Polyelectrolyte Complex Films Research Articles

The effect of sulfonated reduced graphene oxide on the properties of ionic strength sensitive PEC film comprising protein/polysaccharides combined system

In the current study, sulfonated reduced graphene oxide (SRGO) at different amounts (0.0 %, 0.015 %, 0.030 %, 0.050 % w/v) was incorporated into the polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) which was produced by using protein/polysaccharides combined system composed of gelatin (Gel)/carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and hyaluronic acid (HA) not only to enhance mechanical and conductive properties but also to investigate the effect of sulfonyl groups on the ionic strength response of the produced PEC films. While FT-IR, SEM and zeta potential analyses were confirmed the character of produced samples, their mechanical and conductivity tests showed that the introduction of SRGO enhanced both mechanical performance and conductive feature of PEC films. Swelling and 5- fluorouracil (5-FU), a chemotherapeutic agent, release tests carried out in the solution with a varying ionic strength at a pH: 1.2 to simulate acidic stomach environment demonstrated that while pure PEC film has anti-polyelectrolyte behavior, SRGO based PEC films exhibited polyelectrolyte character due to sulfonyl groups with an increasing ionic strength of medium. It could be emphasized from all these results that the produced SRGO based PEC films with enhanced mechanical and conductive properties could be utilized as an ionic strength sensitive drug carrier which ensures controlled and targeted release for cancer treatments.

Evaporation-Induced Polyelectrolyte Complexation: The Role of Base Volatility and Cosolvents.

Film formation is a vital step for coating applications where a homogeneous, defect-free solid phase should be obtained, starting from a liquid casting formulation. Recently, an alternative waterborne-coating approach was proposed, based on the formation of a polyelectrolyte complex film. In this approach, an evaporating base induces a pH change during drying that initiates the complexation of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes, followed by further densification. In previous studies, ammonia was used as the evaporative base, leading to relatively fast evaporation and resulting in films showing significant brittleness, which tended to crack at low relative humidity or larger thicknesses. We hypothesize that slower complexation and/or evaporation can reduce the problematic stress build-up in the prepared polyelectrolyte complex coatings. For this reason, we studied the changes in the film formation process when there are different bases and cosolvents. We found that reducing the evaporation rate by changing ammonia to the slower evaporating dimethylamine or by adding DMSO as a cosolvent, led to less internal stress build-up during film formation, which could be beneficial for film application. Indeed, films prepared with ammonia showed cracking after 1 h, while films prepared with dimethylamine only showed cracking after one month. The fast evaporation of ammonia was also found to cause a temporary turbid phase, indicating phase separation, while for the slower evaporating bases, this did not occur. All prepared films remained sensitive to humidity, which poses the next challenge for these promising coatings.

Improved mucoadhesivity of polyelectrolyte complexes films by electrospinning for the release of nystatin in the oral cavity

This work aimed to obtain and characterize chitosan-gum arabic polyelectrolyte complex films loaded with nystatin employing the “Solvent-Casting” technique. These films were covered with electrospun nanofibers of polycaprolactone-polycarbophil (Noveon® AA-1) to improve the mucoadhesivity of the system with the objective of increasing the residence time in the oral zone and act as sustained release systems of the drug. The topography of the films was determined by SEM, while the interaction of the polymers was evaluated by FTIR, DSC and TGA. The antimicrobial activity of the film was tested against a strain of Candida species, and the mucoadhesión capacity was determined in an in vitro model. The films are mucoadhesive and generate sustained release that can be explained by the Korsemeyer-Peppas model. Furthermore, significant antimicrobial activity was found. The films and their components showed a non-toxic to slight cytotoxic activity. These results indicate that these films based on polyelectrolyte complexes, potentiated by electrospun fibers are a plausible system for the controlled release of nystatin in the oral cavity.

