The effect of the presence of valinomycin on the interfacial tension of lecithin membrane

The effect of the presence of valinomycin in lecithin membrane on its interfacial tension has been studied. The experiments have been carried out at various forming solution compositions and at various potassium ion concentrations in electrolyte solution. Potassium chloride was used as the electrolyte. A complex was formed between the valinomycin molecule and K+ ion. The following parameters describing the complex were determined: K, the stability constant of the valinomycin-K+ complex and B, partition coefficient. These values are equal to 3.52 x 10(5) m3 mol(-1) and 6.0, respectively.     

Interfacial tension of the lipid membrane formed from lipid-fatty acid and lipid-amine systems

Interfacial tension has been determined for phosphatidylcholine-stearic acid and phosphatidylcholine-stearylamine membranes. Phosphatidylcholine, stearic acid and stearylamine were used in the experimental. The interfacial tension values of the pure components are 1.62x10(-3) N/m, - 1.54x10(-2) N/m and 4.40x10(-3) N/m (hypothetical values), respectively. The 1:1 complexes were formed during formation of phosphatidylcholine-stearic acid and phosphatidylcholine-stearylamine membranes. The following parameters describing the complexes were determined: the surface concentrations of the lipid membranes formed from these complexes, A(3)(-1), the interfacial tensions of such membranes, gamma(3) and the stability constants of these complexes, K.     

Lyotropic and interfacial behaviour of an anionic gemini surfactant

The sodium salt of N,N'-hexane-bis (1-dodecen-1-ylsuccinamic acid) is an anionic dimeric (gemini) surfactant. A flooding penetration scan of this surfactant in water demonstrates a sequence of lyotropic phases at room temperature (20 degrees C). Preparation of surfactant-water mixtures has resulted in a phase diagram which shows that the same sequence of phases exists up to 100 degrees C. These phases are tentatively assigned to the sequence: micellar to normal hexagonal (H1) to cubic (V1) to lamellar (Lalpha). The interfacial tension at the n-heptane/water interface has been determined in the presence of this surfactant. The surfactant head group area at the interface is large (2.8+/-0.3 nm2 at 298 K) and the interfacial tension above the critical micelle concentration is low (7 mN m(-1)), but considerably higher than the ultra-low values that have been reported for cationic dimeric surfactants at various hydrocarbon-water interfaces.     

Bubble coalescence during acoustic cavitation in aqueous electrolyte solutions

Bubble coalescence behavior in aqueous electrolyte (MgSO(4), NaCl, KCl, HCl, H(2)SO(4)) solutions exposed to an ultrasound field (213 kHz) has been examined. The extent of coalescence was found to be dependent on electrolyte type and concentration, and could be directly linked to the amount of solubilized gas (He, Ar, air) in solution for the conditions used. No evidence of specific ion effects in acoustic bubble coalescence was found. The results have been compared with several previous coalescence studies on bubbles in aqueous electrolyte and aliphatic alcohol solutions in the absence of an ultrasound field. It is concluded that the impedance of bubble coalescence by electrolytes observed in a number of studies is the result of dynamic processes involving several key steps. First, ions (or more likely, ion-pairs) are required to adsorb at the gas/solution interface, a process that takes longer than 0.5 ms and probably fractions of a second. At a sufficient interfacial loading (estimated to be less than 1-2% monolayer coverage) of the adsorbed species, the hydrodynamic boundary condition at the bubble/solution interface switches from tangentially mobile (with zero shear stress) to tangentially immobile, commensurate with that of a solid-liquid interface. This condition is the result of spatially nonuniform coverage of the surface by solute molecules and the ensuing generation of surface tension gradients. This change reduces the film drainage rate between interacting bubbles, thereby reducing the relative rate of bubble coalescence. We have identified this point of immobilization of tangential interfacial fluid flow with the "critical transition concentration" that has been widely observed for electrolytes and nonelectrolytes. We also present arguments to support the speculation that in aqueous electrolyte solutions the adsorbed surface species responsible for the immobilization of the interface is an ion-pair complex.     

