Spontaneous film formation from a polymer solution

An unusual continuous film formation process of lateral pentyloxy substituted poly(p-phenylene terephthalate)s (s-PPPT) and poly(carbonate) (PC) is observed. A liquid film of polymer solution creeps over the surface of water dropped into the polymer solution. By vaporization of the solvent a solid polymer film is formed on the water surface and can be removed. The driving force for the film formation mechanism is assumed by the reduction of the surface tension of water. Experiments verify this mechanism by increasing the film formation speed using a gas stream, by reducing the formation speed through lowering the surface tension by rinsing agents, and by lowering the solubility of the polymer. As expected, no effects are found by variation of the pH-value of water. Necessary conditions for the film formation process are: good solubility of the polar polymers in organic solvents having a high vapor pressure, complete phase separation, solution density higher than water density, and a surrounding gas phase unsaturated with solvent vapor.The thickness of the mechanically stable films is less than 0.5 m. The films are amorphous by microscopical, FT-IR, x-ray, and DTA investigations.     

Swelling of sodium acrylate gels

The swelling process of sodium acrylate gel is experimentally investigated. It is found that sodium acrylate gels weakly crosslinked with N,N-methylene-bis-acrylamide may undergo volume phase transition and that different kinds of mechanical instabilities occur in sequence at the transition. Peculiar wrinkle patterns appear on the free surface of an unstable gel and are changed in geometry as swelling proceeds. Cellular patterns seen at various instances in the late period of swelling are ascertained to be geometrically similar to each other and different only in size. The radii of spherical acrylate gels allowed to swell in water are measured as functions of time. The results are discussed and compared with the kinetic theories of swelling. As a result, these theories are proved to be unsatisfactory to fully describe the experimental facts.     

Adsorption of polyethylene glycol from aqueous solution on montmorillonite clays

Adsorption rates and capacities of polyethylene glycol (PEG) were investigated for five montmorillonite clays. The adsorption of PEG for all the montmorillonite clays was rapid, and equilibrium was attained within 30 min. The adsorption isotherms of PEG for all the montmorillonites conformed to the Freundlich equation. The adsorption heats were 7.3 and 11.6 kJ · mol^–1(mw.:2000), and 8.7 and 14.2 kJ · mol^–1(mw.:20000) for the montmorillonite and the bentonite II-Ca, respectively. Adsorption capacities for all the clay samples approached constants for the molecular weight of PEG over 2000, though they increased with the increase of molecular weight under 2000. The adsorption capacities were slightly influenced by a nearly neutral pH. The montmorillonite clays which had different interlayer cations showed quite different adsorption capacities. The bentonite II-Ca, the acid clay, and the activated clay showed large adsorption capacities that were 30–50 % of that of an activated carbon.     

Physicochemical properties of α, ω-type bolaform surfactant in aqueous solution. Eicosane-1,20-bis(triethylammonium bromide)

The physicochemical properties of the, - type (bolaform) surfactant, eicosane-1, 20-bis(triethylammonium bromide) (C₂₀Et₆), in aqueous solution have been investigated by means of surface tension, electrical conductivity, dye solubilization, and time-resolved fluorescence quenching (determination of average micelle aggregation number). Using electrical conductivity, the critical micelle concentration of C₂₀Et₆ was found to be 6.0×10^–3 mol dm^–3 and the ionization degree of C²⁰Et₆ micelle was found to be 0.42. From surface tension measurments, the molecular area of C₂₀Et₆ at the air-water interface was about twice that of normal type surfactants such as dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB). The solubilizing power of micellar solution of C₂₀Et₆ toward Orange OT was 1.0×10^–2 mole of dye per mole of surfactant, i. e., slightly smaller than that of DTAB. The micelle aggregation number,N, was found to be 17±2 by time-resolved fluorescence quenching. C₂₀Et₆ showed a very small temperature dependence ofN, much less than for normal surfactants.     

