Native and modified alumina,titania and zirconia in normal and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

Summary Chromatographic properties of silica, alumina, titania and zirconia have been investigated in normal phase mode in the separation of test mixtures of basic, neutral and acidic compounds. In contrast to silica the chromatographic behaviour revealed the basic properties of the alumina, titania and zirconia surfaces. Therefore, separation of basic compounds on these packings seems very promising. Lypophilic packings have been synthesized by modification of titania, zirconia and alumina with organosilanes and polymers and tested for the separation of basic compounds and proteins. High hydrolytic stability of the modified packings was observed during separations with strong alkali and acidic eluents.     

Electrostatic interactions between amphoteric latex particles and proteins

The electrostatic interactions between amphoteric polymethyl methacrylate latex particles and proteins with different pI values were investigated. These latex particles possess a net positive charge at low pH, but they become negatively charged at high pH. The nature and degree of interactions between these polymer particles and proteins are primarily controlled by the electrostatic characteristics of the particles and proteins under the experimental conditions. The self-promoting adsorption process from the charge neutralization of latex particles by the proteins, which have the opposite net charge to that of the particles, leads to a rapid reduction in the zeta potential of the particles (in other words colloidal stability), and so strong flocculation occurs. On the other hand, the electrostatic repulsion forces between similarly charged latex particles and the proteins retard the adsorption of protein molecules onto the surfaces of the particles. Therefore, latex particles exhibit excellent colloidal stability over a wide range of protein concentrations. A transition from net negative charge to net positive charge, and vice versa (charge reversal), was observed when the particle surface charge density was not high enough to be predominant in the protein adsorption process.     

Influence of morphology and composition of fumed oxides on changes in their structural and adsorptive characteristics on hydrothermal treatment in steam phase at different temperatures

A series of fumed oxides such as silica, titania, alumina, silica/alumina (SA), silica/titania (ST), and alumina/silica/titania (AST), initial and hydrothermally treated (HTT) in the steam phase at T(HTT)=150, 250, and 350 degrees C was studied by adsorption, AFM, XRD, FTIR, and theoretical methods. Diminution of the size of primary particles (corresponding to increasing S(BET)) of initial silica and mixed oxides results in enhancement of their structural changes on HTT with elevating T(HTT) and increasing density of packing of primary particles in the secondary structures. Relative changes in the texture of treated fumed silicas are smaller than those of mesoporous silica gels occurring under similar HTT conditions. On HTT, aggregates of primary particles and their agglomerates become denser but their surface layers become looser because of transfer of silica fragments from one particle to another, and the smaller the initial primary particles, the greater the relative diminution of the specific surface area S(BET) for the same type of primary particle packing in aggregates. Relative changes in the pore volume V(p) (or V(BJHd)) on HTT are more complex than that of S(BET), as for many samples the V(p) value increases especially at T(HTT)=150 degrees C. Alumina and titania partially inhibit structural changes on HTT, which decrease in the series silica > SA > AST approximately ST.     

Particle interactions in electrophoresis: I. Motion of two spheres along their line of centers

The electrophoretic motion of two charged colloidal spheres with very thin electrical double layers in a constant applied electric field along their line of centers is considered. The particles may differ in radius and in zeta potential at the surface. The electrostatic and hydrodynamic governing equations are solved in the quasi-steady situation using bipolar coordinates and the electrophoretic velocities of particles are calculated for various cases. The interaction effect between particles can be very significant when the distance between particle surfaces gets close to zero. The particle with smaller zeta potential is speeded up by the motion of the other, which is retarded at the same time by the motion of the former one, if the two spheres have unequal zeta potentials of the same electrical sign. For two particles of different signs in zeta potential, motions of both are hindered by each other. The influence of the interaction between particles in general is stronger on the smaller one than on the larger one. For the special case of two electrophoretic spheres with identical zeta potentials, there is no particle interaction for all particle sizes and separations.     

