Extension of CAVS coarse‐grained model to phospholipid membranes: The importance of electrostatics

It is evident from experiment that electrostatic potential (or dipole potential) is positive inside PC or PE lipid bilayers in the absence of ions. MARTINI coarse‐grained (CG) model, which has been widely used in simulating physical properties of lipid bilayers, fails to reproduce the positive value for the dipole potential in the membrane interior. Although the total dipole potential can be correctly described by the BMW/MARTINI model, the contribution from the ester dipoles, playing a nontrivial role in the electrostatic potential across lipid membranes, is neglected by this hybrid approach. In the ELBA CG model, the role of the ester dipoles is considered, but it is overweighed because various atomistic models have consistently shown that water is actually the leading contributor of dipole potential. Here, we present a CG approach by combining the BMW‐like water model (namely CAVS model) with the ELBA‐like lipid model proposed in this work. Our CG model was designed not only to correctly reproduce the positive values for the dipole potential inside PC and PE lipid bilayers but also to properly balance the individual contributions from the ester dipoles and water, surmounting the limitations of current CG models in the calculations of dipole potential. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Relationships between equilibrium spreading pressure and phase equilibria of phospholipid bilayers and monolayers at the air-water interface

The intricate interplay between the bilayer and monolayer properties of phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) phospholipids, in relation to their polar headgroup properties, and the effects of chain permutations on those polar headgroup properties have been demonstrated for the first time with a set of time-independent bilayer-monolayer equilibria studies. Bilayer and monolayer phase behavior for PE is quite different than that observed for PC and PG. This difference is attributed to the characteristic biophysical PE polar headgroup property of favorable intermolecular hydrogen-bonding and electrostatic interactions in both the bilayer and monolayer states. This characteristic hydrogen-bonding ability of the PE polar headgroup is reflected in the condensed nature of PE monolayers and a decrease in equilibrium monolayer collapse pressure at temperatures below the monolayer critical temperature, T(c) (whether above or below the monolayer triple point temperature, T(t)). This interesting phenomena is compared to equilibrated PC and PG monolayers which collapse to form bilayers at 45 mN/m at temperatures both above and below monolayer T(c). Additionally, it has been demonstrated by measurements of the equilibrium spreading pressure, pie, that at temperatures above the bilayer main gel-to-liquid-crystalline phase-transition temperature, T(m), all liquid-crystalline phospholipid bilayers spread to form monolayers with pie around 45 mN/m, and spread liquid-expanded equilibrated monolayers collapse at 45 mN/m to form their respective thermodynamically stable liquid-crystalline bilayers. At temperatures below bilayer T(m), PC and PG gel bilayers exhibit a drop in bilayer pi(e) values < or =0.2 mN/m forming gaseous monolayers, whereas the value of pic of spread monolayers remains around 45 mN/m. This suggests that spread equilibrated PC and PG monolayers collapse to a metastable liquid-crystalline bilayer structure at temperatures below bilayer T(m) (where the thermodynamically stable bilayer liquid-crystalline phase does not exist) and with a surface pressure of 45 mN/m, a surface chemical property characteristically observed at temperatures above bilayer T(m) (monolayer T(c)). In contrast, PE gel bilayers, which exist at temperatures below bilayer T(m) but above bilayer T(s) (bilayer crystal-to-gel phase-transition temperature), exhibit gel bilayer spreading to form equilibrated monolayers with intermediate pie values in the range of 30-40 mN/m; however, bilayer pie and monolayer pic values remain equal in value to one another. Contrastingly, at temperatures below bilayer T(s), PE crystalline bilayers exhibit bilayer pie values < or =0.2 mN/m forming equilibrated gaseous monolayers, whereas spread monolayers collapse at a value of pic remaining around 30 mN/m, indicative of metastable gel bilayer formation.     

