Review
Chemistry, Physical
Guangle Li, Yi Y. Zuo
Summary: Self-assembly is a versatile bottom-up approach that allows for the fabrication of complex soft materials with desired functionalities by controlling pH, ionic strength, and using external fields at the oil-water interface.
CURRENT OPINION IN COLLOID & INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jotam Bergfreund, Michael Diener, Thomas Geue, Natalie Nussbaum, Nico Kummer, Pascal Bertsch, Gustav Nystrom, Peter Fischer
Summary: The polarity of the oil phase has a significant impact on the formation of globular protein networks at fluid interfaces, including the degree of protein unfolding, protein location, and network strength.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Mohamed Amen Hammami, Antonios Kouloumpis, Genggeng Qi, Ahmed Wasel Alsmaeil, Bashayer Aldakkan, Mazen Y. Kanj, Emmanuel P. Giannelis
Summary: A targeted and controlled delivery of molecular surfactants at oil-water interfaces is achieved by the directed assembly of nanoparticles. The assembly of positively charged polystyrene nanoparticles at the oil-water interface is facilitated by the introduction of carboxylic acid groups in the oil phase. The presence of the nanoparticles lowers the stiffness of the water-oil interface and reduces interfacial adhesion. The nanoparticles can release a previously loaded cargo of surfactant molecules, leading to the formation of a finer oil-water emulsion.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Alexandre Poirier, Antonio Stocco, Romain Kapel, Martin In, Laurence Ramos, Amelie Banc
Summary: The study investigated the adsorption process of sunflower protein extract at two air-water and oil-water interfaces, revealing a three-step mechanism. Initially, a diffusion-limited adsorption of proteins at interfaces occurs, followed by the formation of a three-dimensional saturated monolayer of proteins, and finally a thick layer expanding in the aqueous phase. The study also found that the adsorption mechanisms of proteins exhibit significant divergences at longer adsorption times.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhiqin Xia, Yu-Fei Song, Shaowei Shi
Summary: The construction of a novel hybrid supramolecular polymer based on polyoxometalate (POM) was achieved through in situ self-assembly at the oil-water interface. The POM-based supramolecular polymer exhibited independent redox and competitive responsiveness. The strong binding energy at the interface allowed for the stabilization of liquids in nonequilibrium shapes, showing potential for fabricating reconfigurable all-liquid constructs.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Min Ren, Zaiyan Hou, Xihuang Zheng, Jiangping Xu, Jintao Zhu
Summary: Understanding microphase separation of charged block copolymers is crucial for developing materials with tunable structures. By adjusting the charge fraction and block ratio of BCPs, various morphologies of BCP particles can be obtained. Additionally, the addition of inorganic salts affects the assembly of charged PS-b-P4VP, with morphology dependent on the hydration nature of counterions.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Taiheng Yin, Zihao Yang, Fengfan Zhang, Meiqin Lin, Juan Zhang, Zhaoxia Dong
Summary: Amphiphilic Janus nanosheets spontaneously aggregate at the oil-water interface and exhibit unique mechanical responses under vertical pressure. The morphology of the assembled particle film is controlled by nanosheet concentration, probe wettability, and interface density. The presence of these nanosheets reduces stiffness and enhances flexibility and deformability, resulting in larger deformation under smaller vertical stress.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sebastian Stock, Luca Mirau, Matthias Rutsch, Sonja Wismath, Mario Kupnik, Regine von Klitzing, Amin Rahimzadeh
Summary: This study investigates the effects of ultrasound on dispersed soft particles and their adsorption kinetics at interfaces. The results show that ultrasound not only accelerates particle movement but also manipulates particle interaction with the surrounding liquid. High-frequency and low-amplitude ultrasound are found to speed up the adsorption kinetics of microgels at water-oil interfaces, leading to a reduction in interfacial tension.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Tianze Cong, Jianzhen Wang, Yongpeng Zhao, Dongmei Zhang, Zeng Fan, Lujun Pan
Summary: The Au Nanostar monolayer as a SERS substrate synthesized by self-assembly at a water-oil interface contains many hot spots that enhance local electromagnetic fields and generate strong SERS signals. It can detect multiple molecules with a detection limit down to 10(-12) M.
ANALYTICA CHIMICA ACTA
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Revaz Chachanidze, Kaili Xie, Hanna Massaad, Denis Roux, Marc Leonetti, Clement de Loubens
Summary: Controlling the assembly of polyelectrolytes and surfactant at liquid-liquid interfaces is important for fabricating soft materials with specific physical properties. The kinetics and properties of the assembly process of a positively charged biopolymer, chitosan, with an anionic fatty acid at the water-oil interface were studied. The results revealed that the interfacial complexation is a multi-step process.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Di Shi, Zilong Liu, Fan Shao, Xue Li, Xiaoliang Sun, Xiaonan Hou, Yufei Xiao, Yanxiao Hei, Enze Xie, Wenxiu Leng
Summary: This study investigated the self-assembly behavior of anionic surfactants and their influence on the interfacial properties of oil-water using dissipative particle dynamics simulations. The results showed that the morphology of surfactant aggregates changed with concentration and affected the oil-water interface.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Raviteja Kurapati, Upendra Natarajan
Summary: Atomistic MD simulations were used to investigate the structure and hydration properties of isotactic Poly (methacrylic acid) (i-PMA) at the CCl4-H2O interface at different concentrations. The study revealed the occurrence of three concentration regimes (dilute, semi-dilute, and concentrated) at the molecular level for the first time in polymer systems at an oil-water interface. The conformation of i-PMA chains changed from planar to random coil structure with increasing interface concentration, marked by variations in the components of Rg and a decrease in the preferential orientation of the side groups. The study provided new molecular insights into the conformational changes and interactions among different chemical groups with varying interface concentration of the polymer.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Hui Niu, Xianwei Chen, Tian Luo, Haiming Chen, Xiong Fu
Summary: In this study, the structural characterization and chemical compositions of three different pectins were studied. The results showed that sugar beet pectin (SBP) had higher protein contents, feruloylated groups, acetyl groups, and more hairy regions compared to apple pectin (AP) and citrus peel pectin (CPP). Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that the SBP formed a thick viscoelastic film on the oil-water interface. Further studies showed that under high-concentration and acidic conditions, pectin molecules were adsorbed in multiple layers at the oil-water interface, forming a thicker viscoelastic film, which was crucial for the long-term stability of pectin-stabilized emulsions.
FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Zening Liu, Lu Lin, Tianyu Li, Jacob Kinnun, Kunlun Hong, Ying-Zhong Ma, Robert L. Sacci, John Katsaras, Jan-Michael Carrillo, Benjamin Doughty, Charles Patrick Collier
Summary: Bioinspired membrane molecules with improved physical properties and enhanced stability can serve as functional models for conventional lipid or amphiphilic species. The self-assembly of amphiphilic, charged oligodimethylsiloxane imidazolium cation at the air-aqueous interface is elucidated using Langmuir trough methods and surface-specific vibrational sum-frequency generation spectroscopy. A compression-induced desolvation step is found to precede phase transitions, and atomistic molecular dynamics simulations support the experimental data. The understanding of hydrophobic tail conformations offers new strategies for interface design in developing soft-matter electronics and low-dimensional materials.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Tobias Wollborn, Monika Michaelis, Lucio Colombi Ciacchi, Udo Fritsching
Summary: This study provides evidence that beta-lactoglobulin proteins undergo conformational changes during membrane emulsification processes. The shear stress applied during oil droplet fragmentation causes the protein to transition into a more stable, partially unfolded interfacial state.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
