Formation Of Lamellar Liquid Crystals Research Articles

Lipid based liquid-crystalline stabilized formulations for the sustained release of bioactive hydrophilic molecules.

Lipid based formulations, endowed of long term stability as a result of the formation of lamellar liquid crystals, were prepared using the natural lipids lecithin and glycerol trioleate in water, and characterized using optical microscopy, SAXRD and NMR. The formulations, designed as possible carriers for lysozyme and caffeine, were evaluated for structural features and stability after the loading of the guest molecules. Release experiments were performed at 37 °C using the PBS medium. No burst release was observed either for lysozyme or caffeine. Although lysozyme released from the lipid formulations does not fully retain its biological activity, the investigated liquid crystal stabilized formulations display a promising potential as drug and cosmetic carriers for topical applications, due to their high biocompatibility.

Effect of Cyclohexane on the Phase Behavior of L64/1-Butyl-3-Methylimidazolium Tetrafluoroborate System

The triblock copolymer poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (L64, PEO13PPO30PEO13) in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([Bmim][BF4]) can form lamellar liquid crystalline (Lα). The effect of apolar cyclohexane molecules on the Lα phase was investigated by using polarized optical microscopy (POM) and small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS). The results of POM and SAXS show that a suitable amount of cyclohexane can contribute to the formation of lamellar liquid crystals, and the ordering of Lα phase is increased. For comparison, the effect of polar water on Lα phase was explored. After adding water, both EO groups and [BF4]– anion can form hydrogen bonds with water molecules, which weakens the electrostatic interactions between L64 and [Bmim][BF4] and therefore the ordering of lamellar structures is destroyed.

Intermediate Structures for Higher Level Arrangements: Catching Disk-Like Micelles in Decane Phosphonic Acid Aqueous Solutions

It has been proposed that disk-like micelles may be precursors to the formation of lamellar liquid crystals. The possibility of obtaining n-decane phosphonic acid (DPA) disk-like micelles in aqueous solution without the addition of a second ionic surfactant led us to study in detail the low-concentration range of this system by both a battery of experimental techniques and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The experimental results indicate that premicelles with some capacity to solubilize dyes are formed at 0.05 mM. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) was found to be 0.260 ± 0.023 mM, much lower than that previously reported in the literature. Spherical micelles, which immediately grow, leading to disk-like micelles, are probably formed at this concentration. At 0.454 ± 0.066 mM, disk-like micelles become unstable, giving rise to the formation of an emulsion of lamellar mesophase that dominates the system beyond 0.670 ± 0.045 mM. These experimental results were corroborated by MD simulations which, additionally, allow describing the structure of the obtained micelles at atomic level. The analysis of the MD trajectories revealed the presence of strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds between the surfactant headgroups, producing a compact polar layer with low water content. The formation of such H-bond network could explain the ability of this surfactant to form disk-like micelles at concentrations close to the cmc.

Influence of Ionic Surfactants on the Formation of Liquid Crystals in Oleic Acid/Glycol/Water Systems

AbstractThe influence of surfactant structure on the formation of lamellar liquid crystals with very low surfactant concentration was investigated for systems composed of oleic acid, diethyleneglycol ethyl ether and water. Surfactants belonging to anionic and cationic families were checked: phosphated oleyl ether 3 EO (PO3EO), triethanolamine oleate (TEAO) and sodium lauryl ether sulphate (SLES) as anionic surfactants and two alkyl trimethylammonium bromide type (C12TAB and C14TAB) as cationic surfactants. For each of the surfactants, the appropriate relationships between surfactant, oleic acid and glycol to furnish lamellar liquid crystals when these basic compositions were further diluted with water were established. The appropriate ranges of dilution allowing the liquid crystal formation were also determined. These liquid crystals presented an attractive appearance because of their transparency and high viscosity, although in the beginning of its formation, a short range of less viscous compositions (so called liquid/gel compositions) appears in some cases. Through water dilution, the initial surfactant percentages are noticeably reduced being possible liquid crystals with 2–5 wt% of surfactant.

