Rheology and dynamics of micellar cubic phases and related emulsions

The rheological behavior of micellar cubic phases in C12EO25 systems and related emulsions has been investigated. In the aqueous C12EO25 binary system, the transition from the cubic phase to the micellar solution is associated with a sudden drop in viscosity and with a small enthalpy of transition. The elastic modulus and viscosity of the cubic phases show a maximum with concentration but remain very high within the range of existence of the cubic phase. Several relaxation processes seem to be present in binary cubic phases, and some of them occur in a time scale that can be followed by both rheology and dynamic light scattering measurements. Upon addition of a small amount of oil (decane), the rheological behavior changes remarkably. As the oil fraction increases, the relaxation times also increase and, finally, highly concentrated, gel-like emulsions are obtained. Contrary to conventional concentrated emulsions, the viscosity of cubic-phase-based emulsions is decreased by increasing the fraction of the dispersed phase. The non-Maxwellian rheological behavior at low oil fractions is described according to the model of slipping crystalline planes, modified by using a distribution of bulk relaxation times, and good fitting to the experimental data is obtained.     

Foaming properties of monoglycerol fatty acid esters in nonpolar oil systems

Foaming properties of monoglycerol fatty acid esters that have different alkyl chain lengths were studied in different nonpolar oils, namely liquid paraffin (LP 70), squalane, and squalene. The effect of the hydrocarbon chain length of the surfactant, the concentration, the nature of the oil, and the temperature on the nonaqueous foam stability was mainly studied. Five weight percent of glycerol alpha-monododecanoate (monolaurin) formed highly stable foams in squalane at 25 degrees C, and the foams were stable for more than 14 h. Foam stability of the monolaurin/LP 70 and the monolaurin/squalene systems are almost similar, and the foams were stable for more than 12 h. Foam stability was decreased as the hydrocarbon chain length of the monoglyceride decreased. In the glycerol alpha-monodecanoate (monocaprin)-oil systems, the foams were stable only for 3-4 h, depending on the nature of the oil. However, the foams formed in the glycerol alpha-monooctanoate (monocaprylin)-oil systems coarsened very quickly, leading to the progressive destruction of foam films, and all of the foams collapsed within a few minutes. Foam stability decreased when the oil was changed from squalane to squalene, in both monocaprin and monolaurin systems. It was observed that, in the dilute regions, these monoglycerides form fine solid dispersions in the aforementioned oils at 25 degrees C. At higher temperatures, the solid melts to isotropic single-liquid or two-liquid phases and the foams formed collapsed within 5 min. Judging from the wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and the foaming test, it is concluded that the stable foams are mainly caused by the dispersion of the surfactant solids (beta-crystal) and foam stability is largely influenced by the shape and size of the dispersed solid particles.     

Phase behavior of monoglycerol fatty acid esters in nonpolar oils: reverse rodlike micelles at elevated temperatures

We have studied nonaqueous phase behavior and self-assemblies of monoglycerol fatty acid esters having different alkyl chain lengths in different nonpolar oils, namely, liquid paraffin (LP 70), squalane, and squalene. At lower temperatures, oil and solid surfactants do not mix at all compositions of mixing. Upon an increase in the temperature of the surfactant system, the solid melts to give isotropic single or two-liquid phases, depending on the nature of the oil and the surfactant. All monolaurin/oil systems form an isotropic single-phase liquid, but with a decreasing alkyl chain length of surfactant, they become less lipophilic and immiscible in oils. As a result, a two-phase domain is observed in the oil rich region of all monocaprylin/oil systems over a wide range of concentrations. Judging from the phase diagrams, the surfactants are the least miscible with squalane, and the order of miscibility tendency is squalene > LP 70 > squalane. With a further increase of temperature, the solubility of the surfactant in the oil increases, and the two-liquid phase transforms to an isotropic single phase. This phase transformation corresponds to the reverse of the cloud-point phenomenon observed in aqueous nonionic surfactant systems. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements show the presence of reversed rodlike micelles in the isotropic single phase, and the length of the aggregates decreases with increasing temperature and increasing alkyl chain length of the surfactant. These results indicate a rod-sphere transformation with increasing lipophilicity of the surfactant and confirms the validity of Ninham's penetration model in the reversed system. An addition of a small amount of water dramatically enhances the elongation of the reverse micelles. Increasing the surfactant concentration or changing the oil from squalene to LP 70 also increases the length of the rodlike aggregates.     

Hydrogen storage properties of Li-Mg-N-H systems with different ratios of LiH/Mg(NH2)2

In this work, the hydrogen desorption and structural properties of the Li-Mg-N-H systems with different LiH/Mg(NH2)2 ratios are systemically investigated. The results indicate that the system with the LiH/Mg(NH2)2 ratio of 6/3 transforms into Li2NH and MgNH, and then, the mixture forms an unknown phase by a solid-solid reaction, which presumably is the ternary imide Li2Mg(NH)2; the system with the LiH/Mg(NH2)2 ratio of 8/3 transforms into 4Li2NH and Mg3N2 after releasing H2 at T < 400 degrees C; the system with the LiH/Mg(NH2)2 ratio of 12/3 transforms into 4Li3N and Mg3N2 after releasing H2 at T > 400 degrees C, where the LiMgN phase is formed by the reaction between Li3N and Mg3N2. The characteristics of the phase transformations and the thermal gas desorption behaviors in these Li-Mg-N-H systems could be reasonably explained by the ammonia mediated reaction model, irrespective of the difference in the LiH/Mg(NH2)2 ratios.     

