Faceting of monolayer domains

The formation of facets in domains of three monolayer systems, differing in molecular structure or headgroup charge, is observed by Brewster-angle microscopy under different experimental conditions. Arachidic acid forms faceted domains on increasing the pH of the subphase from pH 12.0 to 12.3 or by adding traces of cholesterol at pH 12.0. The degree of faceting is gradually varied in a mixture of 1-monopalmitoyl-rac-glycerol and 1-O-hexadecyl-rac-glycerol. The surface potentials of the pure substances were measured in order to determine the electrostatic forces in the mixture. Reversible faceting of domains of heptadecanoic acid methyl ester is observed within 2 °C near 30 °C. Faceting in monolayers is explained on the basis of fundamental forces that govern domain texture and shape, including line tension anisotropy and electrostatic repulsive forces. This explanation also accounts for the formation of dendrites along certain directions at domains of arachidic acid and the methyl ester. Received: 9 August 1999/Accepted in revised form: 24 August 1999     

Adsorption of amyloid beta (1-40) peptide to phosphatidylethanolamine monolayers.

The aggregation of soluble, nontoxic amyloid beta (Abeta) peptide to beta-sheet containing fibrils is assumed to be a major step in the development of Alzheimer's disease. Interactions of Abeta with neuronal membranes could play a key role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Herein, we study the adsorption of synthetic Abeta peptide to DPPE and DMPE monolayers (dipalmitoyl- and dimyristoylphosphatidylethanolamine). Both lipids exhibit a condensed monolayer state at 20 degrees C and form a similar lattice. However, at low packing densities (at large area per molecule), the length of the acyl chains determines the phase behavior, therefore DPPE is fully condensed whereas DMPE exhibits a liquid-expanded state with a phase transition at approximately 5-6 mNm(-1). Adsorption of Abeta to DPPE and DMPE monolayers at low surface pressure leads to an increase of the surface pressure to approximately 17 mNm(-1). The same was observed during adsorption of the peptide to a pure air-water interface. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD) experiments show no influence of Abeta on the lipid structure. The adsorption kinetics of Abeta to a DMPE monolayer followed by IRRAS (infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy) reveals the phase transition of DMPE molecules from liquid-expanded to condensed states at the same surface pressure as for DMPE on pure water. These facts indicate no specific interactions of the peptide with either lipid. In addition, no adsorption or penetration of the peptide into the lipid monolayers was observed at surface pressures above 30 mNm(-1). IRRAS allows the measurement of the conformation and orientation of the peptide adsorbed to the air-water interface and to a lipid monolayer. In both cases, with lipids at surface pressures below 20 mNm(-1) and at the air-water interface, adsorbed Abeta has a beta-sheet conformation and these beta-sheets are oriented parallel to the interface.     

Langmuir monolayer behavior of an ion pair amphiphile with a double-tailed cationic surfactant

The spread or Langmuir monolayer behavior of an ion pair amphiphile (IPA), hexadecyltrimethylammonium-dodecylsulfate (HTMA-DS), with a double-tailed cationic surfactant, dihexadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DHDAB), at the air/water interface was analyzed with surface pressure-area isotherms, area relaxation curves, and Brewster angle microscope (BAM) images. The surface pressure-area isotherms showed that with increasing the DHDAB molar ratio, X(DHDAB), spread monolayers of HTMA-DS with DHDAB became rigid. In addition, unreasonably small limiting areas per alkyl chain of the molecules in the monolayers were found, especially at X(DHDAB)=0.5, implying the molecular loss from the monolayers at the interface. For spread HTMA-DS/DHDAB monolayers at the interface, a new IPA, DHDA-DS, was proposed to form through the displacement of HTMA(+) from HTMA-DS by DHDA(+), leaving HTMA(+) dissociated. The formation of DHDA-DS and the desorption of dissociated HTMA(+) upon the interface compression were supported by the results obtained from designed monolayer experiments with BAM observations, and were discussed by considering the hydrophilicity, packing efficiency, and headgroup charge characteristic of the species. Moreover, the area relaxation curves of spread HTMA-DS/DHDAB monolayers suggested that the formation of DHDA-DS was strongly related to the improved monolayer stability at the interface, which may have implications for the DHDAB-enhanced physical stability of catanionic vesicles composed of HTMA-DS.     

