Hyperviscous diblock copolymer vesicles

摘要: Giant vesicles prepared from the diblock copolymer polybutadien-b-polyethyleneoxide (PB-PEO) exhibit a shear surface viscosity, which is about 500 times higher than those found in common phospholipid bilayers. Our result constitutes first direct measurement of viscosity such polymersomes. At same time, we measure bending and stretching elastic constants, fall range values typical for lipid membranes. Pulling out tether an immobilized polymersome following its relaxation back to vesicle body provides estimate viscous coupling between two monolayers composing polymer membrane. The detected intermonolayer friction order magnitude characteristic one Polymersomes are tough with high lysis tension. This, together their robust rheological properties, makes them interesting candidates number technological applications.