Effect of dipole modifiers on the magnitude of the dipole potential of sterol-containing bilayers

The effects of various subclasses of flavonoids, Rose Bengal, and different styrylpyridinium dyes on the magnitude of the dipole potential of membranes composed of pure phospholipids and sterol-containing bilayers were investigated. Changes in the steady-state membrane conductance induced by cation-ionophore complexes were measured to examine the changes in the dipole potential of lipid bilayers. The characteristic parameters of the Langmuir adsorption isotherm for different flavonoids and Rose Bengal and the slope of the linear dependence of the dipole potential change on the aqueous concentrations of RH dyes were estimated. Chalcones (phloretin and phloridzin) and flavonols (quercetin and myricetin) strictly decrease the dipole potential of phospholipid- and sterol-containing membranes; the unsaturation of the C-ring and the hydrophobicity of the molecule contribute to the ability of the flavonoid to reduce the bilayer dipole potential. Rose Bengal decreases the magnitude of the bilayer dipole potential to a similar extent, but its affinity for membrane lipids is higher; the effects of RH dyes, chalcones, and phloroglucinol are determined by sterol concentration and type.     

The Langmur-blodgett monolayer dipole potential: a smeared dipole model for a lipid array,and pulsing of the potential by direct subphase infusion of immunochemical and lecti/polysaccharide complexes

An important contribution to the surface potential of lipid bilayers and monolayers comes from the intrinsic dipole moment of the lipid molecules. A theoretical model of the monolayer which involves a smeared dipole sheet approximation is introduced. This model is used to explore the nature and origins of the surface potential. In addition, the potential associated with phosphatidyl choline/cholesterol monolayers compressed on a Langmuir-Blodgett trough was measured with a non-contacting electrostatic voltmeter. A trough infusion configuration was fabricated to perform dynamic subphase experiments with compressed films in place. The potential/time response of monolayers to selective bimolecular systems such as antibody-antigen and concanavalin A-saccharide pairs was examined. These reactions induce spontaneous transients in dipole potential of magnitude 20–80 mV and duration of less than 1 s. The potential transients are attributed to local perturbation of lipid orientation and introduction of protein dipole fields caused by the formation of aggregates at the monolayer/water interface.     

ATR-FTIR studies of phospholipid vesicle interactions with α-FeOOH and α-Fe2O3 surfaces

Prior infrared spectroscopic studies of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and live bacterial cells have indicated that organic phosphate groups mediate cell adhesion to iron oxides via inner-sphere P–OFe surface complexation. Since cell membrane phospholipids are a potential source of organic phosphate groups, we investigated the adhesion of phospholipidic vesicles to the surfaces of the iron (oxyhydr)oxides goethite (α-FeOOH) and hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) using attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. l-α-Phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidic acid (PA) were used because they are vesicle forming phospholipids representative of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell surface membranes. Phospholipid vesicles, formed in aqueous suspension, were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), multi-angle laser light scattering (MALS) and quasi-elastic light scattering (QELS). Their adhesion to goethite and hematite surfaces was studied with ATR-FTIR at pH 5. Results indicate that PC and PE adsorption is affected by electrostatic interaction and H-bonding (PE). Conversely, adsorption of PA involves phosphate inner-sphere complexes, for both goethite and hematite, via P–OFe bond formation. Biomolecule adsorption at the interface was observed to occur on the scale of minutes to hours. Exponential and linear increases in peak intensity were observed for goethite and hematite, respectively. Our ATR-FTIR results on the PA terminal phosphate are in good agreement with those on EPS reacted with goethite and on bacterial cell adhesion to hematite. These findings suggest that the plasma membrane, and the PA terminal phosphate in particular, may play a role in mediating the interaction between bacteria and iron oxide surfaces during initial stages of biofilm formation.     

Dynamical and morphological studies on the adsorption and penetration of human serum albumin into phospholipid monolayers at the air/water interface

The dynamic adsorption and penetration of human serum albumin (HSA) into the monolayers of five biologically important surfactants—DSPC, DPPC, DMPC, DMPE and DMPA—were systematically studied using Brewster angle microscopy, film balance and pendent drop techniques. Isotherms after different adsorption times show that the presence of HSA changed the monolayer phase behavior (e.g. the shifts of the LE→LC phase transition in the mixed phospholipid/HSA monolayers). Apparent inhomogeneous phases—‘honey-comb’ (J. Mol. Liq., 2001, 90, 149), ‘block’ or ‘stripe’ shape phases are formed due to the adsorption and penetration of HSA into these phospholipid monolayers at the air/water interface. Both the phase behavior changes and the morphological changes were confirmed by our recent structure studies in DPPA/HSA and DPPS/HSA monolayers using X-ray diffraction at grazing incidence, which directly shows that HSA penetration can change the tilt angle of phospholipids. It was found that the adsorption and penetration of HSA strongly depends on the phospholipid head-group structure and the physical state of the phospholipid films. The latter played a dominant role by providing enough space for the penetration of HSA and affecting the hydrophobic interactions of HSA with the aliphatic chains of phospholipids in monolayers at the air/water interface. In general, HSA penetrates more efficiently and quickly into monolayers of phospholipids in liquid state (e.g. DMPC compared to DSPC) and with unprotected charges (e.g. PA compared to PE and PC).     