Surface electrochemical properties of mixed oxide ceramic membranes: Zeta-potential and surface charge density

The surface electrochemical properties of alumina based ceramic microfiltration membranes were studied by measuring electroosmotic rates and surface charge densities obtained from potentiometric titrations. The rate of electroosmosis, which determines the zeta-potential, was measured on the membrane itself, whereas the surface charge was titrated on a suspension obtained by crushing of the membrane. The zeta-potential was measured in the presence of salts including NaCl, CaCl₂ and Na₂SO₄, for a wide range of pH values (4–9) at ionic strengths of 0.01 and 0.001 M. The pH value of the isoelectric point (iep) show a specific adsorption of SO₄²⁻ and Ca²⁺ ions onto the membrane surface. The iep in NaCl solutions occurs at pH 4.7 ± 0.1. The low iep is due to the large amount of silicium oxide in the membrane. The surface charge density is relatively high with respect to the low values of zeta-potentials. The point of zero charge pH(pzc) determined from surface charge and pH profiles occurs at pH 8.2 ± 0.1 in NaCl solution. The pH(pzc) value was also determined by two ‘addition’ methods. Similar pH(pzc) values were obtained. The difference between the pH(pzc) and pH(iep) may be correlated to a loss of acidity that is due to using crushed-membrane powder to perform potentiometric measurements.     

Molecular organization of a water-insoluble iridium(III) complex in mixed monolayers

In this work, organized mixed monolayers containing a cationic water-insoluble iridium(III) complex, Ir-dye, [Ir(ppy)(2)(tmphen)]PF(6), (tmphen = 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline, and ppy = 2-phenylpyridine), and an anionic lipid matrix, DMPA, dimyristoyl-phosphatidic acid, with different molar proportions, were formed by the co-spreading method at the air-water interface. The presence of the dye at the interface, as well as the molecular organization of the mixed films, is deduced from surface techniques such as pi-A isotherms, Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) and reflection spectroscopy. The results obtained remark the formation of an equimolar mixed film, Ir-dye/DMPA = 1:1. BAM images reveal a whole homogeneous monolayer, with gradually increasing reflectivity along the compression process up to reaching the collapse of this equimolecular monolayer at pi approximately equal to 37 mNm(-1). Increasing the molar ratio of DMPA in the mixture, the excess of lipid molecules organizes themselves forming dark flower-like domains of pure DMPA at high surface pressures, coexisting with the mixed Ir-dye/DMPA = 1:1 monolayer. On the other hand, unstable mixed monolayers are obtained by using an initial dye surface concentration higher than the equimolecular one. These mixed Langmuir monolayers have been successfully transferred onto solid substrates by the LB (Langmuir-Blodgett) technique.     

Changes in the interaction characteristics of polyelectrolyte complex covered silica surfaces

The adsorption of polyelectrolyte complexes, PEC, made from the cationic poly (diallyldimethylammonium) chloride (PDADMAC) and the anionic maleic acid-co-propene copolymer (MA-P) on a Si-wafer surface has been studied. The application of highly diluted colloidally dispersed PEC solutions led to the deposition of single PEC particles onto the surface of the Si-wafer. The interaction forces of the heterogeneously covered surface were monitored by direct force measurements with an atomic force microscope (AFM) in the force volume mode. On the surface of a single PEC particle drastic changes in the interaction forces were found in comparison with the unmodified Si-wafer: in all force vs. distance curves a strong increase of the adhesion was measured that can be attributed to the formation of electrostatic bonds between the negatively charged Si₃N₄-tip and the cationic excess charge of the PEC. Additionally, the behavior during approach of both surfaces has been distinct: at pH 6.1 we see a long range electrostatic attraction between the tip and the PEC particle. The attraction becomes even stronger at pH 4.1, because of an increased positive net charge. Generally, a heterogeneous surface with a wide variety of interaction features can be created by the adsorption of PEC particles.     

