In this work, different sizing agent aqueous dispersions based on polyetherimide (PEI) were elaborated in order to improve the interface between carbon fibers and a thermoplastic matrix (PEEK). The dispersions were obtained by the emulsion/solvent evaporation technique. To optimize the stability and the film formation on the fibers, two surfactants were tested at different concentrations, with different concentrations of PEI. The dispersions obtained were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and the stability evaluated by analytical centrifugation (LUMiFuge). The selected dispersions were tested for film formation ability by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the sizing performance was assessed by observation of the fiber/matrix interface by SEM. The results revealed that an aqueous dispersion of PEI, stabilized by sodium dodecyl sulfate as the surfactant, led to very stable sizing agent aqueous dispersion with ideal film formation and better interface adhesion.

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We report on a new approach for creating water-soluble functionalized vesicles employing N-alkyl-3-boronopyridinium triflates (alkyl = Me, C12H25, C16H33) as sensors for monosaccharides. The nanoaggregate properties were studied by means of DLS, TEM, high-resolution (1)H NMR, and the solvatochromic dyes Reichardt's betaine and Methyl Orange. The vesicles were shown to have 30-200 nm diameters depending on the amphiphile chain length. Diol binding to the vesicles was studied by steady-state fluorescence and UV-vis using Alizarin Red S as a probe in the solution at pH 7.4 in the presence and in the absence of D-glucose and D-fructose. Strong sensing ability of boronic acid functional moieties in the order D-fructose > D-glucose was demonstrated, and apparent binding constants were estimated.

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The natural packaging of DNA in the cell by histones provides a particular environment affecting its sensitivity to oxidative damage. In this work, we used the complexation of DNA by cationic surfactants to modulate the conformation, the dynamics, and the environment of the double helix. Photo-oxidative damage initiated by benzophenone as the photosensitizer on a plasmid DNA complexed by dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride (DTAC), tetradecyltrimethylammonium chloride (TTAC), cetyltrimethyammonium chloride (CTAC) and bromide (CTAB) was detected by agarose gel electrophoresis. By fluorescent titration in the presence of ethidium bromide (EB) and agarose gel electrophoresis, we experimentally confirmed the complexation diagrams with a critical aggregation concentration on DNA matrix (CAC DNA) delimiting two regions of complexation, according to the DNA-phosphate concentration. The study of the photo-oxidative damage shows, for the first time, a direct correlation between the DNA complexation by these surfactants and the efficiency of DNA cleavage, with a maximum corresponding to the CAC DNA for DTAC and CTAC, and to DNA neutralization for CTAC and CTAB. The localization of a photosensitizer having low water solubility, such as benzophenone, inside the hydrophobic domains formed by the surfactant aggregated on DNA, locally increases the photoinduced cleavage by the free radical oxygen species generated. The inefficiency of a water-soluble quencher of hydroxyl radicals, such as mannitol, confirmed this phenomenon. The detection of photo-oxidative damage constitutes a new tool for investigating DNA complexation by cationic surfactants. Moreover, highlighting the drastically increased sensitivity of a complexed DNA to photo-oxidative damage is of crucial importance for the biological use of surfactants as nonviral gene delivery systems.

The rheological properties of a new type of colloidal dispersion based on nanoparticles of gelled oil have been characterized. The nanoparticles (mean diameter approximately 250 nm) were viscoelastic droplets of dicaprylyl ether gelled by 12-hydroxystearic acid (HSA) and were stabilized in aqueous solutions by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. The effects of the volume fraction of the dispersed organogel phase and of the organogelator concentration upon viscoelasticity of the dispersion were investigated and compared to the corresponding emulsion (without HSA). The shear viscosity of the dispersions of organogel droplets and the elastic and viscous moduli (G' and G'') were found to increase when the proportion of organogelator was increased. More surprisingly, the shear-thinning behavior was also more pronounced. The rheological behavior of the dispersions could be explained by strong interactions between some gelled particles. This hypothesis was supported by electron microscopy observations showing some particles bridged together by ribbons of HSA fibers.

Chloroaluminum phthalocyanine (ClAlPc) is a promising sensitizer molecule for photodynamic therapy, but its hydrophobicity makes it difficult to formulate. In this study, we have efficiently encapsulated ClAlPc into gelled soybean oil particles dispersed in water. 12-Hydroxystearic acid (HSA) and polyethyleneimine (PEI) were the gelling and stabilizing agents, respectively. The preparation process involved hot emulsification above the gelation temperature (Tgel), followed by cooling to room temperature, which gave a colloidal dispersion of gelled particles of oil in aqueous medium. The gelled particles containing ClAlPc had a medium diameter of 280 nm, homogeneous size distribution (polydispersity index ≈0.3) and large positive zeta potential (about +50 mV) and showed a spherical morphology. The gelled oil particle formulations exhibited good physical stability over a 6-month period. ClAlPc interfered with the HSA self-assembly only slightly, and decreased the gelation temperature to a small extent; however it did not affect gelation process of the oil droplets. The amounts of PEI and HSA employed during the preparation allowed us to control particle size and the dispersion stability, a phenomenon that results from complex electrostatic interactions between the positively charged PEI and the negatively charged HSA fibers present on the gelled particles surface. In summary, by using the right ClAlPc, HSA, and PEI proportions, we prepared very stable dispersions of gelled soybean oil particles with excellent ClAlPc encapsulation efficiency. The obtained colloidal formulation of gelled oil particles loaded with ClAlPc shall be very useful for photodynamic therapy protocols.