Composite materials by building block chemistry using weak interaction

Abstract

Layer-by-Layer (LbL) assembly of interactive polymers onto surfaces leads to the construction of multilayered ultrathin films, which can be done simply by alternately dipping the substrate into various solutions. The range of applications of this LbL assembly can be broadened by introducing molecular recognition mechanisms for polymers and proteins, and by using weak interactions such as van der Waals interactions and biological recognition. As a specific example, it can be applied to the formation of stereocomplexes of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly-lactide (PLA), and fibronectin-collagen as extracellular matrix proteins. In weakly interacting LbL assemblies, the polymer chain tends to be placed in the most structurally stable state. This feature has been successfully used for template polymerization of stereoregular polymers, significant morphological control of biodegradable nanomaterials, and fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) cellular tissue constructs. LbL assembly based on weak interactions is expected to further stimulate interest in the interdisciplinary fields of bioscience and polymer chemistry. Using LbL technology to create functional 3D tissues, such as skin models (LbL-3D Skin) and heart models (LbL-3D Heart), will be a breakthrough in science and technology.