Higher order structure of proteins solubilized in AOT reverse micelles

The higher order structure of proteins solubilized in an bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate sodium (AOT) reverse micellar system was investigated. From circular dichroic (CD) measurement, CD spectra of cytochrome c, which is solubilized at the interface of reverse micelles, markedly changed on going from buffer solution to the reverse micellar solution, and the ellipticity values in the far- and near-UV regions decreased with decreasing the water content (W₀: molar ratio of water to AOT), indicating that the secondary and tertiary structures of cytochrome c changed with the water content. The ellipticity of ribonuclease A, which is solubilized in the center of micellar water pool, in the near-UV region was dependent on W₀ and became minimum when W₀ of ca. 8 while the ellipticity in the far-UV region was almost constant, indicating that the tertiary structure of ribonuclease A was affected by the water content, but the secondary structure was conserved. The degree of curvature of the micellar interface appears to influence the protein structure because the reverse micelle size is linearly proportional to the W₀ value. As evidence of this, when the micelle size was comparable to the protein's dimensions, the structures were more affected by the water content. Judging from the dependence of the factor influencing the protein structure on the protein species, the location of solubilized protein in reverse micelles is significantly related to whether the protein structure in the system is affected by the micellar interface. In the cases of cytochrome c and lysozyme, the ellipticity against W₀ was dependent on the AOT concentration. In contrast, ribonuclease A gave very similar ellipticity values whatever the AOT concentration. In the n-hexane micellar system, cytochrome c exhibited lower ellipticity values and ribonuclease A in the lower W₀ range (W₀ < ca. 8) higher ellipticity values. These results indicated that the interaction between the protein and the micellar interface is a dominant factor influencing the protein structure in reverse micelles, and that it is governed by the location of solubilized proteins and the state of the micellar interface.     

Heat capacities of the tungsten oxides WO3, W20O58, W18O49 and WO2

The heat capacities of the tungsten oxides WO₃, W₂₀O₅₈, W₁₈O₄₉ and WO₂ have been measured over the temperature range 340–999 K using differential scanning calorimetry. The lower oxides were prepared by controlled reduction of WO₃ in H₂/H₂O gas atmospheres. Previous calorimetric work on WO₃ is confirmed in the temperature range 340–800 K, however, significant increases in heat capacity were observed in the range 800–999 K prior to the orthorhombic—tetragonal phase transition. W₂₀O₅₈ is shown to behave similarly to WO₃. A high temperture phase change is evident, however, this appears to be complete by 970–990 K. The measured values of heat capacity for W₁₈O₄₉ are in close agreement with estimated data for W₁₈O₄₉. There is no evidence of any phase transitions for this oxide in the temperature range studied. The heat capacity data for WO₂ confirm previous drop calorimetry measurements and give no evidence of any phase changes for WO₂ in the temperature range 340–990 K.     

Temperature and molecular weight dependence of fracture behaviour of polypropylene films

The effect of temperature on fracture behaviour of isotactic polypropylene films has been studied on two PP samples of molecular weights M_W=270 kg mol⁻¹ and M_W=150 kg mol⁻¹, using the Essential Work of Fracture method. Two ductile-brittle transitions as a function of temperature are in evidence at respectively 10 and 60 °C. The former transition occurs for the highest molecular weight and the latter one for the lowest molecular weight.

Three processes are involved in the temperature effect on PP toughness: (1) The decrease of yield stress with temperature according to Eyring’s law; (2) The role of cooperative motions in the amorphous phase: the ductile-brittle transition of the sample of highest M_W corresponds to the glass transition; and (3) The role of the mobility of the crystalline phase: the ductile-brittle transition of the sample of lowest M_W corresponds to the C transition.     

Heat capacities,volumes and solubilities of pentanol in aqueous alkyltrimethylammonium bromides

Apparent molar heat capacities and volumes of pentanol, 0.05m in decyl-, tetradecyl- and hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromides micellar solutions, were measured at 25°C. They were assumed to approach the standard infinite dilution values and rationalized by means of previously reported equations following which the distribution constant between the aqueous and the micellar phase, heat capacity, and volume of pentanol in both phases are simultaneously derived. The present results show that the volume of the micellar core does not seem to have a significant effect on the apparent molar volume and heat capacity of pentanol in the micellar phase and on the free energy of transfer of pentanol from the aqueous to the micellar phase. We report an equation correlating the free energy of transfer of alcohols in alkyltrimethylammonium bromides as a function of the number of carbon atoms in the alcohol and surfactant alkyl chain. Also, the apparent molar heat capacities of pentanol in micellar solutions as a function of surfactant concentration show evidence of two maxima, which, by increasing the alkyl chain length of surfactant display an opposite dependence on concentration. The second maximum can be attributed to a sphere to rod transition. The second transition was also found in the case of butoxyethanol in hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide. It is more difficult to explain the nature of the first maximum although an attempt is made.     

