Layer-by-layer films from tartrazine dye with bovine serum albumin

We report on the preparation and study of the adsorption process of layer-by-layer films of tartrazine alternated with bovine serum albumin. UV–Vis spectroscopy indicated that the films form J-aggregates of tartrazine. Adsorption kinetics was fitted by the Johnson–Mehl–Avrami equation and surface morphological analyses by atomic force microscopy suggested that the J-aggregates were column-shaped, which was attributed to the column-like symmetry of the tartrazine molecules. The columnar structures that formed probably arose from the juxtaposition of smaller aggregates that were already present at the beginning of film growth.