Effect of long-range interactions on the surface tension

The effect of long-range interactions on the surface tension at a liquid-gas interface was considered. An analytical expression for the correction to the surface tension for the cutoff of the particle interaction potential at the distance r _c was derived based on a step density profile. For the Lennard-Jones fluid, this correction was calculated numerically from the results of computer simulations of the density profiles. It was established that, in the vicinity of the triple point, the correction is as great as ～6% at the potential cutoff radius r _c=6.78 molecular diameters, a quantity insensitive to the form of the density profile in the interfacial layer.     

Testing the role of solvent surface tension in protein ionization by electrospray

This work was aimed at probing the influence of solvent surface tension on protein ionization by electrospray. In particular, we were interested in testing the previously suggested hypothesis that the charge-state distributions (CSDs) of proteins in electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) are controlled by the surface tension of the least volatile solvent component. In the attempt to minimize uncontrolled conformational effects, we used acid-sensitive proteins (cytochrome c and myoglobin) at low pH or highly stable proteins (ubiquitin and lysozyme) in the presence of low concentrations of organic solvents. A first set of experiments compared the effect of 1- and 2-propanol. These two alcohols have similar chemico-physical properties but values of vapor pressure below and above that of water, respectively. Both compounds have much lower surface tension than water. The solvents employed allowed testing of the influence of surface tension on protein spectra obtained from similarly denaturing solutions. The compared solvent conditions gave rise to very similar spectra for each tested protein. We then investigated the effect of the addition of dimethyl sulfoxide to acid-unfolded proteins. We observed enhanced ionization in the presence of acetic or formic acid, consistent with the previously described supercharging effect, but almost no shift of the CSD in the presence of HCl. Finally, we analyzed thermally denatured cytochrome c, to obtain reference spectra of the unfolded protein in high-surface-tension solutions. Also in this case, the CSD of the unfolded protein was shifted towards lower m/z values relative to low-surface-tension systems. In contrast to the other results reported here, this effect is consistent with an influence of solvent surface tension on CSD. The magnitude of the effect, however, is much smaller than predicted by the Rayleigh equation. The results presented here are not easy to reconcile with the hypothesis that the maximum charge state exhibited by proteins in ESI-MS reflects the Rayleigh-limit charge of the precursor droplet. The data are discussed with reference to models for the mechanism of electrospray ionization.     

Reduction of polymer surface tension by crystallized polymer nanoparticles

Self-consistent field theory is applied to investigate the effects of crystallized polymer nanoparticles on polymer surface tension. It is predicted that the nanoparticles locate preferentially at the polymer surface and significantly reduce the surface tension, in agreement with experiment. In addition to the reduction of surface tension, the width of the polymer surface is found to narrow. The reduced width and surface tension are due to the smaller spatial extent of the nanoparticles compared to the polymer. This allows the interface to become less diffuse and so reduces the energies of interaction at the surface, which lowers the surface tension. The solubility of the surrounding solvent phase into the polymer melt is mostly unchanged, a very slight decrease being detectable. The solubility is constant because away from the interface, the system is homogeneous and the replacement of polymer with nanoparticles has little effect.     

