Dynamic properties of soy globulin adsorbed films at the air-water interface

In this paper we present surface dilatational properties of soy globulins (beta-conglycinin, glycinin, and reduced glycinin with 10 mM of dithiothreitol (DTT)) adsorbed onto the air-water interface, as a function of adsorption time. The experiments were performed at constant temperature (20 degrees C), pH (8.0), and ionic strength (0.05 M). The surface rheological parameters were measured as a function of protein concentration (ranging from 1 to 1x10(-3)% wt/wt). We found that the surface dilatational modulus, E, increases, and the phase angle, phi, decreases with time, theta, which may be associated with protein adsorption. These phenomena have been related to protein adsorption, unfolding, and/or protein-protein interactions (at long-term adsorption) as a function of protein concentration in solution. From a rheological point of view, the surface viscoelastic characteristics of soy globulin films adsorbed at the air-water interface are practically elastic. The main conclusion is that the dilatational properties of the adsorbed films depend on the molecular structure of the protein.     

Formation and rheological properties of the supercritical CO2-water pure interface

From the interfacial tension (gamma) measurement, we have analyzed the interfacial organization that occurs between pure H2O and pure CO2 from a kinetical and rheological point of view. This article is the followup to a previous one, where we showed that this equilibrated interface is composed of small H2O-CO2 cluster blocks [Tewes, F.; Boury, F. J. Phys. Chem. B 2004, 108, 2405]. By analyzing the variation of gamma with the square root of time, we found that the organization of the H2O-CO2 interface is, in the initial times, controlled by the diffusion of the CO2 molecules into the water. We compared the frictional coefficient determined from the measured CO2 diffusion coefficient with the frictional coefficient calculated from the Stokes equation (frictional ratio). From that, we concluded that it is a hydrated form of CO2 that diffuses and that the degree of hydration decreases with pressure. Rheological properties of the equilibrated interface vary with CO2 pressure, in the range of 50-90 bar, from a viscoelastic comportment to a purely elastic behavior, showing a change in the interfacial organization. The high equilibrium part of the elasticity (110 mN/m) obtained at 90 bar suggests a highly structured interface. Two phenomena could explain the interfacial rheological behavior: (i) an increase and a growth of the blocks H2O-CO2 cluster with the CO2 pressure or (ii) an increase in the interfacial capacity to form stable clusters under interfacial area compression.     

Cross linking and rheological characterization of adsorbed protein layers at the oil-water interface

The dilatational rheological properties of cross-linked protein layers adsorbed at the oil-water interface were investigated with help of a modified drop tensiometer allowing successive replacements of the external phase. This setup enables one to perform cross-linking reactions at the interface only, that is, without any contact between the cross-linking agent and protein molecules in solution, under continuous monitoring of the interfacial tension. The mechanical properties of the resulting interface were investigated with dilatational large strain experiments. Measured rheological properties were related to the expected stability of an emulsion against disproportionation by considering the ratio of the interfacial elasticity to the interfacial tension. In an attempt to increase this ratio to improve the resistance against disproportionation, experiments were performed with densified protein layers obtained via reduction of the droplet area prior to cross linking. To highlight the influence of the protein morphology on the dilatational rheological properties of the cross-linked adsorbed layers, experiments were performed with random coil (beta-casein) as well as globular (beta-lactoglobulin) proteins. Glutaraldehyde was used as a cross-linking agent. Experiments were performed at 55 degrees C and pH 7.0 in 20 mM imidazole buffer for later comparison with enzymatically cross-linked adsorbed protein layers. The present work demonstrated substantial qualitative and quantitative differences in the interfacial rheological properties of cross-linked random coil and globular proteins.     

Interfacial rheological studies of gelatin-sodium dodecyl sulfate complexes adsorbed at the air-water interface

The dilational rheological behavior of gelatin molecules adsorbed at the air-water interface has been studied as a function of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) concentration for a 7 wt % gelatin-SDS solution at 40 degrees C. Binding of SDS molecules to the gelatin strands disrupts the cross-linked network structure of adsorbed gelatin molecules and results in a reduction of the surface elastic modulus of the adsorbed layer that continues until the bulk SDS concentration reaches 1 mM. Beyond this SDS concentration, the dilational rheological properties of the adsorbed gelatin layer are indistinguishable from those of pure SDS adsorbed layers.     

