containing the conducting nanoparticles on their surface with external electric field resulting in substantial changes of liposome structure is proposed. The evaluations of external electric field critical values resulting in nanocomposite liposomes decapsulation have been carried out. The data obtained point to the possibilities for creation of nanocomposite hybrid liposomes and vesicules on the base of complexes of lipids, polymers and nanoparticles which are characterized in that their shell structure and permeability can be changed controllably by effect of non-thermal electric pulses. Such nanosystems can be a base for creation of novel efficient tools for capsulation, targeted transport and controlled delivery of various compounds in aqueous phases prospective for bio-medical and other applications.     

Keywords: capsules, liposomes, structure, nanoparticles, magnetite Fe₃O₄, polyelectrolytes, pulse electric field.