Activation and inhibition of lipoprotein lipase in mixed monolayers of medium or long chain-triglycerides and phospholipids

 We evaluated the activation and inhibition effects of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and sphingomyelin (SM) on lipoprotein lipase (LPL) for medium or long chain-triglycerides (TG) in monolayers at the air/water interface. Monolayers of medium chain-TG, being in an expanded state at a surface pressure of 15 mN/m, showed low susceptibility to LPL in the subphase. Adding 50 mole% of PC or SM into these monolayers reduced the partial molecular area of the TG and enhanced the LPL activity. Monolayers of long chain-TG, being in a condensed state, showed high susceptibility of LPL either with or without PC. SM added to the long chain-TG monolayers, however, inhibited the LPL action. We investigated the interaction between TG and phospholipid on the basis of the collapse pressure-measurements of mixed monolayers. For medium chain-TG monolayers, PC and SM gave similar collapse pressure-composition profiles. Contrary to this, SM gave a markedly higher collapse pressure of long chain-TG than PC: SM stabilized the monolayer state of long chain-TG. These results suggested that I) orientation of the acyl chains of TG molecule in a monolayer is crucial for the LPL activity, and that II) strong interaction between SM and long chain-TG retards the substrate-transfer from the mixed monolayer to the catalytic pocket of LPL. Received: 6 March 1996 Accepted: 19 July 1996     

Design,synthesis and characterization of artificial phospholipids as model membrane receptors for specific binding of rabbit C-reactive protein

C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute phase reactive protein, which has been shown to specifically bind to phosphorylcholine (PC) and phosphorylethanoamine (PE) moieties in the presence of calcium. In order to investigate the effect of steric hindrance on the specific binding of CRP to membranes, we designed and synthesized six phospholipids, each containing a long-arm spacer of 3, 6 or 8 atoms between the head group and hydrophobic tail. By mixing synthesized lipids and natural lipids the ligand-containing monolayers were prepared, which have PC or PE groups protruding out of the membrane surface. To characterize of the synthesized phospholipids, the thickness of the lipid monolayers was measured by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique, the phase behavior of the lipid monolayer at air/water interface was studied by pressure–area analysis, and the specific binding of rabbit C-reactive protein to the synthesized lipid containing membranes was studied by imaging ellipsometry.     

Maxwell displacement current allows to study structural changes of gramicidin A in monolayers at the air-water interface

We applied methods of measurement Maxwell displacement current (MDC) pressure-area isotherms and dipole potential for analysis of the properties of gramicidin A (gA) and mixed gA/DMPC monolayers at an air-water interface. The MDC method allowed us to observe the kinetics of formation of secondary structure of gA in monolayers at an air-water interface. We showed, that secondary structure starts to form at rather low area per molecule at which gA monolayers are in gaseous state. Changes of the MDC during compression can be attributed to the reorientation of dipole moments in a gA double helix at area 7 nm(2)/molecule, followed by the formation of intertwined double helix of gA. The properties of gA in mixed monolayers depend on the molar fraction of gA/DMPC. At higher molar fractions of gA (around 0.5) the shape of the changes of dipole moment of mixed monolayer was similar to that for pure gA. The analysis of excess free energy in a gel (18( ) degrees C) and in a liquid-crystalline phase (28( ) degrees C) allowed us to show influence of the monolayer structural state on the interaction between gA and the phospholipids. In a gel state and at the gA/DMPC molar ratio below 0.17 the aggregates of gA were formed, while above this molar ratio gA interacts favorably with DMPC. In contrast, for DMPC in a liquid-crystalline state aggregation of gA was observed for all molar fractions studied. The effect of formation ordered structures between gA and DMPC is more pronounced at low temperatures.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic separation of molecular species of neutral phospholipids.

