Do probe molecules influence water in confinement?

The water inside reverse micelles can differ dramatically from bulk water. Some changes in properties can be attributed to the interaction of water molecules with the micellar interface, forming a layer of shell water inside the reverse micelle. The work reported here monitors changes in intramicellar water through chemical shifts and signal line widths in 51V NMR spectra of a large polyoxometalate probe, decavanadate, and from infrared spectroscopy of isotopically labeled water, to obtain information on the water in the water pool in AOT reverse micelles formed in isooctane. The studies reveal several things about the reverse micellar water pool. First, in agreement with our previous measurements, the proton equilibrium of the decavanadate solubilized within the reverse micelles differs from that in bulk aqueous solution, indicating a more basic environment compared to the starting stock solutions from which the reverse micelles were formed. Below a certain size, reverse micelles do not form when the polyoxometalate is present; this indicates that the polyanionic probe requires a layer of water to solvate it in addition to the water that solvates the surfactant headgroups. Finally, the polyoxometalate probe appears to perturb the water hydrogen-bonding network in a fashion similar to that in the interior surface of the reverse micelles. These measurements demonstrate the dramatic differences possible for water environments in confined spaces.     

When is water not water? Exploring water confined in large reverse micelles using a highly charged inorganic molecular probe

The interior water pool of aerosol OT (AOT) reverse micelles tends toward bulk water properties as the micelle size increases. Thus, deviations from bulk water behavior in large reverse micelles are less expected than in small reverse micelles. Probing the interior water pool of AOT reverse micelles with a highly charged decavanadate (V(10)) oligomer using (51)V NMR spectroscopy shows distinct changes in solute environment. For example, when an acidic stock solution of protonated V(10) is placed in a reverse micelle, the (51)V chemical shifts show that the V(10) is deprotonated consistent with a decreased proton concentration in the intramicellar water pool. Results indicate that a proton gradient exists inside the reverse micelles, leaving the interior neutral while the interfacial region is acidic.     

An Experimental Study on the Relationship between the Physical Properties of CTAB/Hexanol/Water Reverse Micelles and ZrO2-Y2O3 Nanoparticles Prepared

Based on the studies of their physical properties such as aqueous solution uptake, electric conductivity, and microstructure, CTAB/hexanol/water reverse micelles (CTAB, cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide) were used to prepare ZrO2-Y2O3 nanoparticles. The relationship between the micelle microstructure and size, morphology, and aggregate properties of particles prepared was also investigated. It has been found that with high CTAB concentration ([CTAB] > 0.8 mol/l), the reverse micelles can solubilize a sufficient amount of aqueous solution with high metallic ion concentration ( approximately 1.0 mol/L), while the microstructure of the reverse micelles keeps unchanged. The most important factor affecting the size and shape of reverse micelles was found to be the water content w0 (w0, molar ratio of water to surfactant used). When both the CTAB concentration and the w0 values are low, the diameters of reverse micelles are below 20 nm, and the ZrO2-Y2O3 particles prepared are also very small. However, the powders obtained were found to form a lot of aggregates after drying and calcination. High CTAB concentration, high w0 value, and high metallic ion concentration in the aqueous phase for high powder productivity were found to be the suitable compositions of reverse micelles for preparing high-quality ZrO2-Y2O3 nanoparticles. Under these conditions, the reverse micelles are still spherical in shape even the reverse micellar system is nearly saturated with aqueous solutions. These reverse micelles were found to have a diameter of between 60 and 150 nm and the ZrO2-Y2O3 particles prepared therefrom range from 30 to 70 nm with spherical shape and not easy to form aggregates. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.     

