Effect of the phospholipid chain length and head group on beta-phase formation of poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) enclosed in liposomes

We have studied the effect of head group and alkyl chain length on β-phase formation in poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) (PFO) solubilized in phospholipid liposomes. Systems studied have three different alkyl chain lengths (1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine [DMPC], 1,2-didodecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine [DLPC], 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine [DPPC]) and head groups (1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphate monosodium salt [DMPA], 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine [DMPE] and 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-l-serine sodium salt [DMPS]). Changes in Liposome size upon addition of PFO are followed by dynamic light scattering. All the Phospholipids induce the formation of PFO β-phase, which is followed by the emission intensity and deconvolution of the absorption spectra. Both the head group and alkyl chain length affect the yield of β-phase. The photophysics of PFO incorporated in liposomes is characterized by stationary and time-resolved fluorescence, whereas the polymer-phospholipid interactions have been studied by the effect of the PFO concentration on the phospholipid phase transitions (differential scanning calorimetry [DSC]).