Dielectric characterization of the B7 and a BX phase

The first clear experimental evidence of a dielectric relaxation in the B₇ phase is given. The associated molecular process is probably the reorientation of the bent-shaped molecules about the long molecular axis. It is also shown that the dielectric constant strongly increases at the phase transition I-B₇ pointing to a co-operative motion of ferroelectric clusters. Furthermore, a phase transition B₇-B_X is observed. The values of about 10 for the high frequency limit of the dielectric constants of the B₇ and B_X phases and the static dielectric constants of the isotropic phase are in agreement. Thus, in all the phases the main dipoles can reorient faster than 10^-8 s, i.e. the experimental limit. Only in the supercooled B_X phase were the dynamics of the transversal dipoles measured. Using atomic force microscopy, focal-conic domains modulated by parallel lines have been observed at room temperature.     

Positive dipole correlation at the I/B2 transition in the isotropic phase

The first evidence of a positive dipole correlation in the isotropic phase near to the I/B₂ transition is given.     

链式与面式两种不对称疏水结构表面活性剂之间的相互作用热力学

本文通过等温滴定量热法(ITC)、电导法和浊度法研究了阴离子生物表面活性剂脱氧胆酸钠(NaDC)及其与相反电荷的十二烷基三甲基溴化铵(DTAB)在水溶液中的自组装热力学.ITC结果支持了NaDC在水溶液中先生成预胶束再形成稳定胶束的分步聚集模型,由此得到了NaDC的预胶束和胶束化过程的一系列热力学参数,并讨论了它们形成的热力学机理.进一步研究了具有头-尾链式和疏水-亲水刚性面式非对称结构的DTAB/NaDC混合体系的聚集热力学行为,得到了富NaDC临界混合胶束浓度(cmcmix)、富DTAB临界胶束浓度(CM)及对应过程的转变焓.结果表明,NaDC面式结构与DTAB链式结构的对称性差异以及相反电荷的相互作用,导致混合体系有别于单一表面活性剂或头-尾链式结构的混合体系的聚集行为.混合溶液的聚集行为受控于表面活性剂浓度和摩尔分数的变化.富NaDC胶束化过程为熵驱动,而富DTAB的两种胶束形态转变过程为熵焓共同驱动的热力学机理.这些结果对于从热力学角度认识胆汁酸盐的自组装机理以及与传统的头-尾链式结构的表面活性剂相互作用机理和相行为有重要的意义.     

FLUORESCENCE PROBE FOR MICROENVIRONMENTS: A NEW PROBE FOR MICELLE SOLVENT PARAMETERS AND PREMICELLAR AGGREGATES

Abstract— A previous study on the electronic spectroscopy of p -N,N-dialkylaminobenzylidenemalononitrile, 1, has been extended to a larger variety of organic solvents and to micelles of ionic and nonionic surfactants. By comparing the fluorescence emission (λ_F and φ_∫) of 1 in micelles and in homogeneous organic solvents, the effective polarity and the microviscosity of the micellar environments of potassium dodecanoate, sodium dodecyl sulfate, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and Triton X-100 micelles have been determined to be 40, 40, 36 and 28, respectively and 23, 31, 34 and 28 cP, respectively. These results indicate that the fluorescence probe is located in the micelle–water interface of a micelle and this region of a micelle is polar and viscous. 1 has also been studied in different surfactants with varying surfactant concentrations. The φ_∫ of 1, a microviscosity gauge for micellar aggregates, remains unchanged at the critical micelle concentrations of various surfactants, but decreases at much lower surfactant concentrations. This is attributable to the formation of premicellar aggregates of surfactant molecules below their critical micelle concentrations.     

