Molecular thermodynamics for micellar branching in solutions of ionic surfactants

Modeling Micellar Growth and Branching in Mixtures of Zwitterionic with Ionic Surfactants

Zwitterionic surfactants are widely applied as drag-reducing or thickening agents because their aggregation patterns may drastically change in response to variations of the system composition or external stimuli, which provides controllable viscoelasticity. For predicting aggregation behavior of surfactant mixtures, classical molecular thermodynamic models have been widely used. Particularly, the results of modeling have been reported for zwitterionic/ionic surfactant mixtures. However, for solutions containing a zwitterionic surfactant, no molecular thermodynamic model has been proposed for a micellar branch. In this work we extend the classical molecular thermodynamic aggregation model to describe aggregation in the aqueous mixtures that contain a zwitterionic and an ionic surfactant. We derive analytical expressions (1) for the contribution of dipoles to the electrostatic term of the standard free energy of aggregation into micellar branches and (2) for the dipolar contribution to the persistence length of wormlike micelles. The dependence of micellar branching on the surfactant concentration is taken into account by including the population of micellar branches in the material balance equations. This model is applied to predict aggregation equilibrium in aqueous salt solutions of betaine (oleoylamidopropyl-N,N-dimethylbetaine) mixed with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and the longer tail sodium n-alkyl sulfates. We discuss the predicted properties of the aggregates and micellar networks and compare our predictions with available experimental data.

Transmembrane potential in vesicles formed by catanionic surfactant mixtures in an aqueous salt solution

The transmembrane potential plays a key role in a multitude of natural and synthetic systems because it is the driving force for the flow of mobile charged species across the membranes. We develop a molecular thermodynamic theory to study the transmembrane potential of metastable and equilibrium vesicles as a function of the vesicle structural parameters, and salinity and acidity of the surrounding aqueous solution. We show that addition of salt to the external solution may reverse the sign of the transmembrane potential, indicating the reversal of sign of the net charges accumulated in the vesicle interior and exterior. We discuss maxima/minima of the transmembrane potential as a function of added salt and propose a simple formula to estimate the location of these extrema. We demonstrate that a vesicle brought to equilibrium with an acidic environment may take up and hold alkaline solution in its interior. We also show that bending of a symmetrically charged planar membrane leads to a buildup of the transmembrane potential. The catanionic vesicles considered in this work are composed of a series of classical surfactants and model surfactants differing in their molecular structure. These vesicles may serve as a simple prototype for capsules formed by the amphiphilic membranes of a more complex structure, e.g., in nanoreactors or drug-delivery systems.

Driving Force for Spontaneous Perforation of Bilayers Formed by Ionic Amphiphiles in Aqueous Salt

Spontaneous perforation of amphiphilic membranes is important in both living matter and technology because of an impact on functions of biological membranes and shape transitions of self-assembling structures. Nevertheless, no definite molecular mechanism has been established so far even for simple ionic surfactant systems. We show that spontaneous perforation of a bilayer formed by an ionic amphiphile is driven by electrostatics. Creation of large pores with a concave-convex geometry of the rim is promoted by lower electrostatic free energy than that for a flat nonperforated bilayer. The opposite effect comes from the elasticity of the hydrocarbon tails of the amphiphile that prefer flat geometry of a nonperforated bilayer. The balance between electrostatics and tail deformation controls the appearance of pores; this balance is modulated by added salt that screens the electrostatic interactions. We illustrate the proposed mechanism with the aid of classical aggregation model that has been extended by including an analytical description of the electrostatic contribution for the toroidal rim of a pore. Numerical solution of the linearized Poisson-Boltzmann equation confirms the role of electrostatic forces in formation of pores. For the ionic surfactants of C_nTAB family, we predict shape transitions including bilayer perforations and formation of branched micellar networks induced by changing salinity or temperature and demonstrate the effect of surfactant's molecular parameters on these transitions.

Modeling of the effects of ion specificity on the onset and growth of ionic micelles in a solution of simple salts

A new version of the molecular thermodynamic model has been developed that takes into account the effect of ion specificity on the free energy of aggregation. The specificity of salt is reflected by differences in the bare ionic sizes and polarizabilities leading to the difference in the dispersion interaction of ions with the aggregate. The model also contains parameters that characterize the compactness of ionic pairs formed between a mobile ion and surfactant's headgroup. The values of these parameters show that more chaotropic heads form tighter pairs with chaotropic ions whereas more cosmotropic heads form more compact pairs with cosmotropic ions. The formation of compact pairs in the micelle corona diminishes the preferable curvature of the aggregates and promotes their growth. The model has been applied to aqueous solutions of cationic (alkyltrimethylammonium, alkyldimethylammonium, and alkylpyridinium) and anionic (alkylsulfate and alkylcarboxylate) surfactants in the presence of simple 1:1 salts. With a single set of parameter values, the model reproduces the critical micelle concentration-salinity curves and the sphere-to-rod transitions or the absence of thereof and describes the aggregate growth for different simple salts, in good agreement with experiment.