Chitosan-polygalacturonic acid complex dressing improves diabetic wound healing and hair growth in diabetic mice

Chronic skin wounds decrease the quality of life of millions of diabetic patients worldwide. Chitosan has previously been shown to possess hemostatic properties, decrease inflammation, promote fibroblast proliferation, and hair growth. We developed a relatively low-cost polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) film dressing made of chitosan and polygalacturonic acid and tested it for its ability to accelerate diabetic wound healing. Genetically diabetic male mice were shaved on the dorsum, and one day later a 1 cm diameter full-thickness excisional wound was created. The PEC film was applied immediately after wounding and left in place for 14 days. Controls consisted of wounds treated with a fibrin gel. Wounds covered with the PEC film had closed completely by post-wounding day 42, while untreated wounds were only half-way closed. Histological analysis of wounds confirmed that PEC-treated wounds had fully re-epithelialized, while control wounds lacked a continuous epidermis at the wound center. We also observed that the area of skin under the PEC film experienced much more rapid hair growth. Histologically, there were significantly more hair follicles around the scar area (p < 0.05) in the PEC-treated group as compared to the control group. Thus, chitosan-polygalacturonic acid PEC films can accelerate both wound healing and hair growth in diabetic mice, and should be further investigated as a potential future treatment for diabetic chronic wounds.

Microporous Polyelectrolyte Complexes by Hydroplastic Foaming.

Polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) have emerged as an attractive category of materials for their water processability and some similarities to natural biopolymers. Herein, we employ the intrinsic hydroplasticity of PEC materials to enable the generation of porous structures with the aid of gas foaming. Such foamable materials are fabricated by simply mixing polycation, polyanion, and a UV-initiated chemical foaming agent in an aqueous solution, followed by molding into thin films. The gas foaming of the PEC films can be achieved upon exposure to UV illumination under water, where the films are plasticized and the gaseous products from the photolysis of foaming agents afford the formation, expanding, and merging of numerous bubbles. The porosity and morphology of the resulting porous films can be customized by tuning film composition, foaming conditions, and especially the degree of plasticizing effect, illustrating the high flexibility of this hydroplastic foaming method. Due to the rapid initiation of gas foaming, the present method enables the formation of porous structures via an instant one-step process, much more efficient than those existing strategies for porous PEC materials. More importantly, such a pore-forming mechanism might be extended to other hydroplastic materials (e.g., biopolymers) and help to yield hydroplasticity-based processing strategies.

POLYLECTROLYTE COMPLEX OF SODIUM ALGINATE - POLYETHYLENIMINE WITH THE INCLUSION COMPLEX OF SULFOBUTYL ETHER β-CYCLODEXTRIN – DEXAMETHASONE.

A polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) of sodium alginate with polyethyleneimine, loaded with (5 wt.%) inclusion complex (IC) of sulfobutylether β-cyclodextrin with dexame­thasone, was formed from aqueous solutions. Dexamethasone (DM) is a medical and ve­terinary synthetic glucocorticosteroid with anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects, used in the treatment of various di­seases. The structure of the obtained compositions was analyzed by X-ray diffraction method, confirming the interaction PEC and IC through both Coulombic forces between the ionic groups of PEC and hydrogen bonding involving the proton-donor and proton-acceptor polar groups of PEC and IC. These findings were supported by pyrolytic mass spectrometry data and differential scanning calorimetry. The decrease in PEC swelling degree further supports the above conclusions. Testing the obtained PEC films for drug release using UV spectrophotometry revealed that the release kinetics were nonlinear and partially dependent on the release medium, indicating their potential as materials for creating polymer matrices with prolonged therapeutic effects.

Structure and Physico-Mechanical Properties of Polyelectrolyte Complexes Based on Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose Polysaccharide and Polyacrylamide

