title: Polypeptide multilayer self-assembly studied by ellipsometry.
abstract: A polypeptide nanofilm made by layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly was built on a surface that mimics nonwoven, a material commonly used in wound dressings. Poly-L-lysine (PLL) and poly-L-glutamic acid (PLGA) are the building blocks of the nanofilm, which is intended as an enzymatically degradable lid for release of bactericides to chronic wounds. Chronic wounds often carry infection originating from bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and a release system triggered by the degree of infection is of interest. The dry nanofilm was studied with ellipsometry. The thickness of the nanofilm was 60% less in its dry state than in its wet state. The measurements showed that a primer was not necessary to build a stable nanofilm, which is practically important in our case because a nondegradable primer is highly unwanted in a wound care dressing. Added V8 (glutamyl endopeptidase) enzymes only showed adsorption on the nanofilm at room temperature, indicating that the PLL/PLGA "lid" may remain intact until the dressing has been filled with wound exudate at the elevated temperature typical of that of the wound.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Sven Hultins Gata 12, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden ; Mölnlycke Health Care, P.O. Box 130 80, 402 52 Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5860-7644
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Sven Hultins Gata 12, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Krister
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1649-7811
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Holmberg
authors.affiliation: School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3052-9947
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Le Ru
authors.affiliation: School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Etchegoin