Transport properties and aggregation phenomena of polyoxyethylene sorbitane monooleate (polysorbate 80) in pig gastrointestinal mucin and mucus

The aqueous environment in the gastrointestinal tract frequently requires solubilization of hydrophobic drug molecules in appropriate drug delivery vehicles. An effective uptake/absorption and systemic exposure of a drug molecule entails many processes, one being transport properties of the vehicles through the mucus layer. The mucus layer is a complex mixture of biological molecules. Among them, mucin is responsible of the gel properties of this layer. In this study, we have investigated the diffusion of polyoxyethylene sorbitane monooleate (polysorbate 80), a commonly used nonionic surfactant, in aqueous solution, in mucin solutions at 0.25 and 5 wt %, and in mucus. These measurements were done by using the pulsed field gradient spin echo nuclear magnetic resonance (PGSE-NMR) technique. We conclude that polysorbate 80 is a mixture of non-surface-active molecules that can diffuse freely through all the systems investigated and of surface-active molecules that form micellar structures with transport properties strongly dependent on the environment. Polysorbate 80 micelles do not interact with mucin even though their diffusion is hindered by obstruction of the large mucin molecules. On the other hand, the transport is slowed down in mucus due to interactions with other components such as lipids depots. In the last part of this study, a hydrophobic NMR probe molecule has been included in the systems to mimic a hydrophobic drug molecule. The measurements done in aqueous solution revealed that the probe molecules were transported in a closely similar way as the polysorbate 80 micelles, indicating that they were dissolved in the micellar core. The situation was more complex in mucus. The probe molecules seem to dissolve in the lipid depots at low concentrations of polysorbate 80, which slows down their transport. At increasing concentration of polysorbate 80, the diffusion of the probe molecules increases indicating a continuous dissolution of hexamethyldisilane in the core of polysorbate 80 micelles.     

钒酸根、金属离子和腺苷二磷酸的相互作用-ATP及Mg^2^+-ATP类似物的形成

用钒-51核磁共振方法研究钒酸根在不同浓度和离子强度下, 在生理pH水溶液中的物种分配。研究结果表明毫摩尔级浓度的钒酸根主要以中心钒原子为四面体构型的单体、二聚、四聚和五聚体存在。通过比较所得的平衡常数说明在离子强度降低时, 钒酸根的聚合度下降。对于钒酸根-ADP体系, 从所显示的核磁谱变化通过计算得到相应的结合平衡常数, 说明主要发生的反应一是形成ATP类似物ADPV(V代表四面体构型的单体钒酸根); 二是在ADP浓度相对高时, 钒酸根与ADP核糖基上2', 3'-颗位羟基同时作用形成2:2配比的、钒原子为五配位三角双锥构型的配合物。在钒酸根-ADP体系中加入Mn^2^+后, ^5^1V NMR的变化说明ATP的类似物ADPV中β-磷酸根和γ-钒酸根可以协同螯合Mn^2^+, 表明形成了Mg^2^+-ATP的类似物Mn^2^+-ADPV。     

Formation mechanism of conducting polypyrrole nanotubes in reverse micelle systems

Polypyrrole (PPy) nanotubes were readily fabricated through chemical oxidation polymerization in sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) reverse (water-in-oil) emulsions. The reverse cylindrical micelle phase was characterized, and the key factors affecting the formation of PPy nanotubes were systematically inspected. AOT reverse cylindrical micelles were prepared via a cooperative interaction between an aqueous FeCl3 solution and AOT in an apolar solvent. In the H2O/FeCl3/AOT/apolar solvent system, the aqueous FeCl3 solution played a role in increasing the ionic strength and decreasing the second critical micelle concentration of AOT. As a result, AOT reverse cylindrical micelles could be spontaneously formed in an apolar solvent. In addition, iron cations were adsorbed to the anionic AOT headgroups that were capable of extracting metal cations from the aqueous core. Under these conditions, the addition of pyrrole monomer resulted in the chemical oxidation polymerization of the corresponding monomer at the surface of AOT reverse cylindrical micelles, followed by the formation of tubular PPy nanostructures. In a typical composition (74.0 wt % hexane, 22.4 wt % AOT, and 3.6 wt % aqueous FeCl3 solution at 15 degrees C), the average diameter of PPy nanotubes was approximately 94 nm and their length was more than 2 mum. The PPy nanotube dimensions were affected by synthetic variables such as the weight ratio of aqueous FeCl3 solution/AOT, type of apolar solvent, and reaction temperature. Moreover, the relationship between the diameter and the conductivity of the nanotubes was investigated.     