Effect of solution viscosity on dynamic surface tension detection

A dynamic surface tension detector (DSTD) was used to examine the molecular diffusion and surface adsorption characteristics of surface-active analytes as a function of solution viscosity. Dynamic surface tension is determined by measuring the differential pressure across the air/liquid interface of repeatedly growing and detaching drops. Continuous surface tension measurement throughout the entire drop growth is achieved for each eluting drop (at a rate of 30 drops/min for 2 μl drops), providing insight into the kinetic behavior of molecular diffusion and orientation processes at the air/liquid interface. Three-dimensional data are obtained through a calibration procedure previously developed, but extended herein for viscous solutions, with surface tension first converted to surface pressure, which is plotted as a function of elution time axis versus drop time axis. Thus, an analyte that lowers the surface tension results in an increase in surface pressure. The calibration procedure derived for the pressure-based DSTD was successfully extended and implemented in this report to experimentally determine standard surface pressures in solutions of varied viscosity. Analysis of analytes in viscous solution was performed at low analyte concentration, where the observed analyte surface activity indicates that the surface concentration is at or near equilibrium when in a water mobile phase (viscosity of 1.0 Cp). Two surface-active analytes, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and polyethylene glycol (MW 1470 g/mol, PEG 1470), were analyzed in solutions ranging from 0 to 60% (v/v) glycerol in water, corresponding to a viscosity range of 1.0-15.0 Cp. Finally, the diffusion-limited surface activity of SDS and PEG 1470 were observed in viscous solution, whereby an increase in viscosity resulted in a decreased surface pressure early in drop growth. The dynamic surface pressure results reported for SDS and PEG 1470 are found to correlate with solution viscosity and analyte diffusion coefficient via the Stokes-Einstein equation.     

Effects of biosurfactants on surface properties of hematite

Application of microorganisms as surface modifiers has focused our attention in recent times. The adsorption of biosurfactants can be a way for the solid surface modification. In the present investigation rhamnolipids produced by Pseudomonas aerugiosa were used to make the hematite surface modification. Experiments were carried out with pure mineral hematite. In this paper, the influence of biosurfactant addition on both the stability and the flotability of hematite suspensions has been studied in detail. The stability experiments were conducted using Turbiscan LAb apparatus, at constant pH conditions and mineral amount. The flotation experiments were carried out using Hallimond tube. The adsorption isotherms of biosurfactant onto the hematite particles were also determined. The experiments were carried out with broth and pure rhamnolipid. The results of those experiments were compared and discussed.     

离子液体水合物反应液表面张力的研究

表面张力是衡量水合物动力学促进剂促进效果的主要参数,为了探究离子液体应用于水合物生成促进的可行性,实验合成了具有表面活性功能的离子液体[HMIPS]DBSA、[MIMPS]DBSA、[PIPS]DBSA和[PYPS]DBSA,并分别测定了在不同浓度及温度条件下的表面张力。结果表明:四种离子液体的最低表面张力相较于纯水均降低了一半以上,其中[MIMPS]DBSA的降幅最小;各离子液体的表面张力随着浓度的升高而降低并达到一定值,其中[MIMPS]DBSA的CMC浓度为700 ppm左右,其余三种离子液体的CMC浓度则均在900 ppm以上;此外,各离子液体的表面张力随着温度的升高而逐渐降低,但相较于浓度对其的影响,降幅要小得多。这说明浓度是影响水合物反应液表面张力的主要控制因素。可以发现所合成的离子液体与当前最好的促进剂SDS相比,有待于进一步优化。但离子液体的高度可设计性及生物可降解性给水合物促进剂的研发提供了广阔的发展空间,具有很好的发展前景。     

Effect of solvent quality on the dispersibility of polymer-grafted spherical nanoparticles in polymer solutions

In this work, lattice-based self consistent field theory is used to study the structural properties of individual polymer-grafted spherical nanopartices and particle-particle interactions in polymer melts and solutions under variable solvent conditions. Our study has focused on the depth of the minimum in the potential of mean force between the two brush-coated nanoparticles, if such a minimum occurs, and we have also addressed the corresponding radial density profiles of free and grafted chains around a single nanoparticle, in an attempt to clarify the extent of correlation between the depth of the minimum, W(min), and the parameter δ characterizing the interpenetration between the profiles of free and grafted chains. Although one cannot establish a simple one-to-one correspondence between W(min) and δ, we do find common trends, in particular, if the solvent conditions for free and grafted chains differ: varying the volume fraction of the free chains, δ typically exhibits a broad minimum, corresponding to a region where the magnitude of W(min) exceeds thermal energy k(B)T, leading to particle aggregation.     