Interaction of polysaccharide-protein complex from Agaricus blazei with Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett films of phospholipids

The use of natural substances in health applications may be hampered by the difficulties in establishing the mechanisms of action, especially at molecular-level. The protein-polysaccharide complex extracted from the mushroom Agaricus blazei Murill, referred to as CAb, has been considered for treating various diseases with probable interaction with cell membranes. In this study, we investigate the interaction between CAb and a cell membrane model represented by a Langmuir monolayer of dimyristoyl phosphatidic acid (DMPA). CAb affects the structural properties of DMPA monolayers causing expansion and increasing compressibility. In addition, interaction with DMPA polar heads led to neutralization of the electrical double layer, yielding a zero surface potential at large areas per molecule. CAb remained at the interface even at high surface pressures, which allowed transfer of Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films onto solid supports with the CAb-DMPA mixture. The mass transferred, according to quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements, increased linearly with the number of deposited layers. With UV-vis absorption, fluorescence and FTIR spectroscopies, we confirmed that the LB films contain polysaccharides, proteins and DMPA. Therefore, the CAb biological action must be attributed not only to polysaccharides but also to proteins in the complex.     

Particle interactions in kaolinite suspensions and corresponding aggregate structures

The surface charge densities of the silica face surface and the alumina face surface of kaolinite particles, recently determined from surface force measurements using atomic force microscopy, show a distinct dependence on the pH of the system. The silica face was found to be negatively charged at pH>4, whereas the alumina face surface was found to be positively charged at pH<6, and negatively charged at pH>8. The surface charge densities of the silica face and the alumina face were utilized in this study to determine the interaction energies between different surfaces of kaolinite particles. Results indicate that the silica face-alumina face interaction is dominant for kaolinite particle aggregation at low pH. This face-face association increases the stacking of kaolinite layers, and thereby promotes the edge-face (edge-silica face and edge-alumina face) and face-face (silica face-alumina face) associations with increasing pH, and hence the maximum shear-yield stress at pH 5-5.5. With further increase in pH, the face-face and edge-face association decreases due to increasing surface charge density on the silica face and the edge surfaces, and decreasing surface charge density on the alumina face. At high pH, all kaolinite surfaces become negatively charged, kaolinite particles are dispersed, and the suspension is stabilized. The face-face association at low pH has been confirmed from cryo-SEM images of kaolinite aggregates taken from suspension which show that the particles are mostly organized in a face-face and edge-face manner. At higher pH conditions, the cryo-SEM images of the kaolinite aggregates reveal a lower degree of consolidation and the edge-edge association is evident.     

Breakdown of the Gouy-Chapman model for highly charged Langmuir monolayers: counterion size effect

Deviations from the classic Gouy-Chapman (GC) model due to the finite size of hydrated counterions were tested for negatively charged Langmuir monolayers with different surface charge densities. Monolayers with the largest charge density (>0.6 C.m(-2)) show an increase of the surface potential for a series of alkali metal cations from Li(+) to Cs(+) by 200-250 mV. The increase is similar for different monolayers and suggests that this effect is independent of the particular type of headgroup. The magnitude of variation is comparable with model estimations of the electrical double layer (EDL) potential implying that the deviation from the GC model is drastic. Deviations from the GC model rapidly vanish with decreasing monolayer charge density and become hardly observable below 0.3 C.m(-2). For monolayers with a high charge density on subphases containing different sized counterions, preferential participation of the smallest ions in the EDL should be favorable in terms of electrostatic free energy because of packing density limitations. This effect was demonstrated for behenyl sulfate (BS) monolayers (0.64 C.m(-2)) with the X-ray reflectivity technique. For the Cs(+)-Li(+) system, the fraction of Cs(+) in the EDL is 50-60% compared with only 10% of Cs(+) in the subphase. Providing high surface charge density, a small univalent Cs(+) is capable to compete even with a bulky divalent Mg(2+). For equal concentrations of Cs(+) and Mg(2+) in the subphase, the Cs(+)/Mg(2+) ratio in EDL of BS monolayer is 1.3 to 2.0 (in contrast to 0.04, predicted by the GC model). All experimental results of this study are described in terms of packing density limitations for hydrated counterions in the EDL.     