Tailoring the trajectory of cell rolling with cytotactic surfaces

Cell separation technology is a key tool for biological studies and medical diagnostics that relies primarily on chemical labeling to identify particular phenotypes. An emergent method of sorting cells based on differential rolling on chemically patterned substrates holds potential benefits over existing technologies, but the underlying mechanisms being exploited are not well characterized. In order to better understand cell rolling on complex surfaces, a microfluidic device with chemically patterned stripes of the cell adhesion molecule P-selectin was designed. The behavior of HL-60 cells rolling under flow was analyzed using a high-resolution visual tracking system. This behavior was then correlated to a number of established predictive models. The combination of computational modeling and widely available fabrication techniques described herein represents a crucial step toward the successful development of continuous, label-free methods of cell separation based on rolling adhesion.     

N-methyl-phenacyloxycarbamidomethyl (Pocam) group: a novel thiol protecting group for solid-phase peptide synthesis and peptide condensation reactions

In the so-called thioester method for the condensation of peptide segments, protecting groups for amino and thiol groups are required for chemoselective ligation. In this study, we developed a novel thiol protecting group, N-methyl-phenacyloxycarbamidomethyl (Pocam). We used it for protection of cysteine side chains, and synthesized Pocam-containing peptides and peptide thioesters. These were condensed by the thioester method. After the condensation reaction, Pocam groups were cleaved by Zn/AcOH treatment. At the same time, the azido group, which was used for the protection of lysine side chains, was also converted to an amino group, demonstrating that this protecting group strategy simplified the deprotecting reaction after the peptide condensation reaction to only one step.     

Determination of chloramphenicol residues in bee pollen by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

A novel liquid chromatographic/tandem mass spectrometric (LC/MS/MS) method was developed for the trace residue determination of chloramphenicol (CAP) in bee pollen. CAP was extracted from bee pollen with a mixture of methanol and 1% metaphosphoric acid solution, followed by a 2-stage solid-phase extraction enrichment and cleanup. The first stage involved a polymeric cartridge, and the second stage involved an alumina neutral cartridge. The LC separation was performed on a C18 column with 10 mM ammonium formate-acetonitrile (7 + 3) as the mobile phase and MS detection with negative-ion electrospray ionization. CAP-d5 was used as the internal standard. The method was validated according to Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. The calibration curves were linear between 0.1 and 5.0 ng/mL, and overall recoveries ranged from 98 to 113%. Decision limits (CCalpha) ranged from 0.05 to 0.07 microg/kg, and detection capabilities (CCbeta) ranged from 0.08 to 0.12 microg/kg. The developed method was applied to 11 samples.     

Solubilization of Polar Oils in Surfactant Self-Organized Structures

The cloud temperature of 2 wt% C(12)EO(8) aqueous solutions decreases upon addition of sarcosinate-lauroyl isopropyl (SLIP), 1-dodecanol, and m-xylene, whereas it increases in glycerol tris(2-ethylhexanoic) ester (TEH), isopropyl myristate (IPM), and saturated hydrocarbon systems. A three-phase microemulsion is formed at equal weights of water and oil in the IPM system, but a lamellar liquid crystal (L(alpha)) is present in the SLIP system at the balanced temperature. The effect of added oil on the phase transition of the hexagonal (H(1)) phase was also investigated by means of SAXS study. The H(1)-L(alpha) transition occurs upon addition of SLIP or 1-dodecanol whereas the H(1)-I(1) (discontinuous micellar cubic) phase transition takes place in TEH or IPM systems. These differences in phase behavior are attributed to the placement of solubilized oil in micelles: In the former systems, oil tends to penetrate in the surfactant palisade layer and induces the surfactant layer curvature in micelles to be less positive, while the penetration tendency is small and the opposite effect on the curvature is induced upon addition of the latter oils. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.     

Effect of Adding an Amphiphilic Solubilization Improver, Sucrose Distearate, on the Solubilization Capacity of Nonionic Microemulsions

We have studied the effect of adding sucrose distearate (2C(18)SE) on the solubilization capacity of microemulsions formed in the water/C(12)EO(6)/n-decane system. Upon addition of 2C(18)SE to the binary water/C(12)EO(6) system, a lamellar liquid crystal region developed. This suggests that the rigidity of the surfactant layer is strengthened. The solubilization of water and n-decane in the bicontinuous microemulsions increases about three times upon replacing 10% C(12)EO(6) with 2C(18)SE; besides, the HLB temperature is not greatly affected by 2C(18)SE. On the other hand, sucrose monostearate (C(18)SE) does not have such a function. The effect of added 2C(18)SE on the solubilization capacity of the discrete droplet-type o/w or w/o microemulsions was also studied. The efficiency of the solubilization-improving effect is reduced when the system is far from the HLB temperature. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.