聚合物电解质界面性质交流阻抗研究

合成了一种新型聚合物基质材料聚(甲基丙烯酸甲酯-丙烯腈-甲基丙烯酸锂)(简记为PMAML),并以PMAML/PVDF-HFP(偏氟乙烯-六氟丙烯共聚合物)复合物为基质制备了聚合物电解质.利用FTIR对合成的PMAML进行结构表征,并用扫描电镜观察聚合物基质膜的表面形貌.聚合物电解质由聚合物基质膜浸渍电解质溶液得到,其室温电导率可达到2.6×10－3 S• cm－1.利用交流阻抗技术研究了聚合物电解质与锂电极间的界面性质,并考察了开路放置时间、循环伏安及恒流充电对界面阻抗的影响.结果表明,聚合物电解质与锂电极界面阻抗随放置时间的延长而增加,更新锂电极表面可降低界面阻抗,PMAML能提高界面稳定性.     

Electrophysiological response of cultured trabecular meshwork cells to synthetic ion channels

The response of living cells of the trabecular meshwork to synthetic ion channels is described. The THF-gramicidin hybrids THF-gram and THF-gram-TBDPS as well as a linked gA-TBDPS and gramicidin A were applied to cultured ocular trabecular meshwork cells. THF-gram application (minimal concentration, 10(-8) M; saturation, 10(-7) M) led to an additional conductance which displayed characteristics of weak Eisenman-I-selective cation channels, no cell destruction, an asymmetric change of the inward/outward currents, and higher current densities using Cs(+) as charge carrier compared to Na(+) and K(+). Linked-gA-TBDPS showed at 10(-12) M increases of the membrane conductance comparable to gA at 10(-7) M and a much faster response of the cells. Thus, THF-gramicidin hybrids form a basis for the use of synthetic ion channels in biological systems, which eventually may lead to new therapeutic approaches.     

Monovalent ion adsorption at the muscovite (001)-solution interface: relationships among ion coverage and speciation, interfacial water structure, and substrate relaxation

The interfacial structure between the muscovite (001) surface and aqueous solutions containing monovalent cations (3 × 10(-3) m Li(+), Na(+), H(3)O(+), K(+), Rb(+), or Cs(+), or 3 × 10(-2) m Li(+) or Na(+)) was measured using in situ specular X-ray reflectivity. The element-specific distribution of Rb(+) was also obtained with resonant anomalous X-ray reflectivity. The results demonstrate complex interdependencies among adsorbed cation coverage and speciation, interfacial hydration structure, and muscovite surface relaxation. Electron-density profiles of the solution near the surface varied systematically and distinctly with each adsorbed cation. Observations include a broad profile for H(3)O(+), a more structured profile for Li(+) and Na(+), and increasing electron density near the surface because of the inner-sphere adsorption of K(+), Rb(+), and Cs(+) at 1.91 ± 0.12, 1.97 ± 0.01, and 2.26 ± 0.01 ?, respectively. Estimated inner-sphere coverages increased from ~0.6 to 0.78 ± 0.01 to ~0.9 per unit cell area with decreasing cation hydration strength for K(+), Rb(+), and Cs(+), respectively. Between 7 and 12% of the Rb(+) coverage occurred as an outer-sphere species. Systematic trends in the vertical displacement of the muscovite lattice were observed within ~40 ? of the surface. These include a <0.1 ? shift of the interlayer K(+) toward the interface that decays into the crystal and an expansion of the tetrahedral-octahedral-tetrahedral layers except for the top layer in contact with solution. The distortion of the top tetrahedral sheet depends on the adsorbed cation, ranging from an expansion (by ~0.05 ? vertically) in 3 × 10(-3)m H(3)O(+) to a contraction (by ~0.1 ?) in 3 × 10(-3) m Cs(+). The tetrahedral tilting angle in the top sheet increases by 1 to 4° in 3 × 10(-3) m Li(+) or Na(+), which is similar to that in deionized water where the adsorbed cation coverages are insufficient for full charge compensation.     

Structure of nonpolarizable water/nitrobenzene interface: potential distribution, ion adsorption, and interfacial tension

Adsorption of hydrophobic and hydrophilic ions at the nonpolarizable interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions was investigated. The results were analyzed in three different models: (i) Gouy-Chapman model, (ii) ions as hard spheres, and (iii) ion pair formation at the interface. In the Gouy-Chapman model, an analytical expression for the interfacial tension was obtained. It predicts that interfacial tension should be proportional to the square root of the electrolyte concentration, which does not agree with experimental data. Modeling ions as hard spheres only slightly improves the agreement. The third model of interfacial ion pairing as the main origin of adsorption was analyzed using the amphiphilic isotherm (Markin-Volkov isotherm). A good agreement between ion-pairing theory and experimental values was achieved. The MV isotherm takes into account the limited number of adsorption sites, final size of molecules, complex formation at the interface, and interaction between adsorbed particles. The analysis revealed repulsion between adsorbed tetraalkylammonium ions at the nitrobenzene/water interface and demonstrated linear dependence between adsorption site area and the size of a molecule.     

