Novel Azobenzene-Functionalized Polyelectrolytes of Different Substituted Head Groups 2: Control of Surface Wetting in Self-Assembled Multilayer Films

A novel set of light-responsive polyelectrolytes has been developed and studied, to control and tune surface wettability by introducing various types of substituted R head-groups of azo polyelectrolytes in self-assembled multilayer (SAMU) films. As part of a larger project to develop polymer surfaces where one can exert precise control over properties important to proteins and cells in contact, photo-reversibly, we describe here how one can tune quite reliably the contact angle of a biocompatible SAMU, containing a photo-reversible azo chromophore for eventual directed cell growth. The azo polyelectrolytes described here have different substituted R head-group pairs of shorter-ionized hydrophilic COOH and SO₃H, shorter non-ionized hydrophobic H and OC₂H₅, and larger non-ionized hydrophobic octyl C₈H₁₇ and C₈F₁₇, and were employed as polyanions to fabricate the SAMU onto silicon substrates by using the counter-charge polycation PDAC. The prepared SAMU films were primarily characterized by measurement of their contact angles with water. The surface wetting properties of the thin films were found to be dependent on the type of substituted R-groups of the azo polyelectrolytes through their degree of ionization, size, hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity, solubility, conformation, and inter-polymeric association and intra-polymeric aggregation. All these factors appeared to be inter-related, and influenced variations in hydrophobic/hydrophilic character to different extents of aggregates/non-aggregates in solution because of solvation effects of the azo polyanions, and were thus manifested when adsorbed as thin films via the SAMU deposition process. For example, one interesting observation is significantly higher contact angles of 79° for SAMU films of larger octyl R groups of PAPEA-C₈F₁₇ and PAPEA-C₈H₁₇ than for others with contact angles of 64° observed for non-polar R-groups of OC₂H₅ and H. Furthermore, lower contact angle values of 59° for SAMU films with polar R-groups of COOH and SO₃H relative to that of non-polar R-groups are in accordance with their expected order of the hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity. It is possible that the large octyl groups are more effective in shielding the ionic functional groups on the substrate surface, and contributed less to the water drop-molecule interactions with ionic groups of the PDAC and/or AA groups. In addition, higher hydrophobicity of the SAMU films may be due to the incorporation of bulky and hydrophobic groups in these polyelectrolytes, which can produce aggregates on the surfaces of the SAMU films. Through understanding and controlling the complex aggregation behavior of the different substituted R-groups of these azo polyelectrolytes, and hence their adsorption on substrates, it appears possible to finely tune the surface energy of these biocompatible films over a wide range, enhance the photo-switching capabilities of the SAMU films, and tailor other surface properties for the development and application of new devices in diverse areas of microfluidics, specialty coatings, sensors, and biomedical sciences.     

Sensitizers for Aqueous‐Based Solar Cells

Aqueous dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are attractive due to their sustainability, the use of water as a safe solvent for the redox mediators, and their possible applications in photoelectrochemical water splitting. However, the higher tendency of dye leaching by water and the lower wettability of dye molecules are two major obstacles that need to be tackled for future applications of aqueous DSSCs. Sensitizers designed for aqueous DSSCs are discussed based on their functions, such as modification of the molecular skeleton and the anchoring group for better stability against dye leaching by water, and the incorporation of hydrophilic entities into the dye molecule or the addition of a surfactant to the system to increase the wettability of the dye for more facile dye regeneration. Surface treatment of the photoanode to deter dye leaching or improve the wettability of the dye molecule is also discussed. Redox mediators designed for aqueous DSSCs are also discussed. The review also includes quantum‐dot‐sensitized solar cells, with a focus on improvements in QD loading and suppression of interfacial charge recombination at the photoanode.     

Study of Spontaneous Imbibition of Water by Oil-Wet Sandstone Cores Using Different Surfactants

The mechanism of spontaneous imbibition of water by sandstone cores and the relationship between reservoir wettability and imbibition recovery were studied by investigating factors influencing the spontaneous imbibition of different surfactants by oil-wet sandstone cores. Ultimate oil recovery of cores using the cationic surfactant CTAB was higher than that of the cores using the nonionic surfactant TX-100 and the anionic surfactant POE (1) at the same concentration. For CTAB and TX-100, the ultimate oil recovery by spontaneous imbibition increased with increase in surfactant concentration. In regard to imbibition recovery, TX-100 and POE(1) at high temperatures were superior to those at low temperatures. Ultimate oil recovery of the high-permeability core was higher than that of the low-permeability core at room temperature. According to changes in the driving force during the imbibition process, the imbibition curve could be divided into three regions: (1) mainly capillary force, (2) both capillary and gravity forces, and (3) mainly gravity force. The stronger the hydrophilicity of the rock surface, the higher the spontaneous imbibition recovery.     