Thermodynamic studies on the interaction of some ureas and salts with micellar triton-X-100 in aqueous solutions

We have determined the enthalpies of solution in the micellar state (ΔH_s) for Triton-X-100 in 1 m aqueous solutions of urea, 1,3-dimethyl urea, tetramethyl urea, sodium chloride and calcium chloride at 298.15 K and 308.15 K. These results were used to evaluate the heat capacities of solution (ΔC_p,s) for Triton-X-100 micelles in these solvent systems. It has been observed that ΔC_p,s values of micellar Triton-X-100 decreases drastically upon transfer from water to these solutions but is positive in all cases. Thus, the heat capacities of transfer of Triton-X-100 micelles (ΔC_p,tr) are negative in all the systems studied. A comparison of the effect of non-electrolytes (ureas) and electrolytes (salts) on the micelle has been presented. The results have been discussed in terms of the relative water-structure-disrupting tendencies of the ureas and the salts.     

Formation of vesicles in block copolymer-fluorinated surfactant complexes

Spherical micellar aggregates have been obtained in chloroform by mixing poly(styrene)-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) diblock copolymers with perfluorinated surfactants (FS) bearing a carboxylic acid head. These micellar aggregates are resulting from the self-assembly of the insoluble P4VP/fluorinated complexes into a core surrounded by the soluble PS coronal chains. Their characteristic features have been studied as a function of various parameters including the composition of the PS-b-P4VP copolymer, the tail length of the fluorinated surfactant, the 4VP/FS molar ratio, the number of carboxylic acid group (1 or 2) on the surfactant, the presence of the PS block and of the fluorine atoms on the surfactant. Dilution of these initial micellar aggregates triggers a morphological reorganization resulting in the formation of more stable vesicles. The extent of this morphological transition is related to the solubility of the P4VP/fluorinated complexes during the dilution process. This transition is complete for short P4VP/FS complexes, incomplete for long P4VP/FS complexes, and not observed whenever an alpha,omega-difunctional FS is used in P4VP/FS complexes, leading to a cross-linked core. Finally, the spheres-to-vesicles transition has been advantageously used in order to encapsulate molecules, as demonstrated by confocal fluorescence microscopy.     

First evaluation of the thermodynamic properties for spheres to elongated micelles transition of some propanediyl-alpha,omega-bis(dimethylalkylammonium bromide) surfactants in aqueous solution

The apparent and partial molar enthalpies, apparent molar volumes, and adiabatic compressibilities at 298 K of the aqueous solutions of the cationic gemini surfactants propanediyl-alpha,omega-bis(octyldimethylammonium bromide) (8-3-8) and propanediyl-alpha,omega-bis(dodecyldimethylammonium bromide) (12-3-12) have been measured as a function of concentration. The trends of the partial molar enthalpies versus concentration are the first well documented thermodynamic evidence of sphere to rod transition in the micellar phase, involving a detectable quantity of heat, and allow the determination of the change in enthalpy associated with this transition. The changes in enthalpies upon micellization and for the sphere to elongated micelles transition, DeltaH(s)(-->)(r), have been obtained from the experimental data by using a pseudo-phase transition approach: -1.5 kJ mol(-1) for 8-3-8 and -3.9 kJ mol(-1) for 12-3-12. No evidence of the above transition is found in the trends of volumetric properties versus m. The apparent adiabatic molar compressibilities for the compounds under investigation are also reported here for the first time: a negative group contribution for the methylene group is evaluated, when the surfactants are present in solution as a single molecule, reflecting its solvation structure. In the micellar phase, the -CH(2)- group contribution becomes positive. A value of 1.17 x 10(-3) cm(3) bar(-1) mol(-1) for the change in adiabatic molar compressibility upon micellization is obtained. The lower values of the methylene group contributions to the volumetric properties for the monomers support the hypothesis of partial association of the chains before the cmc.     

Coexistence and growth of micellar species in a sugar-based surfactant/phenol mixture studied by analytical ultracentrifugation

Knowledge of the shape and size of surfactant micelles in the presence of small organic molecules is important for understanding the solubilization properties of micellar phases. In this work, structural information on micelles of mixed n-dodecyl-beta-d-maltoside (DM) and phenol, including the aggregation number, diffusion coefficient, and effective radius, was obtained using an analytical ultracentrifugation technique. The micelles were found to increase in size and undergo shape transition from quasispherical to cylindrical with an increase in the surfactant and phenol concentrations in the micellar phase. Importantly, the coexistence of different micellar species was observed in certain cases with the larger species double the size of the smaller one. Based on the results obtained, a two-step micellar growth model is proposed to describe the micelles shape transition in the system. In the first step, the micelles expand continuously, whereas in the second step, it undergoes a sudden shift from the existing micellar species to a larger species causing the coexistence of two micellar species. This micellar growth is attributed to molecular packing and intermicellar interaction energy parameters. The mechanism proposed can be applied to other mixed systems and utilized for devising chemicals for the efficient removal of pollutants.     