Protein adsorption behaviors onto photocatalytic Ti(IV)-doped calcium hydroxyapatite particles

The fundamental experiments on the adsorption behaviors of proteins onto photocatalytic Ti(4+)-doped calcium hydroxyapatite (TiHap) particles were examined comparing to those onto the calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHap) and commercially available typical titanium oxide (TiO(2)) photocatalyst (TKP-101). The heat treated TiHap and CaHap particles were also used after treated these particles at 650°C for 1h (abbreviated as TiHap650 and CaHap650, respectively). All the adsorption isotherms of bovine serum albumin (BSA), myoglobin (MGB) and lysozyme (LSZ) from 1×10(-4)mol/dm(3) KCl solution were the Langmuirian type. The saturated amounts of adsorbed BSA (n(s)(BSA)) for the CaHap650 particles was higher than that for CaHap. Similar results were observed for TiHap and TiHap650. The adsorption of LSZ exhibited the same result of BSA, while the saturated amounts of adsorbed LSZ (n(s)(LSZ)) value on the TiHap were much higher than CaHap. However, the saturated amounts of adsorbed MGB (n(s)(MGB)) are almost equal to those for the CaHap and TiHap nevertheless whether these particles were heat treated at 650°C or not. The TKP-101 exhibited extremely small adsorption capacity of all proteins due to its small particle size of ca. 4nm in diameter. The independence of the n(s)(MGB) value on the zeta potential (zp) of the particles was explained by the electrostatical neutrality of MGB molecules. On the other hand, the n(s)(LSZ) values were increased with increase in the negative zp of the particles. This fact was explained by increasing the electrostatic attractive forces between negatively charged particles and positively charged LSZ. However, the n(s)(BSA) values exhibit maxima for the heat treated TiHap650 and CaHap650 particles. This result was interpreted to the formation of β-TCP crystal phase by the heat treatment. The produced Ca(2+) ions by dissolution from β-TCP phase may exert as binders between BSA and surfaces of the heat treated particles.     

The Dispersion Properties of Precipitated Calcium Carbonate Suspensions Adsorbed with Alkyl Polyglycoside in Aqueous Medium

The zeta potentials and dispersion properties of precipitated calcium carbonate suspensions adsorbed with alkyl polyglycosides in aqueous medium were investigated. Within the investigated pH ranges, the adsorption curves of alkyl polyglycosides on calcium carbonates show sigmoidal shapes, and the zeta potential decreases as the amount of adsorption increases. At positively charged surfaces of low pH, the adsorption amounts were greater than those at negatively charged surfaces, indicating that alkyl polyglycosides were negatively charged in aqueous solutions. At low concentrations of alkyl polyglycosides, the dispersion stabilities of suspensions were very poor and showed no linearity with zeta potentials over the entire range of pHs, which may be attributed to the onset of hydrophobic interaction between particles due to the adsorption of surfactant molecules. This destabilization continued until monolayer coverage by the surfactant layer was complete. Based on the classical DLVO theory, there may be a strong hydrophobic interaction between particles. Beyond monolayer adsorption, the dispersion stability increases, probably by the formation of hemimicelle or admicelle. Therefore, it is believed that ionization of alkyl polyglycosides and admicelles of surfactants on particle surface plays a key role in the stability of dispersions and the abrupt increase in adsorption. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Cellulose nanocrystal submonolayers by spin coating

