A 3-dimensional-phospholipid monolayer with tunable molecular structure was created on the surface of oil nanodroplets from a mixture of phospholipids, oil and water. This simple sample preparation technique generates an in-situ prepared membrane model system with controllable molecular surface properties that resembles a lipid droplet. The molecular interfacial structure of such a nanoscopic system composed of hexadecane, 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC), and water was determined using vibrational sum frequency scattering and second harmonic scattering techniques. The droplet surface structure of DPPC can be tuned from a tightly packed liquid condensed phase like monolayer to a more dilute one that resembles the liquid condensed / liquid expanded coexistence phase by varying the DPPC / oil / water ratio. The tunability of the chemical structure, the high surface to volume ratio and the small sample volume make this system an ideal model membrane for biochemical research.

Three dimensional self-assembled monolayers around nanodroplets for lipid studies

251st National Meeting (2016)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.