庚烷中C12-EOx-C12•2Br反胶团的形成

在助表面活性剂正己醇存在下, 季铵盐Gemini表面活性剂C12-EOx-C12•2Br(x=1, 2, 3)在正庚烷中形成了反胶团. 以碘光谱法测定了临界反胶团浓度(cmch), 该值小于它们在水中形成正胶团时的临界浓度(cmcaq), 但两者随x的变化规律一致, 均呈单调增长. 反胶团饱和增溶水量随x增加或温度升高而增大.     

Dynamics of low temperature induced water shedding from AOT reverse micelles

The effects of low temperature and ionic strength on water encapsulated within reverse micelles were investigated by solution NMR. Reverse micelles composed of AOT and pentane and solutions with varying concentrations of NaCl were studied at temperatures ranging from 20 degrees C to -30 degrees C. One-dimensional (1)H solution NMR spectroscopy was used to monitor the quantity and structure of encapsulated water. At low temperatures, e.g., -30 degrees C, reverse micelles lose water at rates that are dependent on the ionic strength of the aqueous nanopool. The final water loading (w0 = [water]/[surfactant]) of the reverse micelles is likewise dependent on the ionic strength of the aqueous phase. Remarkably, water resonance(s) at temperatures between -20 degrees C and -30 degrees C displayed fine structure indicating the presence of multiple transient water populations. Results of this study demonstrate that reverse micelles are an excellent vehicle for studies of confined water across a broad range of conditions, including the temperature range that provides access to the supercooled state.     

Determination of the rheological properties of aqueous solutions of branched PEO‐PPO‐PEO copolymers. Confrontation with small‐angle neutron scattering studies.

The physico‐chemical properties of Tetronic^® 908 in aqueous solution have been explored on a wide range of temperature and concentration. This system presents interesting rheological properties depending on the polymer concentration in solution, and temperature. For weight percentage p comprised between 5% and 20%, the viscosity of the solution passes through a maximum. Small angle neutron scattering experiments show that the increase in the viscosity is due to the progressive aggregation of the chains. For higher weight percentages, the viscosity of the system diverges and the mixture becomes “gel‐like”. SANS studies of the same solution indicate that the micelles are organized in a cubic structure. We have developed a model which suitably describes the SANS curves of the system in the region where micelles are formed. It allows the calculation of several parameters (volume fraction of the micelles, size, composition). The evolution of these parameters with temperature and polymer concentration is detailed. Comparisons with models of literature are discussed.     

Phase behavior in the system water-butylammonium decanoate-decane

The phase diagram at 298.2 and 281.2 K for the ternary system water-butylammonium decanoate-decane has been determined. An isotropic solution phase extending from the water corner to the decane corner was obtained without any macroscopic phase separation. A large two-phase region extending from the water-decane axis was also observed. In addition to these phases, an anisotropic and optically birefrigent liquid crystalline phase is formed below 290.3 K. Sound velocity, conductivity, and viscosity measurements were used successfully for studies of microstructural transitions in the isotropic solution phase. From these measurements, it was concluded that a transition from normal micelles to reverse micelles takes place while passing through a bicontinuous region.     

Rheological behavior of viscoelastic wormlike micelles in mixed sodium dodecyl trioxyethylene sulfate–monolaurin aqueous system

Rheological behavior of viscoelastic wormlike micelles in an aqueous system of mixed sodium dodecyl trioxyethylene sulfate (SDES)–monolaurin (ML) is presented. Dilute aqueous solution of SDES has a high fluidity and follows Newtonian liquid-like behavior due to formation of small globular type of micellar structure. Addition of lipophilic nonionic cosurfactant ML to dilute or semidilute solution of SDES decreases the interfacial curvature of the aggregates favoring one dimensional micellar growth, and hence, viscosity increases. After a certain concentration of ML, the elongated micelles get entangled with each other leading to the formation of viscoelastic wormlike micelles. The viscoelastic solution follows Maxwell model of a single stress relaxation mode at low-frequency region. Further addition of ML decreases the viscosity of the solution due to formation of micellar joints in the network structure. The viscosity of the viscoelastic wormlike micelles decreases upon heating, and the system with poor viscoelastic character is observed at higher temperatures.     