In this paper, the structure and physico-mechanical properties of films of polyelectrolyte complexes (PEC) based on sodium carboxymethylcellulose (Na-CMC) with linear polyacrylamide (PAA) have been studied. Polyelectrolyte complexes were obtained by mixing aqueous solutions of Na-CMC and PAA components in various ratios of components and pH of the medium. The structure of the obtained products was determined using IR spectroscopy and electron microscopy. IR spectra in the range 400–4000 cm-1 were recorded on NIKOLET Magna-560 IR and Specord-75IR spectrophotometers (Carl Zeiss, GDR). The mechanical properties of films of polyelectrolyte complexes were determined by stretching at a constant speed of movement of the lower clamp, 50 mm/min, on an Instron-1100 automatic dynamometer (England) at room temperature. IR spectroscopic data showed that polyelectrolyte complexes based on Na-CMC and PAA were stabilized due to the cooperative ionic bond between Na-CMC carboxylate anions (-COO-) and amine groups (-NH2) of polyacrylamide. It is shown that PEC films with an equimolar ratio of Na-CMC and PAA components have an increased value of mechanical strength (σр = 38 MPa), elastic modulus (Е = 73 MPa) and a minimum relative elongation (ε = 0.5%). And in excess of Na-CMC or PAA leads to a decrease in mechanical strength and elastic modulus, which is associated with a decrease in the frequency of intermolecular bonds. It has been ascertained that water-soluble polyelectrolyte complexes based on Na-CMC and PAA with increased strength properties can be obtained from solutions of components taken at an equimolar ratio of interacting components. By changing the ratio of components, properties such as mechanical strength, modulus of elasticity and elongation can be controlled. This can serve as one of the means of controlling the structure and properties of Na-CMC and PAA polyelectrolyte complexes. The regulation of the physico-mechanical properties of PEC films opens up wide opportunities for their use as a soil structure former in agriculture and water management and as the basis for soft drugs in pharmacy.

Antifouling Coatings from Glassy Polyelectrolyte Complex Films.

Coatings that prevent or decrease fouling are sought for many applications, including those that inhibit the attachment of organisms in aquatic environments. To date, antifouling coatings have mostly followed design criteria assembled over decades: surfaces should be well/strongly hydrated, possess low net charge, and maintain a hydrophilic character when exposed to the location of use. Thus, polymers based on ethylene glycol or zwitterionic repeat units have been shown to be highly effective. Unfortunately, hydrated materials can be quite soft, limiting their use in some environments. In a major paradigm shift, this work describes glassy antifouling films made from certain complexes of positive and negative polyelectrolytes. The dense network of electrostatic interactions yields tough materials below the glass transition temperature, Tg, in normal use, while the highly ionic character of these polyelectrolyte complexes ensures strong hydration. The proximity of equal numbers of opposite charges within these complexes mimics zwitterionic structures. Films, assembled layer-by-layer from aqueous solutions, contained sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone), SPEEK, a rigid polyelectrolyte that binds strongly to a selection of quaternary ammonium polycations. Layer-by-layer buildup of SPEEK and polycations was linear, indicating strong complexes between polyelectrolytes. Calorimetry also showed that complex formation was exothermic. Surfaces coated with these films in the 100 nm thickness range completely resisted adhesion of the common flagellate green algae, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, which were removed from surfaces at a minimum applied flow rate of 0.8 cm s-1. The total surface charge density of adsorbed cations, determined with a sensitive radioisotopic label, was very low, around 10% of a monolayer, which minimized adsorption driven by counterion release from the surface. The viscoelastic properties of the complexes, which were stable even in concentrated salt solutions, were explored using rheology of bulk samples. When fully hydrated, their Tg values were observed to be above 75 °C.

HEMOCOMPATIBILITY STUDIES OF LAYER-BY-LAYER POLYELECTROLYTE COMPLEXES FOR BIO-BASED POLYMERS

Thrombogenesis is an important issue that causes blood-contacting biomedical device failure. This study focuses on hemocompatibility studies of novel blood-contacting polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) for biomedical application designs. PEC films were fabricated from biobased polymers of silk fibroin (SF), chitosan (CH), and sodium alginate (AL) through the solvent casting method as well as Layer-by-Layer (LbL) technique. Characterization was carried out by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Atomic force microscopy (AFM), and Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses. FTIR spectra displayed all layers’ characteristic peaks of SF, CH, and AL. AFM images indicated that the addition of AL as an outer layer increased surface roughness. DSC analysis suggested that the best thermal stability has been observed with the CH outer layer of PECs. SEM micrograph analysis indicated that the morphologies of PECs were affected by the inclusion of the clopidogrel bisulfate (CLB). Hemocompatibility properties were investigated by complete blood count (CBC), prothrombin time (PT), international normalized ratio (INR), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), platelet adhesion, erythrocyte morphology analysis, in vitro cholesterol, and albumin level tests. These hemocompatibility analyses demonstrated that the PEC surfaces provide favourable principles to design and develop non-thrombogenic PECs for blood-contacting biomedical applications