Simulations of calcite crystallization on self-assembled monolayers

This paper presents simulations of calcium carbonate ordering in contact with self-assembled monolayers. The calculations use potential-based molecular dynamics to model the crystallization of calcium carbonate to calcite expressing both the (00.1) and (01.2) surfaces. The effect of monolayer properties: ionization; epitaxial matching; charge density; and headgroup orientation on the crystallization process are examined in detail. The results demonstrate that highly charged surfaces are vital to stimulate ordering and crystallization. Template directed crystallization requires charge epitaxy between both the crystal surface and the monolayer. The orientation of the headgroup appears to make no contribution to the selection of the crystal surface.     

Interaction and structure of surfaces coated by poly(vinyl amines) of different line charge densities

Interactions between preadsorbed films of poly(vinyl amine) (PVA) of two different line charge densities on silica substrates were studied with the colloidal probe technique based on the atomic force microscope (AFM). The preadsorbed films were prepared by adsorption of PVA from a pH 4 solution without any added salt. The highly charged PVA adsorbs in a flat configuration and in laterally heterogeneous layers, while the more weakly charged PVA analog adsorbs in thicker and more homogeneous films. As revealed by reflectivity measurements, such preadsorbed PVA films are stable in polyelectrolyte-free solutions. However, force measurements with the colloidal probe reveal that their interactions depend strongly on the ionic strength. Upon approach, interactions are dominated by electrostatic diffuse layer overlap forces. Both PVA films have very similar diffuse layer charge densities of about 1.5 mC/m2. Since these values are substantially lower than what would be expected from the total charge of the adsorbed polyelectrolytes measured by reflectivity, we infer that coadsorption of anions represents the principal mechanism in charge neutralization. Upon retraction, the adhesion between the films is dominated by bridging forces due to single polymer chains. Such bridging adhesion becomes progressively important with increasing ionic strength, whereby their range and frequency increase. The work of adhesion due to bridging is about 0.3 mN/m. At low ionic strengths, the films behave differently. While the highly charged PVA shows unspecific adhesion at small distances, the more weakly charged PVA analog shows few adhesion events occurring at long distances.     

Miltefosine-cholesterol interactions: a monolayer study

Mixed Langmuir monolayers of miltefosine (hexadecylphosphocholine) and cholesterol have been investigated by recording surface pressure-area (pi-A) isotherms at different subphase pHs (2, 6, and 10) and temperatures (10, 20, 25, and 30 degrees C). The change of both pH and temperature within the investigated range does not modify significantly the behavior of mixed films. The most pronounced effect involves condensation of the miltefosine monolayer by cholesterol, which diminishes in the following order: pH 6 > pH 2 > pH 10. The analyses of pi-A and compressibility modulus dependencies indicate the existence of interactions in the investigated system; at pH 2 and 6, the strongest were found to occur for the mixed film of miltefosine molar fraction (XM) between 0.6 and 0.7 (mean value, 0.66). Such a composition corresponds to the stable complex formation wherein 2 miltefosine molecules and 1 molecule of cholesterol are strongly bound together, mainly by attractive hydrophobic forces between their apolar tails. However, at pH 10 the highest stability occurs for mixtures containing a smaller proportion of miltefosine (XM = 0.5), which means that on alkaline subphases the ability to condense the miltefosine monolayer by cholesterol is less efficient as it requires a higher proportion of cholesterol (1:1 as compared to 1:2 at pH 2 and 6) to attain the maximum stability of the mixed film. The attractive forces between miltefosine and cholesterol are also weaker at pH 10 due to a greater solvatation of the miltefosine polar group. A similar trend is observed on increasing subphase temperature, when monolayers are more expanded.     

