In: Advanced Functional Materials, 2019, p. 1904007
The rational design of alternative antimicrobial materials with reduced toxicity toward mammalian cells is highly desired due to the growing occurrence of bacteria resistant to conventional antibiotics. A promising approach is the design of lipid‐based antimicrobial nanocarriers. However, most of the commonly used polymer‐stabilized nanocarriers are cytotoxic. Herein, the design of a...
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In: Biomacromolecules, 2012, vol. 13, no. 10, p. 3241–3252
We have investigated the thermodynamic and dynamic behavior of multistranded β-lactoglobulin protein fibrils in water, by combining static, dynamic, and depolarized dynamic light scattering (SLS, DLS, DDLS), small angle neutron scattering (SANS), rheology, and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). We focus on the region of the phase diagram at which ionic strength and...
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In: Soft Matter, 2011, vol. 7, p. 8127-8134
We report the first direct, non-invasive experimental evidence of a 2D isotropic–nematic transition for highly anisotropic nanoparticles at liquid–liquid interfaces by using passive fluorescent particle tracking. In order to illustrate the potential of this approach on systems of high real practical and biological relevance, we select as a model anisotropic nanoparticles β-lactoglobulin...
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In: Macromolecules, 2011, vol. 44, no. 12, p. 4569–4573
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In: Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics, 2011, vol. 212, no. 6, p. 627–634
The mechanical and orientational properties of IOENs consisting of integrated ellipsoidal SCH spindle-type nanoparticles within an elastomeric matrix are reported. The influence of the SCH surface chemistry, leading either to dispersed nanoparticles or crosslinked nanoparticles within the surrounding elastomeric matrix, is studied by mechanical uniaxial deformation (stress-strain) and SAXS...
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In: Langmuir, 2010, vol. 26, no. 19, p. 15366–15375
Interfacial properties of native β-lactoglobulin monomers and their heat-induced fibers, of two different lengths, were investigated at pH 2, through surface tension measurements at water−air and water−oil interfaces and interfacial shear rheology at the water−oil interface. The applied heat treatment generates a mixed system of fibers with unconverted monomers and hydrolyzed peptides. The...
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In: Langmuir, 2010, vol. 26, no. 9, p. 6184–6192
Self-diffusion NMR is used to investigate monodispersed oil in water emulsions and the subsequent gel formed by removing the water through evaporation. The radius of the oil droplets in the emulsions is measured using a number of diffusion methods based on the measurement of the mean squared displacement of the oil, water, and tracer molecules. The results are consistent with the known size of...
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In: Macromolecules, 2010, vol. 43, no. 10, p. 4752–4760
We study the self-assembly of a dendritic macromolecular system formed by a second-generation dendron with pH-responsive end groups and with a polymer chain emanating from its focal point, typically referred to as dendron-coil system. We use supramolecular ionic interactions to attach to the periphery of the dendrons sulfate-terminated alkyl tails of various lengths. The resulting ionic complexes...
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In: Nature Nanotechnology, 2010, vol. 5, p. 423 - 428
The aggregation of proteins is central to many aspects of daily life, including food processing, blood coagulation, eye cataract formation disease and prion-related neurodegenerative infections. However, the physical mechanisms responsible for amyloidosis—the irreversible fibril formation of various proteins that is linked to disorders such as Alzheimer's, Creutzfeldt–Jakob and Huntington's...
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In: Langmuir, 2010, vol. 26, no. 13, p. 10401–10405
We investigate the effects of variable linear charge density and Debye length on the mesoscopic properties of β-lactoglobulin fibers in water, by changing the pH and ionic strength, respectively. We determine the isotropic−nematic (I−N) transition by cross-polarized microscopy and quantify by atomic force microscopy the increasing tendency of the fibers to aggregate upon raising ionic...
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