Deposition features of Ni on self-assembled microtubule template from biolipid by electroless method

Diacetylenic glycero-phosphatidylcholine is a chiral molecule with amphiphilic property, and it can self-assembly into a lipid microtubular structure. The lipid microtubule is a stable structure formed by tightly wound helical ribbons, and the ribbon-wrapping patterns have a significant effect on their chemical deposition on the microtubules. The deposition of colloidal Pd catalyst occurs mainly on the helical edge of the wound helical ribbons to form helical deposition lines of colloidal Pd particles in the interior and exterior of the lipid microtubules, resulting in an uneven chemical deposition of Ni on the microtubules. Catalyzed by as-deposited colloidal Pd, metallized Ni microtubules are characterized by a helical form, which may be in relation to inner stress due to the thickness difference or the different deposition processes. The observation of microtom shows that metallized tubules have a hollow structure. Some metallized tubules have a kind of coaxial double layer structure observed in the direct experiment evidence, indicating that metallization can occur in the inner and outer surface of the lipid tubules. Both lipid microtubules and metallized microtubules can be used as vehicles for encapsulating biological active molecules to control their release and to develop micro-components in biological and mechanical systems. Keywords molecular self-assembly - lipid microtubules - helical pattern - site-specific deposition - electroless metallization

Diacetylenic glycero-phosphatidylcholine is a chiral molecule with amphiphilic property, and it can self-assembly into a lipid microtubular structure. The lipid microtubule is a stable structure formed by tightly wound helical ribbons, and the ribbon-wrapping patterns have a significant effect on their chemical deposition on the microtubules. The deposition of colloidal Pd catalyst occurs mainly on the helical edge of the wound helical ribbons to form helical deposition lines of colloidal Pd particles in the interior and exterior of the lipid microtubules, resulting in an uneven chemical deposition of Ni on the microtubules. Catalyzed by as-deposited colloidal Pd, metallized Ni microtubules are characterized by a helical form, which may be in relation to inner stress due to the thickness difference or the different deposition processes. The observation of microtom shows that metallized tubules have a hollow structure. Some metallized tubules have a kind of coaxial double layer structure observed in the direct experiment evidence, indicating that metallization can occur in the inner and outer surface of the lipid tubules. Both lipid microtubules and metallized microtubules can be used as vehicles for encapsulating biological active mole-cules to control their release and to develop micro-components in biological and mechanical systems.