Calixarenes in a membrane environment: a monolayer study on the miscibility of three p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene beta-lactam derivatives with 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine

Literature data indicate that some calixarene derivatives with antimicrobial activities may be useful as drugs; one of the aspects of the biological activity of different classes of antibiotics concerns interactions with lipid membranes. Here, the possibility of incorporation and/or translocation of three amphiphilic p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene derivatives across membranes was studied using lipid monolayers. The derivatives used have 6-aminopenicillanic acid or benzylpenicillin moieties grafted in alternate positions at the calixarene lower rim; 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DMPE), a model bacterial membrane lipid, was used to prepare the monolayers. The miscibility of calixarene-antibiotic conjugates with lipid films was studied using surface pressure and surface potential measurements, as well as Brewster angle microscopy. The results obtained show that the miscibility is significantly different for the 6-aminopenicillanic acid and the two benzylpenicillin derivatives. Molecular modeling allowed the assessment of the lowest energy conformations of the calixarene derivatives and gave more insight into the interactions with the DMPE films.     

Calcium carbonate particle growth depending on coupling among adjacent layers in hybrid LB/LbL films

There are practical and academic situations that justify the study of calcium carbonate crystallization and especially of systems that are associated with organic matrices and a confined medium. Despite the fact that many different matrices have been studied, the use of well-behaved, thin organic films may provide new knowledge about this system. In this work, we have studied the growth of calcium carbonate particles on well-defined organic matrices that were formed by layer-by-layer (LbL) polyelectrolyte films deposited on phospholipid Langmuir-Blodgett films (LB). We were able to change the surface electrical charge density of the LB films by changing the proportions of a negatively charged lipid, the sodium salt of dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-phosphatidyl acid (DMPA), and a zwitterionic lipid, dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-phosphatidylethanolamine (DMPE). This affects the subsequent polyelectrolyte LbL film deposition, which also changes the the nature of the bonding (electrostatic interaction or hydrogen bonding). This approach allowed for the formation of calcium carbonate particles of different final shapes, roughnesses, and sizes. The masses of deposited lipids, polyelectrolytes, and calcium cabonate were quantified by the quartz crystal microbalance technique. The structures of obtained particles were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy.     

Separating nanoparticles by surface charge group using pH-controlled passivated gel electrophoresis

Because ionically stabilized colloids in aqueous dispersions have net surface charges that depend on pH, it is potentially possible to separate mixtures of nanospheres having identical radii, yet different types of stabilizing surface charge groups, efficiently using passivated gel electrophoresis (gel-EP). To demonstrate this, we separate a binary dispersion of polystyrene nanospheres that have nearly identical radii and surface group densities, yet different types of anionic stabilizing surface charge groups: sulfate and carboxylate. We achieve an efficient separation by adjusting the pH of the running buffer to lie between the pK_a values of these charge groups, resulting in significantly different protonation and, consequently, different electrophoretic propagation velocities of the nanospheres. The measured steady-state propagation velocities of both types of anionic nanoparticles as a function of pH can be fit well by an equilibrium model of pH-dependent protonation of anionic surface charge groups. Thus, pH-controlled passivated gel-EP opens a route for separating similarly sized charged colloidal objects that are stabilized by a variety of different surface charge groups.     

Choose sides: differential polymer adhesion

AFM-based single molecule desorption measurements were performed on surface end-grafted poly(acrylic acid) monolayers as a function of the pH of the aqueous buffer to study the adhesion properties of polymers that bridge two surfaces. These properties were found to depend on the adhesion forces of both surfaces in a differential manner, which is explained with a simple model in analogy to the Bell-Evans formalism used in dynamic force spectroscopy. The measured interaction forces between the poly(acrylic acid) chains and silicon nitride AFM tips depend on the grafting density of the polymer monolayers as well as on the contour length of the polymer chains. This study demonstrates that the stability of polymer bridges is determined by the adhesion strengths on both surfaces, which can be tuned by using pH-dependent polyelectrolyte monolayers.     

