Ion permeability of free-suspended layer-by-layer (LbL) films prepared using an alginate scaffold

Abstract

Layer-by-layer (LbL) films were prepared over an aperture (diameter 1-5 mm) on a glass plate to study ion permeation across free-suspended LbL films. LbL films were prepared by depositing alternating layers of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) on the surface of a glass plate with an aperture filled with an alginate gel, followed by dissolution of the alginate gel. PAH-PSS films prepared in this way showed permeability to inorganic salts, depending on the size and charge. Permeability to alkali metal chlorides depended on the Stokes radius of the alkali metal cations. The effect of the type of halide was negligible because of the halides' smaller ionic radii. Permeation of multivalent ions such as Ru(NH3)63+ and [Fe(CN)6]3- was severely suppressed owing to Donnan exclusion. ©2013 by the authors.