RATE PARAMETERS FOR THE QUENCHING OF SINGLET OXYGEN BY WATER-SOLUBLE AND LIPID-SOLUBLE SUBSTRATES IN AQUEOUS AND MICELLAR SYSTEMS

Abstract— The laser flash photolysis method has been used to determine the bimolecular rate constants for the reaction between O₂(¹Δ₉) and several lipid-soluble and water-soluble substrates. Values for lipid-soluble substrates have been obtained using aqueous dispersions of surfactants above the critical micelle concentration with 1,3 diphenylisobenzofuran as monitor of singlet oxygen. Under these conditions the hydrophobic substances are solubilized by the micellar phase. For substrates which are water-soluble, 9,10-anthracene dipropionic acid disodium salt was used as singlet oxygen monitor. For several substances, the values obtained are comparable to the values found in homogeneous nonaqueous solutions. In cases where significant differences have been found these have been rationalized according to the individual case. The only major unexpected result concerned β-carotene which, in micellar dispersion, failed to react at all with O₂(¹Δ₉) This may be due to multi-molecular aggregations occurring in the polar medium. The work described herein shows clearly that, under appropriate conditions, singlet oxygen kinetics can be effectively followed in aqueous solutions by time resolved methods. The indiscriminate use of β-carotene as a quencher of O₂(¹Δ₉)in mainly aqueous media is questioned.     

THE EFFECT OF ALIPHATIC ALCOHOLS ON FLUORESCENCE QUENCHING AND FLUORESCENCE POLARIZATION OF LUMINESCENCE PROBES IN HEXADECYLTRIMETHYLAMMONIUM BROMIDE MICELLES

Abstract— The fluorescence quenching of the indole chromophore by NO⁻₂ and the fluorescence depolarization of several luminescence probes in aqueous solutions containing hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDTBr) were measured as a function of added C₂–C₄ aliphatic alcohol concentration. The fluorescence decay profiles of pyrene in the micellar solutions were also measured to estimate the aggregation number of the micelles. The addition of n -butyl alcohol significantly reduces the fluorescence quenching rate and the aggregation number and increases the extent of fluorescence depolarization in HDTBr micellar systems. The addition of ethyl alcohol shows a similar but smaller effect.     

核糖核酸酶A在丁酸十二铵-环己烷反胶束溶液中的催化动力学

研究了核糖核酸酶A(RNaseA)在丁酸十二铵(DAB)-环己烷反胶束溶液中催化水解胞苷2',3'-环单磷酸酯的动力学,数据符合Michaelis-Menten酶催化机理.以k_cat/K_m表示酶催化活性时,Rnase A在反胶束溶液中的催化活性是在水溶液中的14～30倍.无论是固定DAB浓度还是固定H₂O与DAB浓度之比,随增溶水量的增加,k_cat/K_m呈下降趋势.     

醇类改性剂对胶束电动色谱分离的影响

胶束电动色谱（ＭＥＫＣ）是毛细管电泳常用的一种分离模式,它能使电中性化合物得到高效的分离．ＭＥＫＣ的分离度可通过调节电解质溶液的组成来提高．其中,有机改性剂的使用是近几年来ＭＥＫＣ研究的重点之一［１,２］．已有文献［３～５］报道以醇类作为电解质溶液的...     