Nanocomposite thin-film structures based on a polyelectrolyte complex of chitosan and chitosan succinamide with SWCNT

The article is devoted to the study of nanocomposite thin films based on a polyelectrolyte complex of chitosan and chitosan succinamide (PEC). Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) were used as fillers. Using the methods of cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, it was found that nanocomposite films have a larger effective surface area and electron transfer rate compared to polyelectrolyte complex films, which allows them to be further used in the electroanalysis of substances of various nature. The study of the surface of the nanocomposite structure of PEC with SWCNT using SEM showed that there are formations in the form of filaments formed by carbon nanotubes on it. Studying the nature of morphology is extremely important when creating sensory devices. Sensory sensitivity of resistive thin-film nanocomposite structures to air humidity and ammonia vapors was found. Based on these nanocomposite materials, samples of resistive thin-film structures were prepared, the dependences of the flowing current on the relative humidity of the air and the concentration of ammonia vapors were measured.

Clindamycin phosphate and bone morphogenetic protein-7 loaded combined nanoparticle-graft and nanoparticle-film formulations for alveolar bone regeneration – An in vitro and in vivo evaluation

Commonly utilized techniques for healing alveolar bone destruction such as the use of growth factors, suffering from short half-life, application difficulties, and the ability to achieve bioactivity only in the presence of high doses of growth factor. The sustained release of growth factors through a scaffold-based delivery system offers a promising and innovative tool in dentistry. Furthermore, it is suggested to guide the host response by using antimicrobials together with growth factors to prevent recovery and achieve ideal regeneration. Herein, the aim was to prepare and an in vitro - in vivo evaluation of bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP-7) and clindamycin phosphate (CDP) loaded polymeric nanoparticles, and their loading into the alginate-chitosan polyelectrolyte complex film or alloplastic graft to accelerate hard tissue regeneration. PLGA nanoparticles containing CDP and BMP-7, separately or together, were prepared using the double emulsion solvent evaporation technique. Through in vitro assays, it was revealed that spherical particles were homogeneously distributed in the combination formulations, and sustained release could be achieved for >12 weeks with all formulations. Also, results from the micro-CT and histopathological analyses indicated that CDP and BMP-7 loaded nanoparticle-film formulations were more effective in treatment than the nanoparticle loaded grafts.

Towards ductile single-step polyelectrolyte complex films by means of plasticization

Polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) show great promise as functional coatings, including as oxygen barrier coatings for food packaging, but the brittleness of dry PECs limits their application. In this work, the possibility of plasticizing polyethylenimine/poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid) (PEI/PSS) films was investigated. Three different classes of plasticizers were chosen: salt, polyols, and ionic liquids (ILs). They were successfully incorporated in the evaporation-based single-step method. Potassium bromide or sorbitol plasticized films all showed crystallization upon evaporation, while films plasticized by glycerol, polyethylene glycol, and imidazole-based ILs all showed a clear brittle-to-ductile transition in their mechanical properties. The hydrophilicity of polyols and the amphiphilicity of these ILs allowed them to form homogenous casting solutions, but also increased their water sensitivity. The ionic nature of ILs make them more efficient as plasticizers since they can replace part of the PE-PE ionic-crosslinks, resulting in a more flexible network. Overall, this work demonstrates that ductile PEC films can be formed in a single step with controlled mechanical properties through plasticization.

SYNTHESIS OF POLYELECTROLYTE COMPLEX FILMS OF CHITOSAN-ALGINATE BY ADDITION OF KELOR LEAVES EXTRACT (Moringa oleifera) FOR FOOD PACKAGING