Dilute concentrations of cellulose nanocrystal solutions were spin coated onto different substrates to investigate the effect of the substrate on the nanocrystal submonolayers. Three substrates were probed: silica, titania, and amorphous cellulose. According to atomic force microscopy (AFM) images, anionic cellulose nanocrystals formed small aggregates on the anionic silica substrate, whereas a uniform two-dimensional distribution of nanocrystals was achieved on the cationic titania substrate. The uniform distribution of cellulose nanocrystal submonolayers on titania is an important factor when dimensional analysis of the nanocrystals is desired. Furthermore, the amount of nanocrystals deposited on titania was multifold in comparison to the amounts on silica, as revealed by AFM image analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Amorphous cellulose, the third substrate, resulted in a somewhat homogeneous distribution of the nanocrystal submonolayers, but the amounts were as low as those on the silica substrate. These differences in the cellulose nanocrystal deposition were attributed to electrostatic effects: anionic cellulose nanocrystals are adsorbed on cationic titania in addition to the normal spin coating deposition. The anionic silica surface, on the other hand, causes aggregation of the weakly anionic cellulose nanocrystals which are forced on the repulsive substrate by spin coating. The electrostatically driven adsorption also influences the film thickness of continuous ultrathin films of cellulose nanocrystals. The thicker films of charged nanocrystals on a substrate of opposite charge means that the film thickness is not independent of the substrate when spin coating cellulose nanocrystals in the ultrathin regime (<100 nm).     

Surface electric and titration behaviour of fumed oxides

Adsorption of Pb(II), Sr(II), and Cs(I) on fumed silica, alumina, titania, silica/titania (ST), silica/alumina (SA), and alumina/silica/titania (AST) reveals that mixed oxides containing titania have a greater adsorptive capability in respect to metal cations than individual and SA oxides. Pyrocarbon deposits on fumed oxides enhance the adsorption of metal ions. Calculations of electrophoretic potential (ζ) with consideration for the porosity of aggregates of primary particles of AST show a significant influence of surface alumina (at pH<8) and titania and silica (at pH>8) on the ζ values. The effective diameter of particles (D_ef) of fumed oxides in aqueous media depends on pH for AST stronger than for ST (between isoelectric points (IEPs) of titania and alumina). A significant difference in the pH values of IEP and point of zero charge is observed for AST samples. A pyrocarbon influence on the ζ potential depends on the type of oxide matrix, since ζ increases for certain samples but for others it decreases. These changes depend nonlinearly on pH as well as the secondary particle size distributions (SPSDs) and D_ef.     

A physico-chemical investigation of poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(L-lysine) copolymer adsorption onto silica nanoparticles

The adsorption behavior of poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(L-lysine) (PEO(113)-b-PLL(10)) copolymer onto silica nanoparticles was investigated in phosphate buffer at pH 7.4 by means of dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, adsorption isotherms and microcalorimetry measurements. Both blocks have an affinity for the silica surface through hydrogen bonding (PEO and PLL) or electrostatic interactions (PLL). Competitive adsorption experiments from a mixture of PEO and PLL homopolymers evidenced greater interactions of PLL with silica while displacement experiments even revealed that free PLL chains could desorb PEO chains from the particle surface. This allowed us to better understand the adsorption mechanism of PEO-b-PLL copolymer at the silica surface. At low surface coverage, both blocks adsorbed in flat conformation leading to the flocculation of the particles as neither steric nor electrostatic forces could take place at the silica surface. The addition of a large excess of copolymer favoured the dispersion of flocs according to a presumed mechanism where PLL blocks of incoming copolymer chains preferentially adsorbed to the surface by displacing already adsorbed PEO blocks. The gradual addition of silica particles to an excess of PEO-b-PLL copolymer solution was the preferred method for particle coating as it favoured equilibrium conditions where the copolymer formed an anchor-buoy (PLL-PEO) structure with stabilizing properties at the silica-water interface.     

