[2] The method was later revitalized by the discovery of its applicability to a wide range of polyelectrolytes by Gero Decher at Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz.
[4] Multilayer build-up is enabled by multiple attractive forces acting cooperatively, typical for high-molecular weight building blocks, while electrostatic repulsion provides self-limitation of the absorption of individual layers.
This range of interactions makes it possible to extend the LbL technique to hydrogen-bonded films,[5] nanoparticles,[6] similarly charged polymers, hydrophobic solvents,[7] and other unusual systems.
There are a wide variety of materials that can be deposited by LbL including polyions, metals, ceramics, nanoparticles, and biological molecules.
Another important quality of LbL is the high degree of control over thickness, which arises due to the variable growth profile of the films, which directly correlates to the materials used, the number of bilayers, and the assembly technique.