Temperature-reversible ultrathin films of N-isopropylacrylamide terpolymer adsorbed at the solid-liquid interface

This article describes the stability and reversibility of ultrathin films of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPA)-vinylimidazole (VI)-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) graft terpolymer adsorbed at the solid-liquid interface upon temperature cycling from below to above its phase transition temperature. The coil-to-globule and globule-to-coil phase transitions were captured by in situ fluid tapping atomic force microscopy (AFM). The film thickness of 1 nm was determined by AFM, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray reflectivity. The concentration required to reach full coverage was found to be higher when adsorption occurred below the phase transition temperature. From 23 to 42 degrees C, the adsorbed NIPA terpolymer film was observed to be molecularly smooth, corresponding to the close-packed structure of flexible polymer coils. Particles containing between one and a few globules appeared abruptly at the interface at 42-43 degrees C, the same temperature as the solution phase transition temperature, which was determined by dynamic light scattering. The size of the particles did not change with temperature, whereas the number of particles increased with increasing temperature up to 60 degrees C. The particles correspond to the collapsed and associated state of the globules. The film morphological changes were found to be reversible upon temperature cycling. Subtle differences were observed between dip-coated and spin-coated films that are consistent with a higher degree of molecular freedom for spin-coated films. The study contributes to the fundamental understanding and applications of smart ultrathin films and coatings.     

Effect of binding of an oligomeric cationic fluorosurfactant on the dilational rheological properties of gelatin adsorbed at the air-water interface

The effect of binding of an oligomeric cationic fluorooxetane surfactant on the interfacial properties of adsorbed gelatin-fluorooxetane complexes has been studied using dynamic surface tension and dilational rheological measurements. Adsorption kinetics of gelatin-fluorooxetane complexes are reminiscent of a mixed (barrier/diffusion limited) process, while the dilational rheological properties of the interface exhibit a strong dependence on surfactant concentration. At low surfactant concentrations, dilational surface moduli as well as phase angles are relatively insensitive to the presence of the fluorooxetane. However, at the critical aggregation concentration of the polymer-surfactant system, there is a sharp increase in the complex modulus. Further increase in the fluorooxetane concentration does not significantly affect the complex modulus. The phase angle, however, does increase with increasing fluorooxetane concentration due to the transport of bound fluorooxetane from the subsurface to the solution-air interface. These results indicate that, at fluorooxetane concentrations exceeding the critical aggregation concentration, the polymer-surfactant complexes adsorb to form cross-linked multilayers at the solution-air interface.     

Mechanical and thermodynamic properties of surfactant aggregates at the solid-liquid interface

Surfactants are widely used to stabilize colloidal systems in a variety of industrial applications through the formation of self-assembled aggregates at the solid-liquid interface. Previous studies have reported that the control of surfactant-mediated slurry stability can be achieved through the manipulation of surfactant chain length and concentration. However, a fundamental understanding of the mechanical and energetic properties of these aggregates, which may aid in the molecular-level design of these systems, is still lacking. In this study, experimentally measured force/distance curves between an atomic force microscope (AFM) tip and self-assembled surfactant aggregates on mica or silica substrates at concentrations higher than the bulk critical micelle concentration (CMC) were used to determine their mechanical and thermodynamic properties. The experimental curves were fitted to a model which describes the interaction between a hard sphere (tip) and a soft substrate (surfactant structures) based on a modified Hertz theory for the case of a thin elastic layer on a rigid substrate. The calculated mechanical properties were found to be in the same order of magnitude as those reported for rubber-like materials (e.g., polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)). By integrating the force/distance curves, the energy required for breaking the surface aggregates was also calculated. These values are close to those reported for bulk-micelle formation.     