Electrosteric Stabilization of Al(2)O(3), ZrO(2), and 3Y-ZrO(2) Suspensions: Effect of Dissociation and Type of Polyelectrolyte

The mechanisms of eight anionic polyelectrolytes stabilizing colloidal sized alpha-Al(2)O(3), pure ZrO(2), and Y(2)O(3)-doped ZrO(2) particles in aqueous solution are discussed. The polyelectrolytes studied were the Na(+) and NH(4)(+) salts of polyacrylic acid and polymethacrylic acid having different molecular weights. The particle-dispersant interactions were studied by measuring adsorption isotherms, particle size, thickness of adsorbed layer, and zeta potentials by elektrokinetic sonic analysis at different powder volume fractions (straight phi=0.01-0.3), pH, and electrolyte (KCl) content. The dissociation of the polyelectrolytes was studied by potentiometric titrations. The dissociation constant of the polymethacrylates was found to be 0.6 pH unit higher than that for the polyacrylates. High-affinity adsorption isotherms were observed over the pH range when the polyelectrolytes were fully ionized. The results show good correlation between adsorption isotherms and zeta potential data in systems of dispersed, dilute alumina particles. When particles and polymers were of equal charge (the same sign of charge) the polymer shell was thicker. At higher volume fractions (straight phi=0.3), and when alumina particles/added ammonium polyelectrolyte were of equal charge, a maximum in the absolute value of zeta potential resulted. Due to adsorption all the anionic polyelectrolytes studied provided electrosteric stabilization of the alpha-Al(2)O(3), and Y(2)O(3)-doped ZrO(2) suspensions by enhancing the zeta potential to 40 mV or over and by shifting the isoelectric point to lower pH, the low-molecular-weight polyelectrolytes decreasing the isoelectric point more than the polyelectrolytes having higher molecular weight. The polyelectrolytes studied failed to stabilize pure monoclinic ZrO(2) particles. Due to the shortness of the chain of polyelectrolytes studied, no bridging was observed between oppositely charged polyelectrolyte/alumina particles. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Infrared study of the interaction of charged silica particles with TiO2 particles containing adsorbed cationic and anionic polyelectrolytes

Attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy was used to study the adsorption of charged silica particles onto TiO(2) particles coated with anionic sodium polyacrylate (NaPA) or cationic poly(diallyldimethylammonium) chloride (PDADMAC). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that IR spectroscopy has been used to study the interaction of a polymer layer on one particle with a second different particle. The results show that, once adsorbed on the TiO(2) particle, the PDADMAC or the NaPA does not transfer to the silica particles. In the case of NaPA coated TiO(2), positively charged silica particles deposit on the TiO(2) and this is accompanied by a change in the relative intensities of the bands due to COOH and COO(-) groups. From this change in band intensity, it is calculated that only approximately 6% of the COO(-) groups located in the loops and tails bind to the silica particle. This shows that the polymer bridges the two particles through an electrostatic interaction with the outer COO(-) groups. Similarly, in the case of the TiO(2) particles coated with PDADMAC, negatively charged silica deposits on the TiO(2) and this is accompanied by an increase in intensity of the symmetric bending mode of the (+)N(CH(3))(3) group. This change in band intensity arises from the binding of these cationic sites of the polymer to the negative surface sites on the silica.     

Supported molybdena catalysts: Characterization of oxidized,reduced, and sulfided MoO3 prepared by an adsorption method

Highly dispersed molybdena-titania catalyst can be prepared by an equilibrium adsorption method. In this method, molybdate anions adsorb onto the positively charged titania surfaces via electrostatic attraction by controlling the pH of the impregnating solution and they increase as an inverse function of the pH. ⁹⁵Mo-NMR and UV spectroscopic studies of impregnating solution show that the polymeric species like Mo₇O₂₄ ⁶-ions are adsorbed on titania in the acidic impregnating solution. XRD, Raman, and XPS data of the calcined samples show that mono-layer coverage of molybdenum oxide over-layer possesses a highly distorted MoO₆ group with a molecular geometry resembling the distorted square pyramid. The catalytic oxidation of methanol over the surface molybdate species on titania possesses higher turnover numbers and higher selectivities of partial oxidation products than the catalysts supported on alumina, silica, zirconia, or magnesia. Changes of the surface properties either after reduction and sulfiding treatment over monolayer catalyst on titania have also been investigated. The NO chemisorption and XPS studies show that two types of active sites appeared after reduction treatment: one site is active for hydrogenation of 1,3-butadiene and the other site is active for metathesis of propene. A higher degree coordinative unsaturations of MO is required for hydrogenation than metathesis. After sulfiding treatments of the catalyst, hydrogenation of 1,3-butadiene also requires triply coordinative unsaturation, and hydrogenolysis of thiophene requires the ensemble of doubly or triply coordinative unsaturations.     

