The structure of poly(L-lysine) (PLL)͞hyaluronan (HA) polyelectrolyte multilayers formed by electrostatic self-assembly is studied by using confocal laser scanning microscopy, quartz crystal microbalance, and optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy. These films exhibit an exponential growth regime where the thickness increases exponentially with the number of deposited layers, leading to micrometer thick films. Previously such a growth regime was suggested to result from an ''in'' and ''out'' diffusion of the PLL chains through the film during buildup, but direct evidence was lacking. The use of dye-conjugated polyelectrolytes now allows a direct three-dimensional visualization of the film construction by introducing fluorescent polyelectrolytes at different steps during the film buildup. We find that, as postulated, PLL diffuses throughout the film down into the substrate after each new PLL injection and out of the film after each PLL rinsing and further after each HA injection. As PLL reaches the outer layer of the film it interacts with the incoming HA, forming the new HA͞PLL layer. The thickness of this new layer is thus proportional to the amount of PLL that diffuses out of the film during the buildup step, which explains the exponential growth regime. HA layers are also visualized but no diffusion is observed, leading to a stratified film structure. We believe that such a diffusion-based buildup mechanism explains most of the exponential-like growth processes of polyelectrolyte multilayers reported in the literature.hyaluronan ͉ poly(L-lysine) ͉ confocal laser scanning microscopy ͉ diffusion ͉ film structure

The formation ofpolysaccharide films based on the alternate deposition of chitosan (CHI) and hyaluronan (HA) was investigated by several techniques. The multilayer buildup takes place in two stages: during the first stage, the surface is covered by isolated islets that grow and coalesce as the construction goes on. After several deposition steps, a continuous film is formed and the second stage of the buildup process takes place. The whole process is characterized by an exponential increase of the mass and thickness of the film with the number of deposition steps. This exponential growth mechanism is related to the ability of the polycation to diffuse "in" and "out" of the whole film at each deposition step. Using confocal laser microscopy and fluorescently labeled CHI, we show that such a diffusion behavior, already observed with poly(L-lysine) as a polycation, is also found with CHI, a polycation presenting a large persistence length. We also analyze the effect of the molecular weight (MW) of the diffusing polyelectrolyte (CHI) on the buildup process and observe a faster growth for low MW chitosan. The influence of the salt concentration during buildup is also investigated. Whereas the CHI/HA films grow rapidly at high salt concentration (0.15 M NaCl) with the formation of a uniform film after only a few deposition steps, it is very difficult to build the film at 10(-4) M NaCl. In this latter case, the deposited mass increases linearly with the number of deposition steps and the first deposition stage, where the surface is covered by islets, lasts at least up to 50 bilayer deposition steps. However, even at these low salt concentrations and in the islet configuration, CHI chains seem to diffuse in and out of the CHI/HA complexes. The linear mass increase of the film with the number of deposition steps despite the CHI diffusion is explained by a partial redissolution of the CHI/HA complexes forming the film during different steps of the buildup process. Finally, the uniform films built at high salt concentrations were also found to be chondrocyte resistant and, more interestingly, bacterial resistant. Therefore, the (CHI/HA) films may be used as an antimicrobial coating.

Poly(L-lysine)/hyaluronan (PLL/HA) films were chemically cross-linked with a water soluble carbodiimide (EDC) in combination with a N-hydroxysulfo-succinimide (NHS) to induce amide formation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirms the conversion of carboxylate and ammonium groups into amide bonds. Quartz crystal microbalance-dissipation reveals that the cross linking reaction is accompanied by a change in the viscoelastic properties of the films leading to more rigid films. After the cross-linking reaction, both positively and negatively ending films exhibit a negative zeta potential. It is shown by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching measured by confocal laser scanning microscopy that cross-linking dramatically reduces the diffusion of the PLL chains in the network. Cross linking also renders the films highly resistant to hyaluronidase, an enzyme that naturally degrades hyaluronan. Finally, the adhesion of chondrosarcoma cells on the films terminating either with PLL or HA is also investigated. Whereas the non cross-linked films are highly resistant to cell adhesion, the cells adhere and spread well on the cross-linked films.

Two types of polyelectrolyte multilayer films have been reported in the literature. These are (i) films whose mass and thickness increase linearly as the number of deposited bilayers increases and (ii) films that grow exponentially. We present a model for the buildup of exponentially growing films that allows a discussion of the behavior of them in a unified manner. This model is based on the diffusion both in and out the whole film of part of the chains of at least one of the polyelectrolytes constituting the multilayer. In short, the film is brought into contact with the solution of polyelectrolytes that are able to diffuse into the film. Inside of the film, chains of this polyelectrolyte constitute the “free” chains. At the subsequent rinsing step, some of them diffuse outward from the film. The remaining chains leave the film as it is brought into contact further with the polyelectrolyte solution of opposite charge. As the “free” chains reach the film/solution interface, they are complexed by the polyelectrolytes of opposite charge. These complexes, which are composed of both types of polyelectrolytes, contribute to the formation of the additional mass of the multilayer. The model relies on the evaluation of the electrostatic potential in the film within the framework of the Debye−Hückel approximation and takes into consideration the Donnan effect, which is due to noncompensated fixed charges in the film. It also includes the situation where none of the polyelectrolytes diffuse within the multilayer, in which case the film grows linearly. The model predicts the existence of a free-energy barrier that prevents total diffusion of any “free” polyelectrolyte outward from the film during a rinsing step, following contact with a polyelectrolyte solution. It also predicts that usually only one of the two polyelectrolytes that comprise the film diffuses readily into it. Both polyelectrolytes that comprise the film can diffuse “into” and “out of” the multilayer only when the concentration of noncompensated fixed charges within the film is very small. Several predictions of the model are discussed in the light of experimental results that have already been published or are new.