Fluorescence quenching of eosin upon adsorption by colloidal silver mediated in aqueous solution and reverse micelles

The optical effects of the adsorption of eosin on the colloidal silver particle have been investigated in aqueous solutions. It was found that upon adsorption the fluorescence of eosin was effectively quenched. This was explained as the photoinduced interfacial electron transfer from the excited singlet state of eosin to the silver particle. Decreasing pH of the solution favors the adsorption of eosin and so enhances the fluorescence quenching. For comparison, the fluorescence quenching in reverse micelles was also investigated. The quenching behavior was much different from that mediated in aqueous solution. This was attributed to the unique microenvironment of reverse micelles.     

单分子链胶束的胶束化行为与相关新概念的提出

采用水溶液均聚合方法,制备了阳离子型表面活性单体（2-丙烯酰胺基）乙基十四烷基二甲基溴化铵（AMC14AB）的均聚物,使用荧光探针法、表面张力测定及电导测定法,重点考察了均聚物P（AMC14AB）在水溶液中的胶束化行为与表面吸附现象．在水溶液中,均聚物P（AMC14AB）呈现单分子链胶束的聚集形态,具有零临界胶束浓度（CMC=0）,从开始加入P（AMC14AB）起,水溶液中随即产生单分子链胶束,不存在Krafft温度．P（AMC14AB）在溶液表面也发生表面吸附,使水的表面张力下降,即P（AMC14AB）也具有表面活性;随着浓度增大,表面吸附量增大,水的表面张力持续下降;当表面吸附达到饱和时,表面张力一浓度曲线上出现突变点,该点应该定义为饱和的表面吸附浓度（SSAC）,而不应该再称为临界胶束浓度．P（AMC14AB）单分子链胶束溶液对疏水有机物（甲苯）的增溶情况,明显不同于普通小分子表面活性剂十六烷基二甲基溴化铵（CTAB）的多分子胶束溶液,甲苯增溶量-P（AMC14AB）浓度的关系曲线上无突变点,而且对甲苯的增溶能力高于CTAB的多分子胶束溶液．     

粘度法研究壳聚糖与两性聚氨酯胶束间的相互作用

通过粘度法考察了壳聚糖(CS)在盐酸水溶液中与表面带有正电荷的两性聚氨酯(APU)胶束的相互作用，并研究了小分子盐浓度、pH及不同混合方式对复合体系粘度的影响．结果表明：在壳聚糖／APU盐酸混合体系中，较高浓度下APU胶束与壳聚糖分子间的静电斥力作用导致壳聚糖大分子链的伸展，使体系粘度提高，同时降低了壳聚糖溶液对电解质、pH的敏感性；不同混合过程导致壳聚糖大分子构像及其与APU组装、复合形态有很大差别，使混合体系流变性表现出明显的不同．     

Sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase is inhibited by organic vanadium coordination compounds: pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylatodioxovanadium(V), BMOV, and an amavadine analogue

The general affinity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca (2+)-ATPase was examined for three different classes of vanadium coordination complexes including a vanadium(V) compound, pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylatodioxovanadium(V) (PDC-V(V)), and two vanadium(IV) compounds, bis(maltolato)oxovanadium(IV) (BMOV), and an analogue of amavadine, bis( N-hydroxylamidoiminodiacetato)vanadium(IV) (HAIDA-V(IV)). The ability of vanadate to act either as a phosphate analogue or as a transition-state analogue with enzymes' catalysis phosphoryl group transfer suggests that vanadium coordination compounds may reveal mechanistic preferences in these classes of enzymes. Two of these compounds investigated, PDC-V(V) and BMOV, were hydrolytically and oxidatively reactive at neutral pH, and one, HAIDA-V(IV), does not hydrolyze, oxidize, or otherwise decompose to a measurable extent during the enzyme assay. The SR Ca (2+)-ATPase was inhibited by all three of these complexes. The relative order of inhibition was PDC-V(V) > BMOV > vanadate > HAIDA-V(IV), and the IC 50 values were 25, 40, 80, and 325 microM, respectively. Because the observed inhibition is more potent for PDC-V(V) and BMOV than that of oxovanadates, the inhibition cannot be explained by oxovanadate formation during enzyme assays. Furthermore, the hydrolytically and redox stable amavadine analogue HAIDA-V(IV) inhibited the Ca (2+)-ATPase less than oxovanadates. To gauge the importance of the lipid environment, studies of oxidized BMOV in microemulsions were performed and showed that this system remained in the aqueous pool even though PDC-V(V) is able to penetrate lipid interfaces. These findings suggest that the hydrolytic properties of these complexes may be important in the inhibition of the calcium pump. Our results show that two simple coordination complexes with known insulin enhancing effects can invoke a response in calcium homeostasis and the regulation of muscle contraction through the SR Ca (2+)-ATPase.     