Effect of introduced charge in cellulose gels on surface interactions and the adsorption of highly charged cationic polyelectrolytes

The interaction between cellulose surfaces in aqueous solution has been measured using colloidal probe microscopy. Cellulose thin films with varying charge through carboxyl group substitution were used in this study with the surface forces fit to DLVO theory. It was found that the surface potential increased, as expected, with increasing carboxyl substitution. Furthermore, for a given degree of substitution, the surface potential increased as a function of increasing pH. At low pH, the surface forces interaction were attractive and could be fit to the non-retarded Hamaker equation using a constant of 3 x 10(-21) J. At pH greater than 5, the force interactions were monotonically repulsive, regardless of the ionic strength of the solution for all charge densities of the cellulose thin films. The adsorption of polyDADMAC to these charged cellulose films was also investigated using the quartz crystal microbalance. It was found that for the low charge film, a low surface excess of PDADMAC was sensed and that the adsorbed conformation was essentially flat. However for the higher charged cellulose film, a spontaneous de-swelling was observed resulting in no possibility of quantitatively determining the sensed mass using QCM.     

A brief review of the relationships between monolayer viscosity, phase behavior, surface pressure, and temperature using a simple monolayer viscometer

The two-dimensional surface shear viscosity, eta, of fatty acid monolayers of different chain lengths, measured using a simple magnetic needle viscometer, strongly correlates with the molecular organization in condensed phases and the absolute temperature. eta can increase by orders of magnitude at phase boundaries associated with tilted to untilted molecular order, providing the underlying order is semicrystalline. Hence, untilted, long-range ordered CS phases are the most viscous films. However, despite being untilted, the LS rotator phase is less viscous than certain laterally ordered tilted phases, suggesting a decrease of the van der Waals interactions due to molecular rotation. In certain regions of the L2 phase, eta reaches a maximum before the L2-LS transition, an anomalous behavior correlated with the change in the lattice symmetry of the headgroup. Surface shear viscosity, even when measured with a macroscopic probe, is particularly sensitive to the microscopic organization of monolayers.     

Interaction of merocyanine 540 with charged membranes.

In this work, phospholipid liposomes were used to investigate the influence of lipid negative charge on the interaction of merocyanine 540 (MC540) with model membranes. Liposomes were prepared from a mixture of neutral dimyristoyl lecithin (DMPC) and negatively charged dimyristoyl phosphatidic acid (DMPA). A strong dependence between the presence of charges on the membrane and dye association was found. The affinity of the dye to liposomes was decreased with an increasing content of DMPA in liposomes. Changes in absorption spectra of MC540 suggest that the decrease in affinity of MC540 to charged membranes is accompanied by a hypsochromic solvatochromic shift and changes in monomer/dimer equilibrium of MC540 incorporated in the membrane.     

Saccharide-functionalized alkanethiols for fouling-resistant self-assembled monolayers: synthesis, monolayer properties, and antifouling behavior

We describe the synthesis of a series of mono-, di-, and trisaccharide-functionalized alkanethiols as well as the formation of fouling-resistant self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) from these. The SAMs were characterized using ellipsometry, wetting measurements, and infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (IRAS). We show that the structure of the carbohydrate moiety affects the packing density and that this also alters the alkane chain organization. Upon increasing the size of the sugar moieties (from mono- to di- and trisaccharides), the structural qualities of the monolayers deteriorated with increasing disorder, and for the trisaccharide, slow reorganization dynamics in response to changes in the environmental polarity were observed. The antifouling properties of these SAMs were investigated through protein adsorption experiments from buffer solutions as well as settlement (attachment) tests using two common marine fouling species, zoospores of the green macroalga Ulva linza and cypris larvae of the barnacle Balanus amphitrite. The SAMs showed overall good resistance to fouling by both the proteins and the tested marine organisms. To improve the packing density of the SAMs with bulky headgroups, we employed mixed SAMs where the saccharide-thiols are diluted with a filler molecule having a small 2-hydroxyethyl headgroup. This method also provides a means by which the steric availability of sugar moieties can be varied, which is of interest for specific interaction studies with surface-bound sugars. The results of the surface dilution study and the low nonspecific adsorption onto the SAMs both indicate the feasibility of this approach.