State,electrical and rheological properties of model and dioxan isolated lignin films at the air–water interface

The properties of monolayers of the dioxan lignin and of model dehydrogenation polymers spread at the air-water interface were investigated by the following techniques: surface pressure, surface potential, ellipticity, rheological analysis and molecular modeling. Information about the state of the monolayer was obtained from surface pressure-area and surface potential-area isotherms. At small deposited quantities (1-2 mgm^-2) a quasi-monolayer (2D) structure is formed. The values obtained for the mean area per monomer and for the mean dipole moment are coherent with previously reported data, as well as with the proposed molecular model. At higher deposited quantities (3-6 mgm^-2) a complex 3D network is built. These statements are supported by the results obtained by means of ellipsometry and surface rheology. Ellipsometry provides data for the stability of the 2D structure and for the slightly unstable 3D network. By using an original rheological approach, both structures are distinguished by their mechanical response when a dilatational stress is applied. The quasi-monolayer structure behaves as an elastic 2D medium during the compression, while two relaxation processes with characteristic times of 10 and 100 s were observed. The 3D network behaves as a Maxwell viscoelastic body during the compression, while three relaxation processes with characteristic times of 1, 10 and 100 s were detected.     

Dynamical and rheological properties of soft colloid suspensions

Soft colloids comprise a wide class of materials, ranging from linear polymers over polymeric assemblies, such as star polymers and dendrimers, to vesicles, capsules, and even cells. Suspensions of such colloids exhibit remarkable responses to imposed flow fields. This is related to their ability to undergo conformational changes and elastic deformations, and the adaptation of their dynamical behavior. The rational design of soft particles for targeted applications or the unraveling of their biological function requires an understanding of the relation between their microscopic properties and their macroscopic response. Here, mesoscale computer simulations provide an invaluable tool to tackle the broad range of length and time scales. In this article, we discuss recent theoretical and simulation results on the rheological behavior of ultrasoft polymeric colloids, vesicles, capsules, and cells. The properties of both, individual particles and semi-dilute suspensions, are addressed.     

Interaction of O2, CO and CO2 with Co films

Metastable impact electron spectroscopy (MIES), ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS(HeI)) and x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were applied to study the interaction of O₂, CO and CO₂ with Co films at room temperature. The films were produced on Si(100) surfaces under the in situ control of MIES, UPS and scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM). For O₂, dissociative adsorption takes place initially and then incorporation of oxygen starts at exposures of ～5 L. Comparison of the MIES and UPS spectra with those published for CoO shows that near‐stoichiometric CoO films can be obtained by co‐deposition of Co and O₂. The CO is adsorbed molecularly up to a maximum coverage of ～0.6 monolayer, with the C‐end pointing towards the surface. The CO₂ adsorption is dissociative, resulting in the formation of Co–CO bonds at the surface. The resulting oxygen atoms are mostly incorporated into the Co layer. For all studied molecules the interaction with Co is similar to that with Ni. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Solubility in the systems Rb2SO4-H2SO4-H2O and Cs2SO4-H2SO4-H2O at 25°

Conclusions The solubility of rubidium and cesium sulfates in aqueous solutions of sulfuric acid was studied at 25°. Rubidium sulfate forms the compounds 3Rb₂SO₄· H₂SO₄, Rb₂SO₄ · H₂SO₄, Rb₂SO₄·3H₂SO₄ and Rb₂SO₄·7H₂SO₄ with sulfuric acid, while cesium sulfate forms the compounds Cs₂SO₄·H₂SO₄; Cs₂SO₄·3H₂SO₄ and Cs₂SO₄ · 7H₂SO₄.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 6, pp. 1166–1170, June, 1968.     

Phase behavior and rheological properties of a salt-free catanionic surfactant TTAOH/LA/H2O system

Conventional cationic and anionic (catanionic) surfactant mixtures tend to form precipitates at the mixing molar ratio of the cationic and anionic surfactant of 1:1 because of the excess salt formed by their counterions. By using OH- and H+ as the counterions, however, excess salt can be eliminated, and salt-free catanionic systems can be obtained. Here, we report the detailed phase behavior and rheological properties of salt-free catanionic surfactant system of tetradecyltrimethylammonium hydroxide (TTAOH)/lauric acid (LA)/H2O. With the variation of mixing molar ratio of LA to TTAOH (rho=nLA/nTTAOH), the system exhibits much richer phase behavior induced by growth and transition of aggregates. Correspondingly, the rheological property of the system changes significantly. Take the series of samples with fixed total surfactant concentration (cT) to be 15 mg.mL(-1), the system only forms a low viscous L 1 phase with a Newton fluid character at the TTAOH-rich side. With increasing rho, first a shear-thickening L1 phase region is observed at 0.70or=1.05, and finally, at rho>or=1.13, the excess LA will separate from the bulk solution and form a white top layer. Investigations were also carried out by varying c T at fixed rho and by changing temperature, respectively. It was found micelle growth would be greatly suppressed at higher temperatures. However, the vesicle phases showed a considerable resistance against temperature rise.     