Interaction of Diphenylamine Diazonium Salt with Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate in Aqueous Solution

The interaction of diphenylamine-4-diazonium salt (DDS) with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in aqueous solution was investigated. The results show that in a 2.1-2.3 molar ratio of SDS/DDS, the solution viscosity increases suddenly to a thousand times the original and then drops rapidly as the ratio beyond the region. The dramatic increase in the viscosity was proposed to be due to aggregated micelles that form in solution due to the interaction of diphenylamine diazonium salt and micelles formed from SDS, and when further SDS was added drops rapidly, because the aggregated micelles were separated by the electrostatic repulsion force originated from the overfeeding of SDS. It is interesting that the viscosity of the solution is very susceptible to UV light, i.e., the increased viscosity decreases gradually when the solution was exposed under UV light because the irradiation decomposes the diazonium group. The influence of [SDS] and the ratio of SDS/DDS on the viscosity of the solution were also investigated. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.     

Vanadium in Italian waters: monitoring and speciation of V(IV) and V(V)

In this work, a highly sensitive method was developed to separate vanadium (IV) from vanadium (V), which are both contained in water at trace levels. A suitable strong anionic exchange column (SAX) loaded with disodium ethylendiaminetetraacetic acid (Na₂EDTA) was used to trap both vanadium species dissolved in 10–100 ml of water at pH 3. The vanadyl ion was selectively eluted by means of 15 ml of an aqueous solution containing Na₂EDTA, tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBA⁺OH⁻), and isopropanol (ⁱPr-OH) and was subsequently determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy with electrothermal atomization. The concentration of vanadate ion was calculated by subtracting the vanadyl concentration from the total concentration of vanadium. The optimal conditions for a selective elution were evaluated. The recovery of vanadium (IV) was 95% or better. The proposed method provides a simple procedure for the speciation of vanadium in aqueous matrices. The collection of the two forms could easily be carried out at the sampling site. Therefore, the risk of changing the concentration ratio between vanadium species was widely reduced. The detection limits were 1 μg/l for both species, when a 10-ml sample was eluted through the column. The method was applied successfully to vanadium speciation on different kinds of Italian volcanic water: Mount Etna (Sicily), Lake Bracciano and Castelli Romani (Latium).     