Control of surface tension at liquid-liquid interfaces using nanoparticles and nanoparticle-protein complexes

Subtle changes in the monolayer structure of nanoparticles (NPs) influence the interfacial behavior of both NPs and NP-protein conjugates. In this study, we use a series of monolayer-protected gold NPs to explore the role of particle hydrophobicity on their dynamic behavior at the toluene-water interface. Using dynamic surface tension measurements, we observed a linear decrease in the meso-equilibrium surface tension (γ) and faster dynamics as the hydrophobicity of the ligands increases. Further modulation of γ is observed for the corresponding NP-protein complexes at the charge-neutralization point.     

Internal pressure and surface tension of bare and hydrogen coated silicon nanoparticles

We present a study of internal pressure and surface tension of bare and hydrogen coated silicon nanoparticles of 2-10 nm diameter as a function of temperature, using molecular dynamics simulations employing a reparametrized Kohen-Tully-Stillinger interatomic potential. The internal pressure was found to increase with decreasing particle size but the density was found to be independent of the particle size. We showed that for covalent bond structures, changes in surface curvature and the associated surface forces were not sufficient to significantly change bond lengths and angles. Thus, the surface tension was also found to be independent of the particle size. Surface tension was found to decrease with increasing particle temperature while the internal pressure did not vary with temperature. The presence of hydrogen on the surface of a particle significantly reduces surface tension (e.g., drops from 0.83 J/m(2) to 0.42 J/m(2) at 1500 K). The computed pressure of bare and coated particles was found to follow the classical Laplace-Young equation.     

Structural and fluorescence quenching characterization of hematite nanoparticles

Nanoparticles of the dominant hematite form (α-Fe(2)O(3)) of iron oxide have been prepared by a simple route of dropping FeCl(3) solution into boiling water. The nanoparticles have been characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-visible electronic absorption spectroscopy, chemical stoichiometry, thermal analysis methods (TGA, DSC and DTA), XRD, FTIR and magnetic susceptibility measurements. Kinetic analysis of the DSC calorigram of thermal dehydration of the nanoparticles reveals one stage of the dehydration process of energy of activation of 29.0 kJ mol(-1). The role of iron oxide nanoparticles in fluorescence quenching of coumarin thiourea derivatives (I-IV) was investigated at room temperature (296 K) by means of steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy. The quenching process was characterized by Stern-Volmer (S-V) plots which display a positive deviation from linearity. This could be explained by static and dynamic quenching models. The positive deviation in the S-V plot is interpreted in terms of ground-state complex formation model and sphere of action static quenching model. Various rate parameters for the ?uorescence quenching process were determined by using the modi?ed Stern-Volmer equation. The sphere of action static quenching model agrees very well with experimental results. Quenching constants for iron oxide nanoparticles are about four orders of magnitudes higher than quenching by Fe(3+) ions.     

Precipitation of hematite nanoparticles via reverse microemulsion process

Hematite nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized via two processing routes:(i) conventional precipitation route and (ii) reverse microemulsion route.The particle precipitation was carried out in a semibatch reactor.A microemulsion system consisting of water,chloroform,1-butanol and surfactant was loaded with iron nitrates to form iron nanoparticles precipitation.The precipitation was performed in the single-phase microemulsion operating region.Three technical surfactants,with different structure and HLB value are employed.The influence of surfactant characterization on the size of produced iron oxide particle has been studied to gain a deeper understanding of the important controlling mechanisms in the formation of nanoparticles in a microemulsion.Transmission electron microscopy (TEM),surface area,pore volume,average pore diameter,pore size distribution and XRD were used to analyze the size,size distribution,shape and structure of precipitated iron nanoparticles.     