Structure/performance relationships in long chain dimethylamine oxide/sodium dodecylsulfate surfactant mixtures

Dramatic differences in the structure of mixed micelles of long chain amine oxides and sodium dodecylsulfate are noted as a function of composition. In the L₁ micellar pseudophase, a sphere-to-rod transition driven by ion-dipole interactions between the dissimilar headgroups leads to synergisms in aqueous solution thickening, Ross-Miles foaming, and nonpolar oil solubilization. For example, an astounding seven orders of magnitude increase in the zero shear viscosity and viscoelastic properties are observed at a single total surfactant concentration. The sphere-to-rod transition can be viewed in FT-IR by examining both the CH₂ stretching for the methylene tails, and the S-O stretching modes for the sulfate headgroups.     

An estimation of the surface ionization constant of oleic acid in aqueous sodium chloride solution

The zeta potential () measurements and the site binding theory were utilized for calculations of the parameters of the electrical double layer (edl), ionization, and complexation constants for oleic acid-aqueous sodium chloride solution interface. Assuming that is equal to the diffuse layer potential ( _d ) of the edl, the charge of the diffuse part of the edl was calculated from the Gouy-Chapman equation. The intrinsic ionizaiton constant was then determined by an extrapolation method to be . Subsequently, the surface potential ( ₀) was calculated, and it was found that ₀ changes by 50 mV per pH unit (50 mV/pH) or 42.5 mV/pH for 10^–3 and 10^–2 M NaCl, respectively. For further calculations, the integral capacity of the outer zone of the compact part of the edl was assumed to be for both ionic strengths. It was established that the intrinsic complexation constant for the binding of Na⁺ ions with the surface of oleic acid ispK _Na ^int = 2.9±0.5 if the integral capacity of the inner zone of the compact edl (K ₁) is 80 for 10^–3 M NaCl, but 280 for 10^–2 M NaCl. The use of the sameK ₁ value for both ionic strengths gives a differentpK _Na ^int for different NaCl concentrations, and also provides unrealistic surface charge ( _o ) values greaterfor 10^–3 M NaCl than for 10^–2 M NaCl, at the same pH of the solution.     

The modification of the triple helical structure of gelatin in aqueous solution 3. The influence of nonionic surfactants

Using CD-measurements the influence of nonionic surfactants (dodecyl polyoxyethylene, ethoxylated para tert. octyl phenol, commercial nonionic WON 100 and octyl diethyl phosphinoxid) on the secondary structure of gelatin in aqueous solutions was investigated. At surfactant concentrations smaller than the c.m.c. the triple helical content of the gelatin is increased. At concentrations exceeding the c.m.c. the triple helical content decreases. Chain reversals of the peptide chains after the destruction of the triple helical structure were shown to appear in acidic environment at 298 K. This destruction is reversible by rechilling the solution.     

Investigations of a series of nonionic surfactants of sugar-lipid hybrids by light scattering and electron microscopy

Sugar-lipid hybrids of the type C_nC_m were prepared by coupling an alkane chain (C_n) with a maltooligosaccharide (G_m) over an amide linkage. Coupling was performed with maltobionolactone (G₂) and n-alkylamine chains C_n withn=8,10,12,14,16, i.e. variation of the hydrophobic part of the molecule, and with hexadecylamine (C₁₆) and different maltooligosaccharides (G_m, m=2,3,4,6). The solution properties of the various products were studied by means of static and dynamic light scattering (LS) and by electron-microscopy (EM).The results may be summarized as follows: If the alkane chain is shorter thann=14, small spherical micelles with a radius of about 3 nm are observed. In time these micelles aggregate further to form increasingly larger spherical clusters which eventually precipitate. Long rod-like micelles form whenn 14. Contour length and chain stiffness were determined by applying theories of semiflexible chains. A qualitative confirmation of the light scattering results, i.e., micelle size and shape, was obtained from electron microscopy.     