Micellisation and gelation of diblock copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide in aqueous solution, the effect of P-block length

The aqueous solution properties of five diblock copolymers prepared by sequential anionic copolymerisation (i.e. E₁₀₂P₃₇, E₁₀₄P₅₂, E₉₂P₅₅, E₁₀₄P₆₀ and E₉₈P₇₃ where E denotes oxyethylene and P denotes oxypropylene) were studied across a wide range of concentration. The techniques used to study micellisation and micellar properties in dilute solution were static and dynamic light scattering, surface tension, and eluent gel-permeation chromatography. The gelation of concentrated solutions was also investigated. As expected, the critical micelle concentration (CMC) was lowered and the association number of the micelles was increased by an increase in P-block length. In contrast, the critical gel concentration was unchanged, consistent with the constant E-block length leading to micelles with essentially identical E-block fringes. Comparison of the CMCs of the diblock copolymers with those of triblock E_mP_nE_m copolymers with the same P-block length shows the diblock copolymers to micellise more efficiently. A similar comparison of the CMCs of the diblock copolymers with those of E_mB_n copolymer (B denotes oxybutylene) shows the hydrophobicity of a P unit to be one-sixth that of a B unit. The possibility is explored of correlating the limiting association number of a spherical micelle with the hydrophobe block length of its constituent copolymer. Of the five copolymers, only dilute solutions of E₉₈P₇₃ were predominantly micellar at both room temperature and body temperature, and this copolymer must be a prime candidate in any consideration of the potential application of E_mP_n copolymers in the solubilisation and controlled release of drugs.     

PHOTOSENSITIZED FORMATION OF SINGLET OXYGEN BY CHLOROPHYLL a IN NEUTRAL AQUEOUS MICELLAR SOLUTIONS WITH TRITON X-100

Abstract— Singlet oxygen (^lO₂) formed in the photolysis of neutral aqueous micellar (with Triton X-100) solution of chlorophyll a (dissolved inside the micelle) is detected in the aqueous phase by a test using imidazole in the presence of p -nitrosodimethylaniline. The quantum yield of ^lO₂ diffusing out of the micelle into the aqueous phase is also determined [θ(^lO₂) ⋍ 0.70–0.85].     

Concentration and medium micellar kinetic effects caused by morphological transitions

The reaction methyl naphthalene-2-sulfonate + Br(-) was investigated in several alkanediyl-α-ω-bis(dodecyldimethylammonium) bromide, 12-s-12,2Br(-) (with s = 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12), micellar solutions in the absence and in the presence of various additives. The additives were 1,2-propylene glycol, which remains in the bulk phase, N-decyl N-methylglucamide, MEGA10, which forms mixed micelles with the dimeric surfactants, and 1-butanol, which distributes between the aqueous and micellar phases. Information about the micellar reaction media was obtained by using conductivity and fluorescence measurements. In all cases, with the exception of water-1,2-prop 12-5-12,2Br(-) micellar solutions, with 30% weight percentage of the organic solvent, a sphere-to-rod transition takes place upon increasing surfactant concentration. In order to quantitatively explain the experimental data within the whole surfactant concentration range, a kinetic equation based on the pseudophase kinetic model was considered, together with the decrease in the micellar ionization degree accompanying micellar growth. However, theoretical predictions did not agree with the experimental kinetic data for surfactant concentrations above the morphological transition. An empirical kinetic equation was proposed in order to explain the data. It contains a parameter b which is assumed to account for the medium micellar kinetic effects caused by the morphological transition. The use of this empirical equation permits the quantitative rationalization of the kinetic micellar effects in the whole surfactant concentration range.     

Control of separation selectivity in micellar electrokinetic chromatography by modification of the micellar phase with solubilized organic compounds

On the basis of the data on the distribution of various neutral solutes between sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelles and water, the control of separation selectivity in micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) by modification of the micellar phase with organic additives has been proposed and applied to the separation of simple model compounds. It was found that the distribution constants between the micelles and water (K_d,mc), which were determined by means of MEKC, of the solutes possessing hydrophilic functional groups are much larger than those between heptane and water (K_d,hep), whereas the K_d,mc values of the solutes possessing no hydropholic groups are comparable to their K_d,hep values. This indicates that the former solutes are preferentially solubilized in the Stern layer of the micelles and that the latter are located in the hydrocarbon core. In MEKC separations of aromatic compounds and metal acetylacetonates, considerable changes in separation selectivity were caused by the addition of compounds possessing both hydrophilic functional groups such as alcohols, phenol and ketones to the SDS micellar solution. The variations of the retention factors of the analytes could be explained in terms of saturation of the solubilization sites in the Stern layer with the modifiers, specific interaction of the modifiers with the analytes via hydrogen bonding in the micelles, and expansion of the core volume with the hydrocarbon parts of the modifiers. Such effects of the micellar modification could improve the resolution as well as the selectivity of MEKC separations.