Influence of glycols on the formation of lamellar liquid crystals with an anionic surfactant, oleic acid, and water

AbstractThe influence of glycol structures on the formation of lamellar liquid crystals with the physical appearance of transparent gels in formulations composed of an anionic surfactant, oleic acid, and water was investigated. The glycols studied belong to alkyl derivatives of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol. The relationships between the ingredients of the so‐called basic compositions—surfactant, oleic acid, and glycol—were optimized to form transparent gels when diluted with water. The ranges in which transparent gels existed were compared for the systems with different glycols. The most suitable glycols, as defined by the lowest surfactant content in the final transparent gels, were ethylene glycol methyl ether and especially methyl and ethyl derivatives of diethylene glycol. Formulations with 2–3% surfactant could be prepared with these glycols. These data were correlated with the polarity of the glycol structures described by means of log P (octanol/water partition coefficient). Transparent gel formation occurred for log P values ranging from approximately 0.5 to −0.5, whereas liquid crystal formation did not result from higher or lower values.

A didodecyldimethylammonium bromide ternary system: Characterization of three‐phase stable emulsions by optical microscopy

AbstractA preliminary characterization of the didodecyldimethyl ammonium bromide (DDAB)/water (W)/per fluorooctane (PFO) ternary system at 25°C is presented. The gradual addition of water, followed by mixing, to DDAB/PFO mixtures produces very stable emulsions for water contents greater than 20 wt%. On the basis of macroscopic observation, at least four different types of emulsions form up to a water content of around 97 wt%. On the basis of high conductivity values, a water‐continuous domain is suggested at all compositions. A second phase diagram, considerably different in phase boundaries, is obtained by adding the PFO oil to DDAB/W samples. This allowed us to ascertain the swelling properties of Lα1 and Lα2 lamellar phases. Optical microscopy in the presence and in the absence of polarized light revealed the formation of lamellar liquid crystals either as randomly localized islands or as rings surrounding the oil droplets. Vesicles are identified at high water content. The contemporaneous presence of both Lα1 and Lα2 lamellar phases causes a synergistic effect in the PFO stabilization.

Characterizing Colloidal Structures of Pseudoternary Phase Diagrams Formed by Oil/Water/Amphiphile Systems

Two pseudoternary phase diagrams were constructed using ethyl oleate, water, and a surfactant blend containing poly (oxyethylene 20) sorbitan monooleate and sorbitan monolaurate with or without the cosurfactant 1-butanol. Two colloidal regions were identified in the cosurfactant-free phase diagram; a microemulsion (ME) and a region containing lamellar liquid crystals (LC). The addition of 1-butanol increased the area in which systems formed microemulsions and eliminated the formation of any liquid crystalline phases. Samples that form the colloidal regions of both systems were investigated by freeze-fracture transmission electron microscopy and by viscosity and conductivity measurements. The three techniques were compared and evaluated as characterisation tools for such colloidal systems and also to identify transitions between the colloidal systems formed. A droplet ME was present at a low water volume fraction (ϕw) in both systems (ϕw <0.15) as revealed by electron microscopy. At higher ϕw values, LC structures were observed in micrographs of samples taken from the cosurfactant-free system while the structure of samples from the cosurfactant-containing system was that of a bicontinuous ME. The viscosity of both systems increased with increasing ϕw to 0.15 and flow was Newtonian. However, formation of LC in the cosurfactant-free system resulted in a dramatic increase in viscosity that was dependent on ϕw and a change to pseudoplastic flow. In contrast, the viscosity of the bicontinuous ME was independent of ϕw. Three different methods were used to estimate the percolation threshold from the conductivity data for the cosurfactant-containing system. The use of nonlinear curve fitting was found to be most useful yielding a value close to 0.15 for the ϕw.

Effects of Lipid Fractions from Green Plants on Bread Volume

Abstract Ethanol extracts of green plants have the possibility to somewhat improve the bread volume. This effect may be enhanced by concentration of the polar lipids. An advantage with this second step is that the intensity of the green colour can be reduced. The grassy aroma is also decreased by this method, which can also be achieved by careful choice of species. The actual mechanism of the function of the lipids is not completely understood, but the formation of lamellar liquid crystals seems to be very important. The total amount of such lipids, their composition and relative concentration are correlated to their ability to improve the gas holding capacity.