Molecular species of neutral phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), were resolved by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using mobile phases of acetonitrile-methanol-water containing tetraalkylammonium phosphates (TAAPs). Competitive interactions of TAAPs and analyte solutes with a reversed-phase HPLC column resulted in reduced retention of PC or PE with concomitant increase in detection sensitivity. The chromatographic data for PC and PE were distinctly different from those for negatively charged phospholipids where ion-pair retention mechanisms prevailed. While PC (or PE) components eluted at longer retention times with a larger size of TAAP, an increase in the TAAP concentration invariably caused a decrease in phospholipid retention times. Optimization of HPLC conditions by using high concentrations (25-100 mM) of tetramethylammonium phosphate in acetonitrile-methanol-water (70:22:8) facilitated elution of components with improved peak symmetry. HPLC separations of neutral phospholipids derived from animal sources were more complex than those from soybeans.     

The use of dielectric spectroscopy for the characterisation of polymer-induced flocculation of core-shell particles

This work is aimed at investigating the influence of a plant stanol (β-sitostanol) on Langmuir monolayers from various phospholipids and comparing the effect of phytostanol versus its unsaturated analog--phytosterol (β-sitosterol). The studied phospholipids differed in the structure of polar head (phosphatidylcholine--PC, phosphatidylethanolamine--PE, phosphatidylserine--PS) as well as in the number of monounsaturated chains in PC molecule. It was found that the introduction of stanol into PC monolayers is thermodynamically favorable, contrary to its effect on PE and PS films. The magnitude of condensing and ordering effect of stanol depends both on the number of monounsaturated chains in PC molecule and on the composition of stanol-PC mixture. The analysis of BAM images evidenced phase separation of immiscible components in stanol/DPPS systems. The results of Langmuir monolayer studies for stanol/phospholipids mixtures compared with those for corresponding sterol/phospholipids systems proved quite a similar effect of both compounds on the investigated phospholipid monolayers, despite differences in the structure of tetracyclic ring skeleton.     

Negative dipole potentials of uncharged langmuir monolayers due to fluorination of the hydrophilic heads

The dipole potential, affecting the structure, functions, and interactions of biomembranes, lipid bilayers, and Langmuir monolayers, is positive toward the hydrocarbon moieties. We show that uncharged Langmuir monolayers of docosyl trifluoroethyl ether (DFEE) exhibit large negative dipole potentials, while the nonfluorinated docosyl ethyl ether (DEE) forms films with positive dipole potentials. Comparison of the Delta V values for these ethers with those of the previously studied(37-39) monolayers of trifluoroethyl ester (TFEB) and ethyl ester of behenic acid (EB) shows that the reversal of the sign of Delta V causes the same change Delta(Delta V) = -706 +/- 16 mV due to fluorination of heads. The Delta V values of both TFEB and EB films differ by -122 +/- 16 mV from those of DFEE and DEE monolayers, respectively, with the same density. Such quantitative coincidence points to a common mechanism of reversal of the sign of the dipole potential for the ether and ester films despite the different structure of their heads. The mechanical properties and phase behaviors of these monolayers show that both fluorinated heads are less hydrated, suggesting that the change of the sign of Delta V could, at least partially, be related to different hydration water structure. The same negative contribution of the carbonyl bond in both TFEB and EB films contrasts with the generally accepted positive contribution of the C(delta+)=O(delta-) bond in condensed Langmuir monolayers of fatty acids, their alcohol esters, glycerides, and phospholipids but concurs with the theoretical analysis of Delta V of stearic acid monolayers. Both results question the literature values of the molecular dipole moments of these substances calculated via summation of bonds and atomic group contributions. Mixed monolayers of DFEE and DEE show smooth monotonic variation of Delta V from +450 to -235 mV, indicating a way for adjustment of the sign and magnitude of the dipole potential at the membrane-water boundary and regulation of such membrane behaviors as binding and translocation rate of hydrophobic ions and ion-carriers, adsorption and penetration of amphiphilic peptides, polarization of hydration water, and short-range repulsion. The interaction of the hydrophobic ions tetraphenylboron TPhB- and tetraphenylphosphonium TPhP+ with DFEE and DEE monolayers qualitatively follows the theory of binding of such ions to lipid bilayers, but the shifts Delta(Delta V) from the values obtained on water are much smaller than those for DPPC monolayers. This difference seems to be due to the solid (polycrystalline) character of the DFEE and DEE films that hampers the penetration of TPhB- and TPhP+ in the monolayers and reduces the attractive interaction with the hydrophobic moiety. This conclusion orients the future synthesis of amphiphiles with fluorinated heads to those which could form liquid-expanded Langmuir monolayers.     