Interface tension of silica hydroxylated nanoparticle with brine: a combined experimental and molecular dynamics study

We have used molecular dynamics simulations to calculate the interfacial tension of hydroxylated SiO(2) nanoparticles under different temperatures and solutions (helium and brine with monovalent and divalent salts). In order to benchmark the atomistic model, quartz SiO(2) interfacial tension was measured based on inverse gas chromatography under He atmosphere. The experimental interfacial tension values for quartz were found between 0.512 and 0.617 N/m. Our calculated results for the interfacial tension of silica nanoparticles within helium atmosphere was 0.676 N/m, which is higher than the value found for the system containing He∕α-quartz (0.478 N/m), but it is similar to the one found for amorphous silica surface. We have also studied the interfacial tension of the nanoparticles in electrolyte aqueous solution for different types and salts concentrations (NaCl, CaCl(2), and MgCl(2)). Our calculations indicate that adsorption properties and salt solutions greatly influence the interfacial tension in an order of CaCl(2) > MgCl(2) > NaCl. This effect is due to the difference in distribution of ions in solution, which modifies the hydration and electrostatic potential of those ions near the nanoparticle.     

The role of the electrical double layer and ion pairing on the electrochemical oxidation of hexachloroiridate(III) at Pt electrodes of nanometer dimensions

The steady-state voltammetric oxidation of hexachloroiridate(III), IrCl6(3-) (1-5 mM), in the presence and absence of an excess supporting electrolyte was investigated at disk- and hemispherical-shaped Pt electrodes with radii ranging from 48 nm to 12.5 microm. Thermodynamic, kinetic, and transport parameters that define the shape and magnitude of the voltammetric wave exhibit a complex dependence on whether a supporting electrolyte is present in the solution. First, the half-wave potential, E1/2, for oxidation of IrCl6(3-) shifts to more positive potentials in the presence of a supporting electrolyte, a consequence of the relative difference in the strength of ion pairing of IrCl6(3-) and IrCl6(2-) by the supporting electrolyte cation. E1/2 increases in the order no electrolyte < n-tetrabutylammonium < Na+ approximately K+ approximately Ca2+, but is independent of the supporting electrolyte anion (Cl-, NO3-, PF6-). Second, the heterogeneous electron-transfer rate constant for oxidation of IrCl6(3-) increases by approximately an order of magnitude in the presence of a supporting electrolyte. Third, in the absence of electrolyte, mass transport limited currents deviate significantly from predicted values based on the Nernst-Planck equation, but only when the electrode radius is smaller than ca. 1 microm. The latter two effects (Frumkin and dynamic diffuse layer effects) result from the dependence of interfacial electrical fields and, thus, the rates of electron-transfer and ion migration, on the supporting electrolyte concentration. We also demonstrate that the theoretical shape of the voltammetric response for oxidation or reduction of a highly charged redox species (e.g., IrCl6(3-)) is essentially independent of whether a supporting electrolyte is present in the solution. This finding can greatly simplify the analysis of heterogeneous electron-transfer rates using steady-state voltammetry in low ionic strength solutions.     

Dielectric analysis of nanofiltration membrane in electrolyte solutions: influences of electrolyte concentration and species on membrane permeation

Dielectric properties of a nanofiltration membrane immersed in dilute aqueous electrolyte solutions were measured, and frequency dependence of capacitance and conductance of the systems was analyzed, based on the interfacial polarization theory, giving values of permittivity and conductivity of the membrane and the solutions. Permittivity, epsilon m, of the membrane slightly decreased whereas conductivity, km, of the membrane increased with increasing electrolyte concentration, as a result of entrance of ions into the membrane. The ratio of membrane/solution conductivity, km/kw, also depended on the electrolyte concentration, showing that distribution of ions in the membrane and in solutions follow Donnan equilibrium, due to the presence of negative fixed charges in the membrane. New expressions were derived from Donnan equilibrium principle to explain this phenomenon, and negative fixed charge concentration ce of the membrane was obtained; thus the Donnan potential, DeltaPhi Don, of the membrane in solutions at various concentrations could be calculated. The new expressions could be expected to be usable to analyze ion permeation property through membrane.     

