Authors | Yu, D.G., Branford-White, C.J., Williams, G.R., Bligh, S.W.A., White, K.N., Zhu, L.M. and Chatterton, N.P. |
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Abstract | Amphiphilic nanofibers composed of the hydrophilic polymer polyvinylpyrrolidone K60 (PVP) and soybean lecithin were fabricated using an electrospinning process. As a result of the templating and confinement properties of the nanofibers, phosphatidyl choline (PC) liposomes were spontaneously formed through molecular self-assembly when the fibers were added to water. The sizes of the self-assembled liposomes could be manipulated by varying the content of PC in the nanofibers (over the range 9.1–33.3% (w/w) in the present study). The influence of PC on nanofiber formation, and a possible mechanism of templated liposome formation are discussed. This facile and convenient strategy for manipulating molecular self-assembly to synthesize liposomes provides a versatile new approach for the development of novel drug delivery systems and biomaterials. |
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