Influence of solvent on the growth of ZnO nanoparticles

We have synthesized ZnO nanoparticles by precipitation from zinc acetate in a series of n-alkanols from ethanol to 1-hexanol as a function of temperature. In this system, nucleation and growth are relatively fast and, at longer times, the average particle size continues to increase due to diffusion-limited coarsening. During coarsening, the particle volume increases linearly with time, in agreement with the Lifshitz-Slyozov-Wagner (LSW) model. The coarsening rate increases with increasing temperature for all solvents and increases with alkanol chain length. We show that the rate constant for coarsening is determined by the solvent viscosity, surface energy, and the bulk solubility of ZnO in the solvent.     

Effect of flexibility on surface tension and coexisting densities of water

Molecular dynamics simulations of pure water at the liquid-vapor interface are performed using direct simulation of interfaces in a liquid slab geometry. The effect of intramolecular flexibility on coexisting densities and surface tension is analyzed. The dipole moment profile across the liquid-vapor interface shows different values for the liquid and vapor phases. The flexible model is a polarizable model. This effect is minor for liquid densities and is large for surface tension. The liquid densities increase from 2% at 300 K to 9% at 550 K when the force field is changed from a fully rigid simple point charge extended (SPCE) model to that of a fully flexible model with the same intermolecular interaction parameters. The increases in surface tension at both temperatures are around 11% and 36%, respectively. The calculated properties of the flexible models are closer to the experimental data than those of the rigid SPCE. The effect of the maximum number of reciprocal vectors (h(z) (max)) and the surface area on the calculated properties at 300 K is also analyzed. The coexiting densities are not sensitive to those variables. The surface tension fluctuates with h(z) (max) with an amplitude larger than 10 mN m(-1). The effect of using small interfacial areas is slightly larger than the error in the simulations.     

Effect of solvent power on the adsorption of polystyrene onto a metal surface

The adsorption of linear polystyrenes from cyclohexane solutions onto a chrome plate of 35 (the theta temperature), 40, and 45°C was studied by ellipsometry. The adsorbance decreases with increasing temperature, while the extension of the adsorbed polymer layer increases. The adsorbance is almost independent of the molecular weight at these temperatures. The slope of a double logarithmic plot of extension versus molecular weight is 0.5 at the theta temperature, whereas at the higher temperatures the slope is a little larger. Both the adsorbance and the extension of the adsorbed layer change reversibly over a cycle of temperature change, indicating that a reversible conformational change has occurred. The expansion factor α_t of the adsorbed layer is compared with the theoretical predictions of Hoeve and of Jones and Richmond. The expansion factor α_t according to Hoeve's theory, was smaller than the measured value, whereas the expansion calculated by the Jones–Richmond theory is much larger than the measured value. It is concluded that the tail portions of adsorbed chains predominantly govern the extension of the adsorbed layer.     

Synthesis of aligned hematite nanoparticles on chitosan–alginate films

Iron oxide nanoparticles are being viewed with interest owing to the great potential they have in the biomedical applications like MRI contrast enhancement, targeted drug delivery, hyperthermia and recently in magnetic separation of cancer cells from the body. Templated synthesis has been considered ideal for synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles as particles are attracted magnetically, in addition to usual flocculation through van der Waals attraction. Biological templates are attractive owing to their biocompatibility and the attractive porosity and surface chemistry that nature provides. Polysaccharides like chitosan and alginate have been employed in the synthesis of a polyion complex, which provided the active-binding sites for iron(II) ions in solution to bind. The natural organization of chitosan and alginate into a porous film has been exploited to synthesize spherical iron oxide nanoparticles through careful calcination of the iron(II) conjugate film. Our experiments indicate that the formed nanoparticles are highly crystalline, confirm to the hematite structure and have a superparamagnetic response with a low coercivity of 116 Oe. Particles thus synthesized were highly monodisperse with hydrodynamic diameter of 1.8 nm. The symmetric porosity of the film translates into the synthesis of well-aligned nanoparticles of iron oxide. Compared to synthesis in solution, the film-assisted synthesis offered a greater degree of control over the particle size distribution pattern, with the chitosan–alginate template providing the needed spatial separation to prevent the aggregation due to magnetostatic coupling. Such hematite nanoparticles can either be used directly or converted to paramagnetic magnetite by reduction. Zeta potential measurements indicate highly stable nanoparticles, which can therefore be conjugated to cationic liposomes carrying drugs and magnetically guided to target sites.     