The effect of tetramethylammonium ion on the voltammetric behavior of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: computations explain a long-standing anomaly

Cyclic voltammograms of several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH's) in highly purified N,N-dimethylformamide are known to exhibit two reversible reduction waves. To a good approximation, the potential of the first wave is independent of the nature of the supporting electrolyte, but the potential of the second wave is highly dependent upon the nature of the electrolyte. The spacing ΔE° between the first and second waves increases as the size of the cation of the electrolyte is increased from Et(4)N(+) through Pr(4)N(+) to Bu(4)N(+). This is typically interpreted as due to decreasing strength of ion-pairing between the cation and the dianion of the PAH with increasing size of the electrolyte cation. However, it has been known for many years that Me(4)N(+) exhibits anomalous behavior: even though Me(4)N(+) is much smaller than Et(4)N(+), ΔE° is greater with Me(4)N(+) than with Et(4)N(+) for anthracene and in fact greater than any of the larger electrolytes with perylene. It is now shown that this behavior arises out of the fact that Me(4)N(+) ion is present in solution as a tetrasolvate [Me(4)N(+)/(DMF)(4)]. The PAH dianion (Ar(-2)) reacts with Me(4)N(+)/(DMF)(4) to displace a molecule of DMF and produce the species Me(4)N(+)/(DMF)(3)/Ar(-2). The computed pairing association constant K(ion-pairing) for the anthracene species is 35 M(-1), compared with a value of 50,000 M(-1) for association of the bare Me(4)N(+) ion with the dianion; the corresponding values for perylene are computed to be 4400 and 3.5 M(-1), respectively.     

Oligoether-strapped calix[4]pyrrole: an ion-pair receptor displaying cation-dependent chloride anion transport

A ditopic ion-pair receptor (1), which has tunable cation- and anion-binding sites, has been synthesized and characterized. Spectroscopic analyses provide support for the conclusion that receptor 1 binds fluoride and chloride anions strongly and forms stable 1:1 complexes ([1·F](-) and [1·Cl](-)) with appropriately chosen salts of these anions in acetonitrile. When the anion complexes of 1 were treated with alkali metal ions (Li(+), Na(+), K(+), Cs(+), as their perchlorate salts), ion-dependent interactions were observed that were found to depend on both the choice of added cation and the initially complexed anion. In the case of [1·F](-), no appreciable interaction with the K(+) ion was seen. On the other hand, when this complex was treated with Li(+) or Na(+) ions, decomplexation of the bound fluoride anion was observed. In contrast to what was seen with Li(+), Na(+), K(+), treating [1·F](-) with Cs(+) ions gave rise to a stable, host-separated ion-pair complex, [F·1·Cs], which contains the Cs(+) ion bound in the cup-like portion of the calix[4]pyrrole. Different complexation behavior was seen in the case of the chloride complex, [1·Cl](-). Here, no appreciable interaction was observed with Na(+) or K(+). In contrast, treating with Li(+) produces a tight ion-pair complex, [1·Li·Cl], in which the cation is bound to the crown moiety. In analogy to what was seen for [1·F](-), treatment of [1·Cl](-) with Cs(+) ions gives rise to a host-separated ion-pair complex, [Cl·1·Cs], in which the cation is bound to the cup of the calix[4]pyrrole. As inferred from liposomal model membrane transport studies, system 1 can act as an effective carrier for several chloride anion salts of Group 1 cations, operating through both symport (chloride+cation co-transport) and antiport (nitrate-for-chloride exchange) mechanisms. This transport behavior stands in contrast to what is seen for simple octamethylcalix[4]pyrrole, which acts as an effective carrier for cesium chloride but does not operates through a nitrate-for-chloride anion exchange mechanism.     

Effects of ion solvation on phase equilibrium and interfacial tension of liquid mixtures

We study the bulk thermodynamics and interfacial properties of electrolyte solution mixtures by accounting for electrostatic interaction, ion solvation, and inhomogeneity in the dielectric medium in the mean-field framework. Difference in the solvation energy between the cations and anions is shown to give rise to local charge separation near the interface, and a finite Galvani potential between two coexisting solutions. The ion solvation affects the phase equilibrium of the solvent mixture, depending on the dielectric constants of the solvents, reflecting the competition between the solvation energy and translation entropy of the ions. Miscibility is decreased if both solvents have low dielectric constants and is enhanced if both solvents have high dielectric constant. At the mean-field level, the ion distribution near the interface is determined by two competing effects: accumulation in the electrostatic double layer and depletion in a diffuse interface. The interfacial tension shows a nonmonotonic dependence on the salt concentration: it increases linearly with the salt concentration at higher concentrations and decreases approximately as the square root of the salt concentration for dilute solutions, reaching a minimum near 1 mM. We also find that, for a fixed cation type, the interfacial tension decreases as the size of anion increases. These results offer qualitative explanations within one unified framework for the long-known concentration and ion size effects on the interfacial tension of electrolyte solutions.     