The complex rheological behavior of an aqueous cationic surfactant solution investigated in a Couette-type viscometer

In this paper the behavior of an aqueous surfactant solution in a rotational Couette viscometer is investigated. It is shown that this behavior depends strongly upon time, upon the way in which the flow curve is obtained (with increasing or decreasing shear rate), upon the temperature, and upon the concentration of the solution. Furthermore, the results also reveal a pronounced dependence upon the size of the actual measuring system used. It is shown that the slip-velocity concept is not applicable to explain this dependence.     

Micellization and surface activity ofn-alkyldimethylaminopropanesulfonates in aqueous solutions

Surface tension experiments were performed on severaln-alkyldimethylaminopropanesulfonate aqueous solutions at 15°, 25°, and 35°C. The critical micellar concentrations have been obtained and the surface properties calculated. The enthalpic and entropic contributions to either micellization and adsorption processes have been discussed. The observed properties have been related to the zwitterionic character of these surfactants.     

Surfactant monolayers on a clean mercury surface: Apparatus and experiments

A Langmuir trough for studying monolayers on a mercury surface was constructed usingT. Smith's design. The surfactant (long-chain alkyl-trimethylammonium compounds) in aqueous solution were spread on a clean mercury surface in an atmosphere of helium, and the surface pressure re-areaA and thickness of surface filmd-areaA curves were obtained. The-A curves were characterized by the appearance of multiple inflection points and plateaus, being explained as stepwise dense surface packing of molecules, and the formation of multilayers by film compression with long axes of molecules lying flat on the mercury surface.     

Steric fitting of the spherical micelle size

A model was developed to explain the size of spherical micelles on the basis of steric effects. Here the electrostatic repulsion within polar heads is considered as a steric effect. The predictions of this model concerning micelle size; water penetration into the hydrocarbon micelle core; and the dependence of the aggregation number on temperature, electrolyte addition, hydrocarbon chain length, head group size, and counterion size agreed quite well with literature data.     

Effects of urea and a nonionic surfactant on the micellization and counterion binding properties of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide and sodium dodecyl sulfate

Micellization characteristics and counterion binding properties of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) in presence of urea and a nonionic surfactant polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate (PSML), and of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) in presence of urea as well as of several mixtures of CTAB with a bile salt, sodium cholate (NaC), and sodium chloride have been studied. Both urea and PSML have increased the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the surfactants, the former being more effective than the latter. The analysis of the results supports the pseudophase micellar model to hold over the mass action model. Pure CTAB micelles bind more counterions (96 %) than pure SDS micelles (87 %), and the decreasing effect of urea on the binding is less in case of the former than the latter. A 41 mixture of CTAB and sodium cholate (NaC) can micellize and the micelles bind 87 % bromide ion, whereas 21 and 11 mixtures do not micellize. Micelles of 11 mixture of CTAB and NaCl can bind counter bromide ions to the extent of 92 %. The limiting concentrations of urea required to effect counterion binding by CTAB and SDS micelles are 0.15 mol dm^–3 and 0.25 mol dm^–3, respectively. Such effect is shown by PSML on CTAB at a ratio 0.281. The activation energy of conduction of SDS has increased in the presence of urea up to a concentration of 4 mol dm^–3, at higher concentrations the activation energy has decreased, the effect being more for surfactant concentration above CMC than below.     

The modification of the triple helical structure of gelatin in aqueous solution I. The influence of anionic surfactants,pH-value,and temperature

The modification of the triple helical structure in aqueous gelatin solutions by changing pH and adding alkyl sulphates at 298 K and after rechilling the solution to 283 K was investigated by CD-measurement. At 298 K the triple helical content at the IEP of the gelatin has its maximum value. It is only weakly affected by adding sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDDS) at concentrations <10^–4 M/dm³. The unfolding of the triple helix affected by pH and SDDS is reversible by rechilling the solution. The triple helical content of gelatin solutions decreases at SDDS concentrations higher than 10^–4 M/dm³. In all cases the decrease of the amount of triple helical structure is connected with an increase of the cis-configuration in single chains and leads to chain reversals. At sufficiently high SDDS concentrations-sheets are formed. These changes are thermally irreversible. Sodium decyl sulphate (SDS) has a more minor influence than SDDS except in the range of the c.m.c. of SDS. At sufficiently high SDS concentrations,-turns appear.     

