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Catanionic Coacervate Droplets as a Surfactant‐Based Membrane‐Free Protocell Model
Author(s) -
Douliez JeanPaul,
Martin Nicolas,
Gaillard Cédric,
Beneyton Thomas,
Baret JeanChristophe,
Mann Stephen,
Beven Laure
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201707139
Subject(s) - coacervate , pulmonary surfactant , protocell , cetylpyridinium chloride , chemistry , chemical engineering , chromatography , bromide , membrane , gelatin , micelle , inorganic chemistry , aqueous solution , organic chemistry , biochemistry , engineering
We report on the formation of surfactant‐based complex catanionic coacervate droplets in mixtures of decanoic acid and cetylpyridinium chloride or cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. We show that coacervation occurs over a broad range of composition, pH, and ionic strength. The catanionic coacervates consist of elongated micelles, sequester a wide range of solutes including water‐soluble organic dyes, polysaccharides, proteins, enzymes, and DNA, and can be structurally stabilized by sodium alginate or gelatin‐based hydrogelation. These results suggest that catanionic coacervates could be exploited as a novel surfactant‐based membrane‐free protocell model.