This research aims to synthesize the polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) using chitosan and alginate as matrix film with the addition of kelor leaves extract (Moringa oleifera). The preparation of PEC films of chitosan-alginate by addition of kelor leaves extract (Moringa oleifera) had been implemented. The kelor leaves was prepared by drying process under the sun for removing water content and the dried kelor leaves was extracted using maceration technique. The final concentrations of film solution used in this study were 0.0% (Film E0), 0.50% (Film E1), 0.75% (Film E2), and 1.00% (Film E3). The PEC chitosan-alginate films with addition of kelor extract were prepared in room temperature (± 25 °C) and pH of film solution was ± 4.0. The result of film’s characterization using FTIR spectrophotometer showed that PEC films of chitosan-alginate were formed through the molecular interaction between chitosan which protonated into amine groups (–NH3+) and alginate which dissociated into carboxylate groups (–COO−). Based on FTIR spectrum, it also showed that there were some wavenumber shifts after addition of kelor leaves extract into PEC films of chitosan-alginate. It was confirmed that there were the changing of molecular interaction between PEC chitosan-alginate films due to presence of kelor extract, indicating that PEC chitosan-alginate films with kelor extract had been formed. Morphological analysis using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) displayed both porous and heterogeneous distribution on the surface after addition of kelor extract.

Elucidating ion transport mechanism in polyelectrolyte-complex membranes

Polyelectrolyte-complex (PEC) nanofiltration (NF) membranes attract much attention, however, the mechanisms governing ion separation in PEC films is not well understood. Here, we elucidate the ion transport in PECs using a recently reported Nafion-polyvinylamine (PVAm) membrane prepared via double-coating approach tuned to “rejection neutrality”, i.e., similar rejection of MgCl2 and Na2SO4 as single salts. New insights are gained by examining ion rejection for single- and mixed-salt solutions of NaCl, MgCl2 and Na2SO4 of varying concentrations and pH. The single salt permeability was found to vary with concentration, obeying a power law with an exponent around 0.4, matching neither the Donnan-dielectric nor a proposed PEC dissociation model. This is explained by progressive dissociation of the complex, which raises membrane swelling and dissociation constants, and weakenis dielectric exclusion, when salt concentration increases. Nevertheless, the membrane remains highly stable in all conditions, which is ascribed to the insolubility of Nafion in water. The results also indicate that “rejection-neutral” PEC still possesses a net negative charge, affecting ion selectivity at low salinities. The insights and physical picture proposed here may help understand and tune separation performance of PEC NF membranes and facilitate their implementation in applications such as purification and reuse of contaminated waters, resource recovery, and ion separations.

Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Adsorption on Sulfuric Acid-Crosslinked Chitosan/Pectin Polyelectrolyte Complex Film

Sulfuric acid cross-linked chitosan/pectin polyelectrolyte complex (CPS) film was prepared as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) adsorbent. CPS films were prepared in various compositions of chitosan/pectin and cross-linked by immersion in 0.1 M H2SO4 solution. CPS films were characterized using FTIR and SEM. CPS film was used for SDS adsorption with parameters of film composition, contact time, pH, initial SDS concentration. FTIR spectra showed characteristic peaks for chitosan, pectin and their interaction with sulfuric acid. The surface of the CPS film changed to become smoother after being used for SDS adsorption. CPS film composition 70:30 showed the highest percent swelling and was stable at the overall pH. The optimum conditions for SDS adsorption by sulfuric acid cross-linked chitosan/pectin CPS film occurred at a contact time of 120 minutes, pH 5, initial concentration of SDS 100 mg L–1 with a film composition of 70:30. Adsorption followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Freundlich isotherm models with KF and n of 0.0297 and 0.377, respectively. The highest SDS desorption of 97.6% was achieved using 0.1 M NaClO4 solution.

A comparison of complexation induced brittleness in PEI/PSS and PEI/NaPSS single-step coatings

In the field of coatings, there is a major trend towards the reduction of volatile organic compounds by developing water-based alternatives for traditional solvent-based paints. Complexes of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes have recently emerged as a promising candidate for such coatings. Recently, we developed an ammonia-evaporation induced complexation approach to form polyelectrolyte complex films of two weak polyelectrolytes in a single step. Here, we extend this method by applying it to a combination of PEI/PSS, a weak polycation and a strong polyanion. Homogenous solutions at different ratios were successfully prepared. After casting and drying, dense and optically transparent layers were formed. As a comparison, PEI/NaPSS was also studied. Contrary to PEI/PSS, the pH in PEI/NaPSS films remains high during drying and NH3 evaporation, so PEI does not acquire a positive charge, thereby preventing complexation. We show that this leads to large differences in the properties of the films, with the PEI/NaPSS films being more sensitive to water, more ductile, and more prone to phase separation. We also found that the mechanical properties of the films depend strongly on the charge ratio: films made at a PEI/PSS ratio between 2:1 and 1:1 formed the strongest complexes, resulting in films that swell relatively little in water, but that are also brittle and prone to cracking during drying. In this work, we report a systematic study into this promising system and show its potential and tunability.

