Self-assembled lipid nanotubes by rational design

Five lipids were self-assembled in aqueous dispersions into high axial ratio nanostructures. Thermal analysis was conducted on a glycolipid self-assembled into nanotubes, previously developed by Kamiya et al. [S. Kamiya, H. Minamikawa, J-H. Jung, B. Yang, M. Masuda, and T. Shimizu, Langmuir 21, 743 (2005)], showing a dry melting onset of 148.2 °C and evidence of a highly ordered supramolecular structure. A novel hybrid structure of the glycolipid nanotubes decorated with silver nanoparticles was created. The self-assembly of four new amphiphiles, with serine and glutamic acid head groups attached to vaccenic acid and diacetylenic hydrophobic tails, was also investigated. The morphologies of these aggregates included high axial ratio nanostructures, such as nanotubes; and flat, twisted, and helical ribbons. The supramolecular aggregates of the five lipids reflect aspects of the molecular structure, such as chirality, providing evidence that such organized aggregates can be created by a rational approach to molecular design.