Effect of temperature on the density and surface tension of aqueous solutions of HMT

In this study, a systematic study of the effect of the temperature on the density and surface tension of HMT (hexamethylentetramine) in water was developed. The density and surface tension were determined at temperatures of 288.15, 293.15, 298.15, 303.15, and 308.15 K. Precise data of surface tension have not been reported previously in literature. From the density measurements, the apparent molar and partial molar volumes were calculated. The apparent molar volume decreases with concentration, the molar partial volume increases with temperature. The surface tension of the aqueous solutions of HMT decreases with concentration. The excess surface concentration was calculated, the values increase with concentration, indicating that the amount of HMT that goes to the interface gas liquid increases at higher concentrations of HMT.     

Effect of boron on the surface tension of molten silicon and its temperature coefficient

The influence of boron concentration (C(B)/mass%) on the surface tension of molten silicon has been investigated with the sessile drop method under oxygen partial pressure P(O(2))=1.62x10(-25)-2.63x10(-22) MPa, and the results can be summarized as follows. The surface tension increases with C(B) in the range below 2.09 mass%, and the maximum increase rate of the surface tension is about 30 mN m(-1)(mass% C(B))(-1). The temperature coefficient of the surface tension, ( partial differential sigma/ partial differential T)C(B), was found to increase with the boron concentration in molten silicon. At the interface between molten silicon and the BN substrate, a discontinuous Si(3)N(4) layer was reckoned to form and the layer might prevent BN from dissolving into the molten silicon. Since dissolved boron from the BN substrate into the molten silicon is below 0.054 mass% and the associated increase in surface tension is below 1.5 mN m(-1), the contamination from the BN substrate on the surface tension can be ignored. The relation between the surface tension and C(B) indicates negative adsorption of boron and can be well described by combining the Gibbs adsorption isotherm with the Langmuir isotherm.     

Effect of buoyancy on appearance and characteristics of surface tension repeated auto-oscillations

The effect of buoyancy on spontaneous repeated nonlinear oscillations of surface tension, which appear at the free liquid interface by dissolution of a surfactant droplet under the interface, is considered on the basis of direct numerical simulation of the model system behavior. The oscillations are the result of periodically rising and fading Marangoni instability. The buoyancy force per se cannot lead to the oscillatory behavior in the considered system, but it influences strongly both the onset and decay of the instability and therefore, affects appearance and characteristics of the oscillations. If the surfactant solution density is smaller than the density of the pure liquid, then the buoyancy force leads to a considerable decrease of the induction period and the period of oscillations. The buoyancy force affects also the dependence of the oscillation characteristics on the system dimensions. The results of the simulations are compared with the available experimental data.     

Effect of electric fields on contact angle and surface tension of drops

Contact angles of sessile drops were experimentally investigated in the electric field. The experimental setup was designed such that the electric field was applied to all three interfaces. The advanced Automated Polynomial Fitting (APF) methodology was employed to measure contact angles with high accuracy. The significance of the observations and trends was examined by conducting statistical tests of hypothesis. It was found that contact angles of polar liquids such as alcohols increase in the electric field. However, no significant trend was observed for nonpolar liquids such as alkanes. The change in the contact angle was found to be stronger for liquids with longer molecules. It was shown that the polarity of the electric field is not an underlying factor in the observed trends. Using the equation of state for interfacial tensions, the observed shift in contact angles was translated into a corresponding change in surface tension of the liquids. The results suggest that the surface tension of alcohols increases by one to two percent (depending on the size of molecules) when an electric field of the order of magnitude of 10(6) V/m is applied.