Two colorimetric films based on chitin whiskers and sodium alginate/gelatin incorporated with anthocyanins for monitoring food freshness

Intelligent food packaging materials from natural resources has attracted increasing attention nowadays. In this paper, two fresh colorimetric films were obtained by incorporating natural pigment anthocyanins extract (LRM) as pH-sensitive pigments into two polyelectrolyte complex films composed of chitin whiskers (CW) and sodium alginate (SA)/gelatin (GE), respectively. The analysis results of FTIR, SEM and DSC show that, compared with the single polysaccharide system of SA or GE, the composite film with addition of CW has better water resistance and thermal stability, due to the existence of hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions. Meanwhile, the adhesion to LRM is also enhanced. At the same time, through Ritger–Peppas kinetic model analysis, the release process of anthocyanins in the two film systems was analyzed. The CW/SA/LRM system membrane showed good responsiveness to lactic acid and was successfully used in the detection of milk freshness; while the CW/GE/LRM system membrane showed good responsiveness to amine gases and has been successfully used in the detection of pork freshness. The study revealed that the above colorimetric films demonstrate excellent durability and accuracy in food freshness monitoring.

Cytocompatible drug delivery hydrogels based on carboxymethylagarose/chitosan pH-responsive polyelectrolyte complexes

Several drugs are chemically unstable in the gastric environment and have low bioavailability restricted by intestinal absorption, which motivates the development of alternative routes for drug release, such as transdermal drug carriers for drug delivery to specific areas of the skin. Herein, novel polyelectrolyte complexes (PEC) consisting of carboxymethylagarose (CMA) and chitosan (CS) were prepared. pH-responsive CMA/CS hydrogels were obtained by mixing CMA and CS at various weight ratios. Swelling ratio was modulated by varying the CMA and CS weight ratio, and the highest swelling values were achieved for 2:1 wt% hydrogels at 25 °C and pH 6.0. PEC films were characterized by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, TGA, DSC, and SEM. Results indicated that CMA and CS were successfully crosslinked by ionic complexation. As a model drug, diclofenac sodium (DS) was loaded in CMA/CS PECs. Association efficiency and loading capacity were ca. 69% and 79%, respectively, exhibiting 67% cumulative release after 72 h at 37 °C and pH 6.0 through Fickian diffusion mechanism. Viability assay of immortalized human keratinocyte (HaCat) cells showed ca. 100% survival in the presence of hydrogels and DS. Therefore, this work suggests that CMA/CS PECs can be applied as pH-responsive carriers for dermal drug delivery.

Long-Range Electron Transfer through Ultrathin Polyelectrolyte Complex Films: A Hopping Model

Long-Range Electron Transfer through Ultrathin Polyelectrolyte Complex Films: A Hopping Model

Nystatin-loaded Polyelectrolyte Complex Films as a Mucoadhesive Drug Delivery System for Potential Buccal Application

According to the World Health Organization, one of the most prevalent fungal diseases globally is oropharyngeal candidiasis. The formulations of nystatin used for its treatment have several disadvantages, including a low residence time at the infection site. This study aimed to prepare and characterize polyelectrolyte films of chitosan-gum-arabic and chitosan-polygalacturonic acid using the "Solvent-Casting" technique, loaded with nystatin, to achieve a mucoadhesive and sustained release system intended for the oral cavity. The obtained films were characterized to determine the interaction between the polymers, their morphological characteristics, mucoadhesive capacity, and drug release kinetics. Scanning electron microscopy was used to determine the films' morphology, while infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated the interaction between the polymers. Additionally, the films' antifungal activity was tested against three strains of two Candida species. The films of both formulations showed mucoadhesive capacity and a nystatin release profile explained by the Korsmeyer-Peppas model. Also, significant antifungal activity was found. These findings indicate that polyelectrolyte complex-based films are a plausible nystatin release system for oral application.