Christopher J. Pollock, Jennifer S. Kauffman, and William T. Pennington. Clemson University, Clemson, SC
Liposomes possess much promise for use in pharmaceutical delivery because of their ability to encapsulate molecules within an inner cavity. This isolation from the outside environment provides protection for sensitive pharmaceuticals and the ability to deliver the drug to a specific target. Liposomes in this project were prepared using dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide ([DMDOA]Br) and potassium perfluorooctane sulfonate (K[PFOS]) in a biphasic mixture of chloroform (CHCl3) and perfluorooctane (CF3(CF2)6CF3). In some reactions water was added to form a third phase capable of removing the KBr formed during the reaction, and this was found to be very effective. Sonication was performed on the resulting mixtures to produce biphasic DMDOA+PFOS- liposomes possessing a lipophilic exterior and fluorophilic interior or a fluorophilic exterior and lipophilic interior. The ionic compound DMDOA+PFOS- and the associated liposomes were characterized using light scattering (LS), powder x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).