Chemistry of aqueous silica nanoparticle surfaces and the mechanism of selective peptide adsorption

Control over selective recognition of biomolecules on inorganic nanoparticles is a major challenge for the synthesis of new catalysts, functional carriers for therapeutics, and assembly of renewable biobased materials. We found low sequence similarity among sequences of peptides strongly attracted to amorphous silica nanoparticles of various size (15-450 nm) using combinatorial phage display methods. Characterization of the surface by acid base titrations and zeta potential measurements revealed that the acidity of the silica particles increased with larger particle size, corresponding to between 5% and 20% ionization of silanol groups at pH 7. The wide range of surface ionization results in the attraction of increasingly basic peptides to increasingly acidic nanoparticles, along with major changes in the aqueous interfacial layer as seen in molecular dynamics simulation. We identified the mechanism of peptide adsorption using binding assays, zeta potential measurements, IR spectra, and molecular simulations of the purified peptides (without phage) in contact with uniformly sized silica particles. Positively charged peptides are strongly attracted to anionic silica surfaces by ion pairing of protonated N-termini, Lys side chains, and Arg side chains with negatively charged siloxide groups. Further, attraction of the peptides to the surface involves hydrogen bonds between polar groups in the peptide with silanol and siloxide groups on the silica surface, as well as ion-dipole, dipole-dipole, and van-der-Waals interactions. Electrostatic attraction between peptides and particle surfaces is supported by neutralization of zeta potentials, an inverse correlation between the required peptide concentration for measurable adsorption and the peptide pI, and proximity of cationic groups to the surface in the computation. The importance of hydrogen bonds and polar interactions is supported by adsorption of noncationic peptides containing Ser, His, and Asp residues, including the formation of multilayers. We also demonstrate tuning of interfacial interactions using mutant peptides with an excellent correlation between adsorption measurements, zeta potentials, computed adsorption energies, and the proposed binding mechanism. Follow-on questions about the relation between peptide adsorption on silica nanoparticles and mineralization of silica from peptide-stabilized precursors are raised.     

Adsorption of polyelectrolyte modified graphene to silica surfaces: monolayers and multilayers

Exfoliated graphene particles stabilised by the cationic polyelectrolyte polyethyleneimine (PEI) were used in conjunction with an anionic polyelectrolyte, poly(acrylic acid), to construct multilayers using the layer-by-layer technique on a silica substrate. In the first adsorption step, the surface excess of the cationic graphene was dependent on the overall charge on the nanoparticle which in turn can be tuned through modifying solution pH as PEI has weakly ionisable charged amine groups. The adsorbed amount onto the silica surface increased as the solution pH increased. Subsequently, a layer of PAA was adsorbed on top of the cationic graphene through electrostatic interaction. The multilayer could be assembled through this alternate deposition, with the influence of solution conditions investigated. The pH of the adsorbing solutions was the chief determinant of the overall adsorbed amounts, with more mass added at the elevated pH of 9 in comparison with pH 4. Atomic force microscopy confirmed that the graphene particles were adsorbed to the silica interface and that the surface coverage of the disc-like nanoparticles was complete after the deposition of five graphene-polyelectrolyte bi-layers. Furthermore, the graphene nanoparticles themselves could be modified through the consecutive addition of the oppositely charged polymers. A multilayered assembly of negatively charged graphene sheets modified with a bi-layer of PEI and PAA was also deposited on a silica surface with adsorbed PEI.     