Fluorinated polar heads can strikingly increase or invert the dipole moments at the Langmuir monolayer-water boundary: possible effects from headgroup conformations

The dipole potential of lipid monolayers and bilayers is positive toward their nonpolar moiety. In previous papers, we have shown that designed molecules with fluorinated polar heads can invert the polarity of un-ionized Langmuir films. Monolayers of long-chain trifluoroethyl ester RCOOCH2CF3 and trifluoroethyl ether ROCH2CF3 exhibit large negative DeltaV values, shifted by 150-200% from the positive dipole potentials of their non-fluorinated analogs (Petrov and M?hwald J. Phys. Chem. 1996, 100, 18458; Petrov et al. J. Phys. Chem. B 2005, 109, 14102). Here we report large positive surface (dipole) potentials of monolayers of N-trifluoroethyl docosanamide RCONHCH2CF3 and a 300% DeltaV shift with respect to the non-fluorinated N-ethyl docosanamide films. Comparing the dipole potentials and normal dipole moments of the RCONHCH2CF3 and RCOOCH2CF3 monolayers and the maps of the local electrostatic potential (MEP) and lipophilicity (MLP) of their molecules in vacuum, we conclude that the opposite DeltaV shifts and the difference of 1480 mV between the films of these structurally similar amphiphiles seem to be due to strongly different conformations of their heads. The large positive DeltaV values of the N-trifluoroethyl amide monolayer was related to the network of -NH...O=C- bonds fixing the orientation of the hydrophobic delta+C-F3delta- dipoles toward water. The trifluoroethyl ester heads do not form H-bonds and can adjust their energetically optimal conformation orienting the hydrophobic delta+C-F3delta- dipoles toward air. The opposite signs of the dipole potential and the apparent normal dipole moments of the trifluoroethyl ester and ethyl ester monolayers were explained via energy minimization of 36 upright closely packed molecules with "hook-like" heads. The equilibrium architecture of this ensemble shows statistical distribution of the headgroup conformations and a nano-rough monolayer-water boundary as known from X-ray reflectivity experiments and molecular dynamic simulations of phospholipid monolayers and bilayers. The average of the vertical molecular dipole moments at equilibrium agree fairly well with the measured values of mu perpendicular, and the mean molecular area in the ensemble 19.3 A2 matches the value of 18.9 +/- 0.2 A2 determined via X-ray diffraction at gracing incidence surprisingly well. These results reflect the balance of the attractive and repulsive forces between the closely packed "dry" amphiphilic molecules, but a more sophisticated molecular modeling explicitly including water would better serve to reveal the mechanism of the observed effects.     

Triggered Liposomal Release through a Synthetic Phosphatidylcholine Analogue Bearing a Photocleavable Moiety Embedded within the sn‐2 Acyl Chain

Liposomes represent promising carriers for drug delivery applications. To maximize this potential, there has been significant interest in developing liposomal systems encapsulating molecular cargo that are highly stable until their contents are released remotely in a controlled manner. Herein, we describe the design, synthesis, and analysis of a photocleavable analogue of the ubiquitous lipid phosphoatidylcholine (PC) for the development of highly stable and controllable photodisruptable membranes. Our strategy was to develop a lipid that closely mimics the structure of PC to optimize favorable properties including biocompatibility and stability of subsequent liposomes when mixed with lipids possessing a broad range of physicochemical properties. Thus, NB‐PC was designed, which contains a photocleavable 2‐nitrobenzyl group embedded within the acyl chain at the sn‐2 position. Following the synthesis of NB‐PC , liposome disruption efficacy was evaluated through photolysis studies involving the detection of nile red release. Studies performed using a range of liposomes with different percentages of NB‐PC , PC, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), cholesterol, and polyethylene glycol‐PE (PEG‐PE) demonstrated minimal background release in controls, release efficacies that correlate directly with the amount of NB‐PC incorporation, and that release is only minimally impacted by the inclusion of the lipids PE and cholesterol that possess disparate properties. These results demonstrate that the NB‐PC system is a highly stable, flexible, and tunable system for photoinitiated release from liposomal systems.     

