Vol. 17, No. 1 (2008) 57-64

Reorganization and nanoscale domain formation in phospholipid Langmuir-monolayer

Tapanendu Kamilya, Prabir Pal and G. B. Talapatra*

Department of Spectroscopy

Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science
Jadavpur, Kolkata-700 031, India

Reorganization of DPPC (1, 2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocoline) at air-water interface is studied by Langmuir-Blodgett technique. Reorganization process is found to be surface-pressure and temperature dependent. Surface pressure dependent study shows that the domains formation rates are different at different pressure region. Two-dimensional reorganization process is the main reason for domain formation. Surface morphology of transferred layer is Studied by FE-SEM. At higher pressure, supported film shows a framework of nanometer sized condensed domains of DPPC. Domain sizes are in the range of 20 – 30 nm. Holes in the range of few nm to 100 nm are also present. ©  Anita Publications, All rights reserved.