Solubilization properties of aqueous solutions of alkyltrimethylammonium halides toward a water-insoluble dye

The solubility of a water-insoluble dye, Sudan Red B, in aqueous sodium halide solutions of tetradecyl-, cetyl-, and stearyltrimethylammonium halides has been measured at different surfactant and salt concentrations, and the dependence of solubilization properties on alkyl chain length has been discussed with reference to the micelle size and shape. At low ionic strengths where only spherical micelles exist, the solubilization power of micellar surfactant slightly increases with increasing the ionic strength, but it sharply increases at high ionic strengths above the threshold value of sphere-rod transition. However, the solubilization power becomes independent of the ionic strength, if their rodlike micelles are sufficiently long. The solubilization capacity increases linearly with increasing the molecular weight, almost independent of counterion species, but the rod-like micelle has a higher solubilization capacity than the spherical micelle. The solubilization capacity is larger for a surfactant with longer alkyl chain, indicating that the dye is solubilized more readily in a larger hydrophobic core. The solubilized dye is situated in a rodlike micelle of alkyltrimethylammonium halides, on average, 4.5–7.5 nm apart from each other.     

Micelle structure in isotropic aqueous colloids of a poly(oxyethylene) amphiphile C12E8

Micelle structure in aqueous colloids in the isotropic liquid phase (L₁) of a nonionic amphipile (n-dodecyl octa(oxyethylene glycol) monoether (C₁₂E₈) has been investigated as a function of concentration and temperature using light scattering (LS), viscometry, NMR, and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS).The spherical micelles, having a radius of 28–31 Å, remain in a wide concentration range from very dilute to ca. 42 wt %. The micelle size increases sligthly with increasing temperature in the range of 25–60 °C. In the concentrated colloids, the spherical micelles are likely to be arranged in a certain ordered structure. Even at such a high concentration as 30 wt %, the isotropic colloid shows Newtonian flow. This suggests that interaction between micelles in the ordered structure is very weak and the structure is very fragile. Moreover, coexistence of the isotropic phase and the ordered structure in L₁ phase is discussed.     

Functionalization of colloidal silica and silica surfaces via silylation reactions

A series of trialkoxysilane compounds tipped with primary amine groups were used to functionalize the surfaces of glass and colloidal silica. Streaming potential and microelectrophoretic mobility measurements were used to monitor the stability of the functionalized surfaces.Hydrolytic breakdown of the surface-to-silane coupling was induced by either successively increasing and decreasing the pH of the solution in contact with the surface, or by aging the derivatised surfaces in aqueous solution over prolonged periods of time. The chemistry of the spacer units between the trialkoxysilane group and the primary amine tip had a major influence on the subsequent hydrolytic stability. Large hydrophobic spacer groups showed small changes in the electrokinetic properties on storage, but large changes when successively titrated with acid and base through the pH range. The behavior observed with small hydrophobic spacer groups was that large changes in electrokinetic properties were obtained on storage and with pH titration.     

Mass,size and shape of micelles formed in aqueous solutions of ethoxylated nonyl-phenols