Effect of crown ether on ion currents through synthetic membranes containing a single conically shaped nanopore

Ion-current measurements were made on synthetic polymer membranes that contained a single conically shaped nanopore. This entailed placing an electrolyte solution on either side of the membrane, using an electrode placed in each solution to control the transmembrane potential, and measuring the resulting transmembrane ion current. The effect of the crown ether commonly called 18-crown-6 (18C6) on the measured ion current was investigated. Adding 18C6 to the electrolyte solution on one side of a conical nanopore membrane provides a way to rectify the ion current flowing through the nanopore. This chemical rectification is observed only when the cation of the electrolyte is complexed by 18C6 (e.g., K+), and when the mouth diameter of the conical nanopore is of molecular dimensions, in this case approximately 1.5 nm. This chemical rectification can either augment or diminish the inherent electrostatic rectification observed with these small mouth-diameter nanopores. We have interpreted these results using a model based on the formation of a junction potential at the membrane-solution interface. This junction potential arises because the transference number for the K+-18C6 complex in bulk solution is larger than its transference number in the mouth of the conical nanopore.     

Chiral complexation and aggregation of bilirubin with serum albumin at a liquid/liquid interface

The chiral complexation of bilirubin (BR) with bovine and human serum albumin (BSA and HSA), and the aggregation of the complexes at the heptane+chloroform(5:1)/water interface were studied via UV/Vis absorption and circular dichroism (CD) measurements in combination with the centrifugal liquid membrane (CLM) method. The interfacial adsorptivities of BR, BSA and their complexes were also studied by performing interfacial tension measurements at the interface. The changes in the absorbances and the induced CD amplitudes of the interfacial BR-BSA complex provided insights into the mechanism of the conformational enantioselective complexation at the interface, and indicated that the chiral conversion induced by the complexation with BSA was from the P(+) form to the M(-) form of BR. The broadening of the 450 nm band and the appearance of a new shoulder at 474 nm further supported the formation of aggregates of the complexes at the interface. The dependence of the CD amplitude on the molar ratio of BSA to BR revealed that the composition of the complex was 1:1 BSA:BR. The probable interfacial reaction scheme was proposed, and the affinity constant of BR-BSA at the interface was found to be 4.67 x 10(8) M(-2). The interfacial complexation and aggregation of BR and HSA were weaker than those of the BR-BSA complex due to the different BR binding positions adopted for BSA and HSA and the binding effect of chloroform.     

膜片电极支撑自组装双层脂膜中短杆菌肽离子通道的形成

通过一个两步程序在膜片电极尖端形成自组装双层脂膜：（1）膜片电极尖端沾取成膜液；（2）将吸附成膜液的尖端浸入电解液中，排除尖端多余的成膜液，通过电学方法监测双层脂膜的形成。将短杆菌肽通道蛋白分散在成膜液和电解质溶液中，在制备膜片电极支撑双层脂膜过程中，短杆菌肽重组到双层脂膜中形成离子通道，对通道的一般特性进行了研究，并观察到通道开放和关闭的现象。     

Molecular behavior and synergistic effects between sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate and Triton X-100 at oil/water interface

Significant synergistic effects between sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) and nonionic nonylphenol polyethylene oxyether, Triton X-100 (TX-100), at the oil/water interface have been investigated by experimental methods and computer simulation. The influences of surfactant concentration, salinity, and the ratio of the two surfactants on the interfacial tension were investigated by conventional interfacial tension methods. A dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) method was used to simulate the adsorption properties of SDBS and TX-100 at the oil/water interface. The experiment and simulation results indicate that ultralow (lower than 10(-3) mN m(-1)) interfacial tension can be obtained at high salinity and very low surfactant concentration. Different distributions of surfactants in the interface and the bulk solution corresponding to the change of salinity have been demonstrated by simulation. Also by computer simulation, we have observed that either SDBS or TX-100 is not distributed uniformly over the interface. Rather, the interfacial layer contains large cavities between SDBS clusters filled with TX-100 clusters. This inhomogeneous distribution helps to enhancing our understanding of the synergistic interaction of the different surfactants. The simulation conclusions are consistent with the experimental results.