Fate of excited probes in micellar systems

This article presents studies on the photophysical and photochemical behavior of probes within micellar systems: organized emulsifier/polymer aggregates; the intra- and interpolymer association of amphiphilic polymers; monomer-swollen micelles (microdroplets); and the interfacial layer. Pyrene (Py) as a probe is particularly attractive because of its ability to measure the polarity of its microenvironment. Dipyme yields information on the microviscosity of micellar systems. Probes such as laurdan and prodan can be used to explore the surface characteristics of micelles or microdroplets. The dansyl group has a special photophysical property that gives information about the local polarity and mobility (viscosity) of the microenvironment. The organized association of amphiphilic polymer and emulsifier introduces a heterogeneity in the local concentration of the reactants. This heterogeneity also results from the attractive interaction between hydrophilic monomer and emulsifier in the case when the monomer carries a positive charge and the counterpart a negative one, and vice versa. Some emulsifiers can bind to the amphiphilic copolymers by simple partitioning between the aqueous phase and the polymer--non-cooperative association. The interaction between micelles (microdroplets) and charged polymers leads to the formation of mixed micelles. Binding emulsifiers to these polymers was detected at emulsifier concentrations much below the critical micellar concentration (CMC). Emulsifiers often interact cooperatively with polymers at the critical aggregation concentration (CAC) below the CMC, forming micelle-like aggregates within the polymer. The CAC can be taken as a measure of interaction between the emulsifier and polymer. A decrease in the monomer fluorescence intensity of probe-labeled polymer results from increased excimer formation, or higher aggregates within the unimolecular polymeric micelles. An increase in the monomer fluorescence intensity of probe-labeled polymer within the micellar system can be ascribed to shielding of the probe chromophores by emulsifier micelles. The quenching of probe emission by (un)charged hydrophilic monomer depends on partitioning of the monomer between the aqueous phase and the micelles. Penetration of reactants into the interfacial layer determines the quenching of the hydrophobic probe by hydrophilic quencher, or vice versa. Quenching depends on the thickness, density and charge of the interfacial layer. Compartmentalization prevents the carbonyl compound and unsaturated monomer from coming into sufficiently close contact to allow singlet or triplet-monomer interaction. All negatively charged carbonyl probe molecules are quenched with significantly lower rates than the parent neutral hydrophobic benzophenone molecules, which were located further inside the aggregates. This results from the different conformation and allocation of reactants within the micellar system. In the reverse micelles, quenching depends on the amount of water in the interfacial layer and the total area of the water/oil interface.     

Selective transport of amino acids into the gas phase: driving forces for amino acid solubilization in gas-phase reverse micelles

We report a study on encapsulation of various amino acids into gas-phase sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (NaAOT) reverse micelles, using electrospray ionization guided-ion-beam tandem mass spectrometry. Collision-induced dissociation of mass-selected reverse micellar ions with Xe was performed to probe structures of gas-phase micellar assemblies, identify solute-surfactant interactions, and determine preferential incorporation sites of amino acids. Integration into gas-phase reverse micelles depends upon amino acid hydrophobicity and charge state. For examples, glycine and protonated amino acids (such as protonated tryptophan) are encapsulated within the micellar core via electrostatic interactions; while neutral tryptophan is adsorbed in the surfactant layer. As verified using model polar hydrophobic compounds, the hydrophobic effect and solute-interface hydrogen-bonding do not provide sufficient driving force needed for interfacial solubilization of neutral tryptophan. Neutral tryptophan, with a zwitterionic structure, is intercalated at the micellar interface between surfactant molecules through complementary effects of electrostatic interactions between tryptophan backbone and AOT polar heads, and hydrophobic interactions between tryptophan side chain and AOT alkyl tails. Protonation of tryptophan could significantly improve its incorporation capacity into gas-phase reverse micelles, and displace its incorporation site from the micellar interfacial zone to the core; protonation of glycine, on the other hand, has little effect on its encapsulation capacity. Another interesting observation is that amino acids of different isoelectric points could be selectively encapsulated into, and transported by, reverse micelles from solution to the gas phase, based upon their competition for protonation and subsequent encapsulation within the micellar core.     

CO2 responsive wormlike micelles based on sodium oleate,potassium chloride and N,N-dimethylethanolamine

The anionic surfactant sodium oleate (NaOA) can self-assemble in aqueous solution in the presence of counter-ion inorganic salts to form wormlike micelles (WLMs), which exhibited viscoelastic behavior. In this paper, KCl was used to induce the formation of wormlike micelles with sodium oleate. In this process, we found that the addition of N, N-dimethylethanolamine (DMEA) can destroy the structure of WLMs leading significant decrease of viscosity. However, after introducing CO₂ into the ternary solution (KCl-NaOA-DMEA), the WLMs can be regenerated due to the electrostatic interaction between the protonated DMEA and the anionic surfactants. The addition of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) causes the electrostatic interaction between OA^- and DMEAH⁺ be destroyed, which results in the wormlike micelles becoming spherical micelles of lower viscosity. The transition of WLMs with high viscosity and low viscosity spherical micelles can be repeated several times by using CO₂ and NaOH.