Specific counterion effect on the adsorbed film of cationic surfactant mixtures at the air/water interface

To investigate the counterion effects, we employed dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTABr)-dodecyltrimethylammonium tetrafluoroborate (DTABF(4)) mixed aqueous solutions and measured their surface tensions, then analyzed these data in a thermodynamic treatment. The tensiometry showed that DTABF(4) was more effective in lowering the surface tension of water. The phase diagram of adsorption demonstrated that the surface was enriched with BF(4)(-) ions, but the composition of Br(-) ions in the adsorbed film was slightly enhanced compared to the ideal mixing criteria. These were explained in terms of the size and polarizability of counterions. Moreover, the distribution of counterions of the DTABr-DTABF(4) mixtures in the adsorbed film is greatly different from that of the 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (HMIMBr)-1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (HMIMBF(4)) mixtures, where a stronger hydrogen-bonding exists between BF(4)(-) and HMIM(+) ions. These findings suggest that the adsorption of counterions in electric double layers is likely subject to two factors: the nature of counterion and their interactions with surfactant ions.     

K2CO3-Na2CO3-Li2CO3-H2O四元体系288K的相平衡

水盐体系;碳酸盐;溶解度;盐湖卤水;K2CO3-Na2CO3-Li2CO3-H2O四元体系288K的相平衡     

The structure of adsorbed films of some aliphatic compounds at the water/air interface

Electric surface potential (V) and surface tension measurements of aqueous solutions of some aliphatic compounds were used to determine the surface activity, orientation of molecules at the water/air interface, effective dipole moments (connected with water molecules, hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups), and local dielectric permittivities of the surface layer.     

Investigation of peroxyhydrates and hydrates of rubidium and cesium carbonates Communication 2. Physicochemical study of the ternary system Rb2CO2-H2O2-H2O

Conclusions A physicochemical investigation of the system Rb₂CO₃-H₂O₂-H₂O in the region of high hydrogen peroxide concentrations at low temperatures revealed for the first time the formation of a peroxyhydrate with a high hydrogen peroxide content, of the composition Rb₂CO₃ · 6H₂O₂.     

Measured and Predicted Solubility Phase Diagrams of Quaternary Systems LiBr-NaBr-MgBr2-H2O and LiBr-KBr-MgBr2-H2O at 298.15 K

The stable phase equilibria of quaternary systems LiBr-NaBr-MgBr₂-H₂O and LiBr-KBr-MgBr₂-H₂O at 298.15 K were studied by both experimental measurement(isothermal solution saturation method) and theoretical prediction(Pitzer model). The solubilities of the saturated solution have been determined experimentally and two stable phase diagrams and relevant water diagrams of the two quaternary systems were obtained. Results show that quaternary system LiBr-NaBr-MgBr₂-H₂O is hydrate II type as NaBr and NaBr·2H₂O coexistence. Its phase diagram consists of only one invariant point, four univariant curves, and five crystallization fields. The quaternary system LiBr-KBr-MgBr₂-H₂O is a complex type as the double salt KBr·MgBr₂·6H₂O formed. In addition to this double salt, the three single salts LiBr·2H₂O, KBr and MgBr₂·6H₂O also crystallize. In this paper, the solubilities of phase equilibria in above quaternary systems were also calculated by the Pitzer's electrolyte solution model. All the needed parameters can be obtained from the literature or be fitted by experimental data. On the Basis of the experimental and calculated results, the phase diagram of the quaternary system was plotted for comparison. It shows that the calculation results are consistent with the experimental ones.