Effect of dispersion pH on the formation and stability of Pickering emulsions stabilized by layered double hydroxides particles

Using positively charged plate-like layered double hydroxides (LDHs) particles as emulsifier, liquid paraffin-in-water emulsions stabilized solely by such particles are successfully prepared. The effects of the pH of LDHs aqueous dispersions on the formation and stability of the emulsions are investigated here. The properties of the LDHs dispersions at different pHs are described, including particle zeta potential, particle aggregation, particle contact angle, flow behavior of the dispersions and particle adsorption at a planar oil/water interface. The zeta potential decreases with increasing pH, leading to the aggregation of LDHs particles into large flocs. The structural strength of LDHs dispersions is enhanced by increasing pH and particle concentration. The three-phase contact angle of LDHs also increases with increasing pH, but the variation is very small. Visual observation and SEM images of the interfacial particle layers show that the adsorption behavior of LDHs particles at the planar oil/water interface is controlled by dispersion pH. We consider that the particle-particle (at the interface) and particle-interface electrostatic interactions are well controlled by adjusting the dispersion pH, leading to pH-tailored colloid adsorption. The formation of an adsorbed particle layer around the oil drops is crucial for the formation and stability of the emulsions. Emulsion stability improves with increasing pH and particle concentration because more particles are available to be adsorbed at the oil/water interface. The structural strength of LDHs dispersions and the gel-like structure of emulsions also influence the stability of the emulsions, but they are not necessary for the formation of emulsions. The emulsions cannot be demulsified by adjusting emulsion pH due to the irreversible adsorption of LDHs particles at the oil/water interface. TEM images of the emulsion drops show that a thick particle layer forms around the oil drops, confirming that Pickering emulsions are stabilized by the adsorbed particle layers. The thick adsorbed particle layer may be composed of a stable inner particle layer which is in direct contact with the oil phase and a relatively unstable outer particle layer surrounding the inner layer.     

Heating effects on morphological and textural characteristics of individual and composite nanooxides

Morphological, structural and adsorption characteristics of nanooxides (fumed individual silica, alumina and titania, and composite silica/alumina, silica/titania and alumina/silica/titania) were compared after different treatments (wetting/drying, ball-milling, suspending/drying, heating) at different temperatures (373–1173 K) using low-temperature nitrogen adsorption data. The structural characteristics such as specific surface area (S _BET), pore volume (V _p), pore (PSD) and particle (PaSD) size distributions (calculated using self-consisting regularization procedure with respect to both PSD and PaSD), fractality, adsorption energy distributions depend differently on heating temperature because desorption of water molecularly and dissociatively adsorbed at a surface and in bulk of primary nanoparticles occurs over a wide temperature range at different rates. These processes affect both structural and energetic characteristics of nanooxides.     

Characterization of Fumed Alumina/Silica/Titania in the Gas Phase and in Aqueous Suspension

