APPLPEMs
Polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) are a type of surface coating formed by adsorption of positively and negatively charged polyelectrolytes on a solid surface. The main goal of the proposed project is to gain further understanding of the mechanisms of formation and properties of polyelectrolyte multilayers with a special emphasis on the effects of ionic effects on the process, as well as the application of the obtained results to the research of the coatings.
The proposed project consists of three interconnected parts:
- Characterization of model substrates for formation of PEMs;
- Design, preparation, and characterization of PEMs;
- Application of polyelectrolyte multilayers as protective coatings for apples.
In the first and second part of the project, the main focus will be on model systems, i.e. polyelectrolyte multilayers prepared from chitosan, poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) and poly(allylamine hydrochloride) paired with carboxymethylcellulose, poly(acrylic acid) and poly(styrene sulfonate) on SiO2, TiO2 and Al2O3 surfaces. In objective 3, to optimize possible applications, the results obtained in objectives 1 and 2 will be used. Based on the results of the model systems, the understanding of mentioned processes shall be used to apply said coatings for the protection of apples from fungal and bacterial induced rotting. The main properties of interest in such application are biocompatibility, antibacterial and antifungal activity, self-healing, transparency, mechanical strength, wettability, etc.
The main hypothesis is that the better understanding of different experimental parameters can lead to the creation of PEMs with specifically targeted properties that will then enable the formation of more efficient coatings. Detailed characterization of polyelectrolyte multilayers on both model surfaces and apples will be carried out through a series of advanced complementary methods (e.g. ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy, tensiometry, UV-Vis spectroscopy).