A cross-linking polymerization of hydrophobic monomers within the surfactant bilayer of vesicles leads to the formation of a quasi-two-dimensional polymer network. Depending on the dimensions of the templating vesicles, polymer hollow spheres can be produced with diameters ranging from several tens of nanometers up to hundreds of micrometers. The hollow sphere morphology of the polymer particles is proved by confocal laser scanning microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and static and dynamic light scattering. After extraction of the surfactant matrix, the polymer particles contract considerably without loss of their spherical shape. The extend of the contraction depends sensitively on the cross-linking density of the polymer network and shows a similar scaling behavior as branched polymers.

Water-soluble polymers carrying a small fraction of hydrophobic groups are able to insert these groups into the hydrophobic interior of lipid bilayers or membranes. Under certain conditions such polymers can interconnect different vesicles or biological cells. With increasing polymer concentration this leads to the formation of a three-dimensional network. In this paper we report about the preparation and a first characterization of the structure and the mechanical properties of these new vesicle-polymer and polymercell gels composed of R,ω-cholesterol-modified poly(oxyethylene) and dimethyldioctadecylammonium chloride vesicles or living cells.

Template‐directed synthesis is an elegant approach to defined nanostructured materials. Vesicles or liposomes have already been used in the synthesis of small inorganic particles, but their use as a template for polymer synthesis is rare. Despite this, direct templating of vesicles offers interesting new possibilities for the formation of defined nanostructured polymers. While the polymer morphology is determined by the size and shape of the templates, the polymer framework can be modified by conventional chemical reactions. The authors envisage applications in separation processes or drug delivery.

No abstract

No abstract