Fumed oxide alumina/silica/titania was studied in comparison with fumed alumina, silica, titania, alumina/silica, and titania/silica by means of XRD, ¹H NMR, IR, optical, dielectric relaxation, and photon correlation spectroscopies, electrophoresis, and quantum chemical methods. The explored Al₂O₃/SiO₂/TiO₂ consists of amorphous alumina (22 wt%), amorphous silica (28 wt%), and crystalline titania (50 wt%, with a blend of anatase (88%) and rutile (12%)) and has a wide assortment of Brønsted and Lewis acid sites, which provide a greater acidity than that of individual fumed alumina, silica, or titania and an acidity close to that of fumed alumina/silica or titania/silica. The changes in the Gibbs free energy (ΔG) of interfacial water in an aqueous suspension of Al₂O₃/SiO₂/TiO₂ are close to the ΔG values of the dispersions of pure rutile but markedly lower than those of alumina, anatase, or rutile covered by alumina and silica. The zeta potential of Al₂O₃/SiO₂/TiO₂ (pH of the isoelectric point (IEP) equals ≈3.3) is akin to that of fumed titania (pH(IEP_TiO2) ≈ 6) at pH > 6, but it significantly differs from the ζ of fumed alumina (pH(IEP_Al2O3) ≈ 9.8) at any pH value as well as those of fumed silica, titania/silica, and alumina/silica at pH < 6. The particle size distribution in the diluted aqueous suspensions of Al₂O₃/SiO₂/TiO₂ studied by means of photon correlation spectroscopy depends relatively slightly on pH in contrast to the titania/silica or alumina/silica dispersions. Theoretical calculations of oxide cluster interaction with water show a high probability of hydrolysis of Al–O–Ti and Si–O–Ti bonds strained at the interface of alumina/titania or silica/titania due to structural differences in the lattices of the corresponding individual oxides. Ab initio calculated chemical shift δ_H values of H atoms in different hydroxyl groups at the oxide clusters and in bound water molecules are in agreement with the ¹H NMR data and show a significant impact of charged particles (H₃O⁺ or OH⁻) on the average δ_H values of water droplets with (H₂O)_n at n between 2 and 48.     

Electrophoretic behaviour and viscosities of metal oxides in mixed surfactant systems

 The electrokinetic behavior and viscosity of anatase and alumina in mixed-surfactant solutions were investigated. Sodium dodecylsulfate and nonionic polyoxyethylene ethers were investigated as model surfactants. Pure nonionic surfactants adsorbed on anatase and coated the particles, so that the zeta potential was nearly zero near the critical micelle concentration of surfactant. At higher surfactant concentrations, an increase in the zeta potentials was observed, suggesting a change in the microstructure of the adsorbed layer. Addition of nonionic surfactant to positively charged anatase and alumina with some preadsorbed sodium dodecylsulfate reversed the surface charge of the oxide to negative, indicating enhanced coadsorption of the anionic surfactant. At higher concentrations of the nonionic surfactant, the charge reversed back to positive. Nonionic surfactants did not reverse the surface charge of these oxides in the absence of the anionic surfactant. Coenhanced adsorption of nonionic and anionic surfactants was used to stabilize alumina at the isoelectric point, where neither surfactant adsorbed appreciably on its own. These results suggest a dramatic change in conformation of the surfactant chains in mixed systems. Further explanation and justification of the proposed changes in adsorbed surfactant conformation require spectroscopic evidence. Received: 12 March 1997 Accepted: 22 July 1997     

Non-specific adhesion on biomaterial surfaces driven by small amounts of protein adsorption

This work explores how long-range non-specific interactions, resulting from small amounts of adsorbed fibrinogen, potentially influence bioadhesion. Such non-specific interactions between protein adsorbed on a biomaterial and approaching cells or bacteria may complement or even dominate ligand–receptor mating. This work considers situations where the biomaterial surface and the approaching model cells (micron-scale silica particles) exhibit strong electrostatic repulsion, as may be the case in diagnostics and lab-on-chip applications. We report that adsorbed fibrinogen levels near 0.5 mg/m² produce non-specific fouling. For underlying surfaces that are less fundamentally repulsive, smaller amounts of adsorbed fibrinogen would have a similar effect. Additionally, it was observed that particle adhesion engages sharply and only above a threshold loading of fibrinogen on the collector. Also, in the range of ionic strength, I, below about 0.05 M, increases in I reduce the fibrinogen needed for microparticle capture, due to screening of electrostatic repulsions. Surprisingly, however, ionic strengths of 0.15 M reduce fibrinogen adsorption altogether. This observation opposes expectations based on DLVO arguments, pointing to localized electrostatic attractions and hydration effects to drive silica–fibrinogen adhesion. These behaviors are benchmarked against microparticle binding on silica surfaces carrying small amounts of a polycation, to provide insight into the role of electrostatics in fibrinogen-driven non-specific adhesion.