胆固醇与磷脂酰乙醇胺/磷脂酰胆碱混合膜的热力学特性及其单层膜形态的AFM观察

研究了不同比例下胆固醇(Chol)对磷脂酰乙醇胺/磷脂酰胆碱(PE/PC,1∶1物质的量比)混合膜的影响,并在表面压力-平均分子面积(π-A曲线)等温线基础上,通过对过量平均分子面积(ΔAex)和过量吉布斯自由能(ΔGex)的计算分析,研究了不同比例Chol与PE/PC(1∶1物质的量比)三元混合膜的热力学特性.实验结果表明:Chol在一定程度上加速了混合膜的相变,增强了膜的凝聚性;当XChol=0.2,0.6,0.8时,过量平均分子面积和过量吉布斯自由能在所研究的表面压力下都为负值,分子之间相互作用力表现为引力,促使混合膜的凝聚,而在XChol=0.4时,过量平均分子面积和过量吉布斯自由能在15,20,25,30 mN/m下为正值,分子之间相互作用力表现为斥力,促使熵的增加,并且在20 mN/m压力下出现极值.实验中利用LB膜技术制备了不同比例Chol与PE/PC(1∶1物质的量比)混合膜,并在原子力显微镜下对其结构形态进行了观测.     

Monolayers of Chiral Calix[4]Resorcinarenes: Surface Pressure and Surface Potential Studies

Abstract

Chiral amphiphilic C-undecylcalix[4]resorcinarenes substituted with phenylethyl group or L(-)nore-phedrine were found to form well-organized mono-layers at the aqueous solution-air interface. The substituents, L(-)norephedrine and phenylethyl group, determined the area occupied by the molecule on the water subphase. Introduction of these substituents lead also to perpendicular dipole moments of the molecules in the monolayers ca. 6 times larger than those of the parent amphiphilic calixresorcinarene, CAL11. Interactions of the compounds with K⁺ were detected by the increase of the surface potential values measured at maximum packing of the monolayer. Addition of amino acids to the subphase lead to conformational changes in the monolayers evidenced by increased surface mean molecular area of the unmodified C-undecyl-calix[4]resorcinarene. These changes were explained by the formation of hydrogen bonds with the amino acids at the expense of hydrogen bonding between the calixarene molecules in the monolayer. In contrast to unsubstituted calixresorcinarenes, interactions of the L(-)norephedrine-and phenylethyl-substituted molecules with amino acids could be easily recognized by the decrease of surface potential and dipole moment in monolayers formed by these calixarenes on subphases containing amino acids. A significant drop in the surface potential and an increased area per molecule demonstrated more specific interactions with selected amino acids: L(-)norephedrine-substituted calixarene interacted with D-valine and the phenylethyl-substituted, with D-tryptophan.     

Self-assembled monolayers on mercury probed in a modified surface force apparatus

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of three thiol compounds formed on mercury are investigated by a combination of cyclic voltammetry, electrocapillary curves, and a novel method of measuring electrical double-layer properties. The last method involves a modified surface force apparatus in which a flat mica surface is pressed down toward a fixed mercury drop held beneath it, while both are immersed in aqueous electrolyte solution. Optical interference measurements are made of the mica-mercury separation as a function of electrical potential applied to the mercury, which yields information on the double-layer interaction between the two surfaces. Mercury is decorated by SAMs of 11-mercapto-1-undecanoic acid, which is shown to bring negative charge to the mercury/aqueous interface due to dissociation of the carboxylic acid groups; 11-mercapto-1-undecanol, which although it is uncharged changes the dipole potential of the interface; and 1-undecanethiol, which likewise changes the dipole potential, but by a different amount. The difference between the changes in dipole potential (90 mV) can be related to the different terminal groups of these two SAMs, -CH3 compared to -OH, that are in contact with the aqueous phase.     

