Reversible multi polyelectrolyte layers on gold nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticles surface can be easily modified by different molecules such as polyelectrolytes. In a typical multilayer system made of polyethyleneimine and poly(styrene sulfonate)sodium alternated layers around gold nanoparticles, we have evaluated the interactions between the different layers and the relative strength of interfacial properties. By means of UV–Visible and FTIR spectroscopies, we have shown that due to its amine functionalities, the bonding of polyethyleneimine to gold particles is stronger than the one implied with the sulfonate anion in the PSS inducing a clean removal of this latter after the last polyethyleneimine deposition. Considering that polyethyleneimine is cytotoxic and that only weak covalent bonds are concerned in polyelectrolyte multilayer, this last point is of main importance since external degradation thus exposing polyethyleneimine sub-layer of multilayer films to in vivo tissue cells can occur by many ways.