Mechanism and Influencing Factors of Wettability Alteration of Water-Wet Sandstone Surface by CTAB

Different experimental methods including ellipsometry, zeta potential measurements, imbibition studies, and contact angle measurements were used to study the mechanism and influencing factors of wettability alteration of water-wet sandstone surface caused by CTAB (hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide). Results show that when the concentration of CTAB reaches a certain level (below CMC), due to the electrostatic attraction between the positively charged head groups of CTAB and the negatively charged sandstone surface, the monolayer of CTAB is formed and hydrophobic chains of CTAB molecules are toward the aqueous phase, making the solid surface oil-wet. When the concentration of CTAB continues to increase (above CMC), due to the hydrophobic interaction, the compact bilayer of CTAB is formed and hydrophilic head groups of CTAB molecules are toward the aqueous phase, rendering the solid surface water-wet. The contact angles between the oil–water interface and the surface treated with CTAB increase with the increase of the concentration of NaCl and CaCl_2. Compared to NaCl, the inorganic salt CaCl₂ has a greater impact on the contact angle. In addition, the contact angles increase with the increase of temperature and decrease with the increase of pH value of the aqueous solution.     

船舶水下减阻抗污涂层的研究综述

船舶由于在航行时受到各种阻力,消耗了大量能量,增加了航行成本。船舶水下阻力的来源可以大致分为船体阻力和生物质附加阻力。本文基于对阻力和生物质黏附形成过程的分析,介绍了水下减阻领域的进展突破,总结了具有减阻、抗污性质的涂层研究情况,从超疏水、超亲水减阻材料和自抛光防污涂料、低表面能抗黏附材料、防污剂等方面,对其中相关的科学问题和解决方法进行了综述。     

石榴石固体电解质Li3BO3界面改性研究

石榴石固体电解质由于其高的离子电导率,对锂金属稳定等优点成为了下一代高性能锂电池的重要研究方向之一.但锂金属负极界面浸润性与锂枝晶问题限制了其应用.本文通过简单的液相沉积结合高温烧结的方法,在石榴石固体电解质片表面构建了一层稳定的硼酸三锂(Li3BO3)修饰层.研究表明,Li3BO3 修饰层可以有效改善石榴石固体电解质...     

纳米CaCO3的改性、表面结构与流变行为研究

采用铝锆偶联剂和棕榈酸改性纳米CaCO₃ 粉体. 借助 XRD, FTIR, 接触角及流变学等测试方法对纳米CaCO₃ 的表面结构进行表征. XRD 分析表明: 改性纳米 CaCO₃保持原样品完整的体相结构, 为方解石型纳米微晶. FTIR 分析证明: 表面改性剂与纳米 CaCO₃ 表面是以化学键合和物理吸附方式相结合, 粒子表面存在羧基等有机官能团的红外吸收特征. 通过测定苯和水在改性纳米CaCO₃粉末压片上的接触角, 计算了改性纳米 CaCO₃的表面能和极性分量, 并与未改性纳米CaCO₃ 进行比较. 结果表明, 经表面改性, 纳米 CaCO₃ 的表面能和极性分量明显降低, 其在有机溶液中的吸附功增大, 界面张力大大降低; 经棕榈酸改性的纳米 CaCO₃ 表现出较好的亲油疏水性, 而铝锆偶联剂改性的纳米 CaCO₃ 同时具有亲水性和亲油性. 以液体石蜡为溶剂, 研究了表面改性对纳米CaCO₃悬浮液流变行为的影响. 实验发现: 经过表面处理, 纳米 CaCO₃ 粉体悬浮液流变行为发生较大的变化, 稳态剪切黏度大大降低, 表现出较小的动态弹性储能模量和黏性损耗模量, 而损耗因子较大.     

Recent research progress in wettability of colloidal crystals

The wettability of solid surfaces has attracted extensive interest in both theoretical research and industrial applications. This paper reviews recent research progress in the fabrication and applications of the colloidal crystals with special wettability. Based on the modified equation of Wenzel and Cassie, the colloidal crystals with special wettability have been obtained by either application of the intrinsic rough structure or modification of the surface chemical composition. Some typical applications o...