Emulsion polymerization of ethylene from mesoporous silica nanoparticles with vinyl functionalized monolayers

Emulsion polymerization of ethylene from vinyl functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles (V‐MSNs) was reported. V‐MSNs were synthesized via deposition of vinyl monolayers on the pore walls, and the relative surface coverage of the vinyl monolayers was 74%. A fluorinated P‐O‐chelated nickel catalyst coordinated to the vinyl groups. These V‐MSNs hosting catalysts were full dispersed in water assisted by ultrasonic processor in the presence of surfactants. After addition of ethylene, polyethylene (PE) chains grew from the pores of V‐MSNs, formation of stable nanocomposite latices with solid content up to 17.3%. Our method made V‐MSNs well‐dispersed in the PE matrix. Especially, because of a strong interaction between PE and nanoparticles, a stable V‐MSNs core/PE shell structure was formed upon thermal treatment above melting temperature of the PE. Samples were analyzed by a number of techniques including TEM, N₂ adsorption‐desorption, FTIR, and solid state ²⁹Si NMR, DLS, ¹H NMR, GPC, and DSC. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 1393–1402, 2009     

Cerebroside Langmuir monolayers originated from the echinoderms I. Binary systems of cerebrosides and phospholipids

The surface pressure (pi)-area (A), the surface potential (DeltaV)-A and the dipole moment (mu( perpendicular))-A isotherms were obtained for two-component monolayers of two different cerebrosides (LMC-1 and LMC-2) with phospholipids of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and with dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DPPE) on a subphase of 0.5 M sodium chloride solution as a function of phospholipid compositions by employing the Langmuir method, the ionizing electrode method, and the fluorescence microscopy. Surface potentials (DeltaV) of pure components were analyzed using the three-layer model proposed by Demchak and Fort. The contributions of the hydrophilic saccharide group and the head group to the vertical component of the dipole moment (mu( perpendicular)) were estimated. The miscibility of cerebroside and phospholipid in the two-component monolayers was examined by plotting the variation of the molecular area and the surface potential as a function of the phospholipid molar fraction (X(phospholipid)), using the additivity rule. From the A-X(phospholipid) and DeltaV(m)-X(phospholipid) plots, partial molecular surface area (PMA) and apparent partial molecular surface potential (APSP) were determined at the discrete surface pressure. The PMA and APSP with the mole fraction were extensively discussed for the miscible system. Judging from the two-dimensional phase diagrams, these can be classified into two types. The first is a positive azeotropic type; the combinations of cerebrosides with DPPC are miscible with each other. The second is a completely immiscible type: the combination of cerebrosides with DPPE. Furthermore, a regular surface mixture, for which the Joos equation was used for the analysis of the collapse pressure of two-component monolayers, allowed calculation of the interaction parameter (xi) and the interaction energy (-Delta epsilon) between the cerebrosides and DPPC component. The miscibility of cerebroside and phospholipid components in the monolayer state was also supported by fluorescence microscopy.     

Cerebroside Langmuir monolayers originated from the echinoderms: II. Binary systems of cerebrosides and steroids

Two-component Langmuir monolayers formed on a subphase of 0.5M sodium chloride solution were investigated for two different cerebrosides (LMC-1 and LMC-2) with steroids of cholesterol (Ch) and cholesteryl sodium sulfate (Ch-S); i.e. LMC-1/Ch, LMC-1/Ch-S, LMC-2/Ch, and LMC-2/Ch-S were examined in terms of surface pressure (pi), the surface potential (DeltaV) and the dipole moment (mu( perpendicular)) as a function of surface area (A) by employing the Langmuir method, the ionizing electrode method, and the fluorescence microscopy. Surface potentials (DeltaV) of steroids were analyzed using the three-layer model proposed by Demchak and Fort. The miscibility of cerebrosides and steroids in the insoluble monolayers was examined by plotting the variation of the molecular area and the surface potential as a function of the steroid molar fraction (X(steroid)) based upon the additivity rule. From the A-X(steroid) and DeltaV(m)-X(steroid) plots, partial molecular surface area (PMA) and apparent partial molecular surface potential (APSP) were determined at the different surface pressures. The PMA and APSP with the mole fraction were discussed for the miscible system. Judging from the two-dimensional phase diagrams, they can be classified into two types. The first is a completely immiscible type; the combination of cerebrosides with cholesterol. The second is a negative azeotropic type, where cerebrosides and cholesteryl sodium sulfate are completely miscible both in the expanded state and in the condensed state. In addition, a regular surface mixture (the Joos equation for the analysis of the collapse pressure of two-component monolayers) allowed calculation of the interaction parameter (xi) and the interaction energy (-Delta epsilon) between the cerebrosides and Ch-S. The miscibility of cerebroside and steroid components in the monolayer state was also supported by fluorescence microscopy.