The study was extended to analysis of mass, size and conformation of micelles formed in aqueous solutions of ethoxylated nonyl phenols. The results obtained by ultracentrifugal technique between 293 and 323 K have proved that the slightly ethoxylated nonyl phenols form micelles with high molecular mass and larger size at constant temperature, while the increasing length of the ethylene oxide chain favours formation of micelles of smaller molecular mass and size. The transformation of conformation from oblate to spherical shapes ensues with increasing temperature at constant ethoxy number or with ethoxylation at constant temperature. The second virial coefficient decreases with increasing temperature and decreasing ethoxy number. In accordance with the earlier conclucions, the change of the second virial coefficient relates to enhanced variation of monomer solubility, stabilization of micelle structure and increased deviation from ideal behaviour of a given micellar system.Symbols a major axis of micelle, Å - a _m attractivity factor, cm³ erg molecule² - b minor axis of micelle, Å - c concentration, g dm^–3 - c _b equilibrium concentration at the bottom of the cell, g dm^–3 - c _m equilibrium concentration at the meniscus of the cell, g dm^–3 - c _o initial concentration in the cell, g dm^–3 - c _M critical micellization concentration, mol dm^–3 - e eccentricity - f _IS Isihara-constant - f/f _o frictional ratio of micelle - amount of water in micelle per ethoxy group, mol H₂O/mol EO - n aggregation number, monomer micelle^–1 - n _EO number of ethoxy groups - r distance of Schlieren peak from the axis, cm - r _b distance of cell bottom from the axis, cm - r _m distance of cell meniscus from the axis, cm - R _h equivalent hydrodynamic radius of micelle, Å - s _t sedimentation coefficient, s - reduced sedimentation coefficient, s - reduced limiting sedimentation coefficient, s - ¯v _t volume of micelle, cm³ micelle^–1 - partial specific volume of solute, cm³g^–1 - partial specific volume of solute reduced to 293 K, cm³ g^–1 - B _a, B_e constants, cm³ mol g^–2 - B ₂ second virial coefficient, cm³ mol g^–2 - M _m ^a mass average apparent molecular mass of micelle, g mol^–1 - M _m mass average molecular mass of micelle corrected withB ₂, g mol^–1 - M _m ^cM mass average molecular mass of micelle belonging toc _M, g mol^–1 - M ¹ mass average molecular mass of monomer, gmol^–1 - N _A the Avogadro's number, molecule mol^–1 - R universal gas constant, erg mol^–1 K^–1 - T temperature, K - _t ^o dynamic viscosity of solvent atT temperature, g cm^–1 s^–1 - dynamic viscosity of solvent at 293 K, g cm^–1 s^–1 - _t density of solution atT temperature, g cm^–3 - _t ^o density of solvent atT temperature, g cm^–3 - density of solvent at 293 K, g cm^–3 - angular velocity, rad s^–1 - time, s     

Dielectric analysis of PMMA microcapsules containing an aqueous KCl solution to derive a distribution function of the release rate of KCl

Release of KCl from a batch of PMMA microcapsules containing an aqueous 3 mM KCl solution was studied with the following two methods: 1) dielectric measurements of suspensions of the microcapsules in distilled water. The electrical conductivity of capsule interior was estimated with this method. 2) Measurements of the conductivity of suspending medium of the microcapsule suspensions. These two kinds of experiments provided us with information about the amount of KCl remaining in the capsules and that diffused outside. Results of these experiments showed that the microcapsules varied in their release rate of KCl. A distribution function of the release rates was derived from the results of the dielectric measurements. That distribution function was successful in explaining the results of the measurements of the conductivity of suspending medium. Furrther examination revealed that the release rate increased with the increase in the thickness of capsule wall.     

Formation of ultra-thin films consisting of proteins or polysaccharides and syndiotactic-rich poly-vinyl alcohol mixtures adsorbed at air-solution interface

Ultra-thin films of syndiotactic-rich poly-vinyl alcohol (s-PVA) with several proteins and polysaccharides were prepared by the bubble and frame methods using a mixed dilute aqueous solution (1.5g/dL).The mixed amount of-cyclodextrin (-CD) was the largest among these proteins and polysaccharides giving a weight ratio (-CD/s-PVA) of 1. The ratios of silk fibroin(SF), lysozyme, pepsin, and pectin tos- PVA were 0.58, 0.40, 0.35, and 0.35, respectively. For the-CD/s-PVA and SF/s-PVA blend thin films, the phase separation was observed.