Branching mechanisms in surfactant micellar growth

We present a phase-field model to study the morphological transitions of surfactant micelles in supersaturated dilute solution. Simulations reveal that multiply connected micellar structure can be produced by interface branching instability of a growing micelle at relatively large supersaturation and intermediate spontaneous curvatures. Two branching mechanisms, i.e., a disk-to-cylinder shape transition and a tip bifurcation process, are identified for disklike and cylindrical micelles, respectively. We propose that dynamic branching at the micelle growth front provides an important kinetic pathway for the formation of branched wormlike micelles that are observed in many surfactant systems.

Tuning the viscoelastic properties of bis(urea)-based supramolecular polymer solutions by adding cosolutes

Polymers formed by the self-assembly of a bis(urea)-based polymer, 2,4-bis(2-ethylhexylureido)toluene (EHUT), in organic solvents such as octane are promising systems with remarkable rheological properties. This is the first self-assembled polymer recently reported as a hydrodynamic drag reducer for hydrocarbons. The rheology of diluted and semidiluted EHUT solutions can be tuned by specific interactions between the chains, modulated by the nature of the solvent and the presence of additives. In this article, rheological, thermal and SANS measurements were performed in order to investigate the competition between EHUT self-assembly and its interaction with specific molecules (benzene, benzyl alcohol, and ethanol) that can interact with EHUT unimers via hydrogen bonds and π-π interactions. No substantial rheological, thermal, or structural effect is observed when benzene is added to the systems. However, ethanol and benzyl alcohol interact with EHUT unimers through hydrogen bonds, drastically decreasing the viscoelasticity of the solutions. In addition, benzyl alcohol can interact with EHUT polymers by π-stacking interactions, playing an important role in tuning the rheological properties of the systems.

Growth and branching of charged wormlike micelles as revealed by dilution laws

The successive transitions of morphology in aqueous solutions of interacting micelles are directly evidenced by the position q* of the correlation peak of the small angle neutron scattering profiles. As the volume fraction Phi increases, q* successively fits to the dilution laws expected for spheres and cylinders, and eventually gets close to the one expected for sheets when the micelles get branched. Data in between the swelling laws are quantitatively analyzed in terms of aggregation number and junction density. Varying the temperature in the dilute regime yields the end-cap energy which varies with molecular structure and scales as Phi(-1/2). In the semidilute regime, the junction density scales as nu(j) approximately Phi(1.8), close but slightly faster than theoretically expected. The boosting effect of intermicellar repulsion on growth and branching is pointed out by the present results which directly show that both condensation processes keep the micelles further apart.

Short haired wormlike micelles in mixed nonionic fluorocarbon surfactants

We have studied the rheological behavior of viscoelastic wormlike micellar solution in a mixed system of nonionic fluorinated surfactants, perfluoroalkyl sulfonamide ethoxylate, C(8)F(17)SO(2)N(C(3)H(7))(CH(2)CH(2)O)(n)H abbreviated as C(8)F(17)EO(n) (n=10 and 20). Above critical micelle concentration, the surfactant, C(8)F(17)EO(20) forms small spherical micelles in water and the viscosity of the solution remains constant regardless of the shear rate, i.e., the solutions exhibit Newtonian behavior. However, upon successive addition of the C(8)F(17)EO(10) the viscosity of the solution increases and at certain C(8)F(17)EO(10) concentration, shear-thinning behavior is observed indicating the formation wormlike micelles. Contrary to what is expected, there is a viscosity increase with the addition of the hydrophilic C(8)F(17)EO(20) to C(8)F(17)EO(10) aqueous solutions at certain temperature and concentration, which could be attributed to an increase in rigidity of the surfactant layer and to the shifting of micellar branching to higher temperatures. The oscillatory-shear rheological behavior of the viscoelastic solution can be described by Maxwell model at low frequency. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements confirmed the formation of small spherical micellar aggregates in the dilute aqueous C(8)F(17)EO(20) solution. The SAXS data shows the one-dimensional growth on the micellar size with increase in the C(8)F(17)EO(10) concentration. Thus, the present SAXS data supports the rheological data.

Wormlike micelles: where do we stand? Recent developments, linear rheology and scattering techniques

Wormlike micelles are elongated flexible self-assembly structures formed by the aggregation of amphiphiles. Above a threshold concentration, they entangle into a dynamic network, reminiscent of polymer solutions, and display remarkable visco-elastic properties, which have been exploited in numerous industrial and technological fields. Relating the microstructure of these intricate structures with their bulk properties is still an ongoing quest. In this review, we present a classification of wormlike micelles, with a focus on novel systems and applications. We describe the current state of understanding of their linear rheology and give a detailed account of recent progress in small-angle neutron scattering, a particularly powerful technique to elucidate their microstructure on a wide range of length-scales.

Effects of monovalent anions of the hofmeister series on DPPC lipid bilayers Part II: modeling the perpendicular and lateral equation-of-state

The effects of Hofmeister anions on the perpendicular and lateral equation-of-state (EOS) of the dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine lamellar phase discussed in the companion article are here examined using appropriate free energy models for the intra- and interbilayer interactions. Minimizing the free energy with respect to the two basic geometrical parameters of the lamellar phase, which are the interbilayer water thickness, d(w), and the lipid headgroup area, a(L), provides the perpendicular (osmotic pressure balance) and lateral EOS. Standard models were used for the hydration, undulation, and Van der Waals attractive force between the bilayers in the presence of electrolytes whereas two alternative treatments of electrostatic interactions were used to obtain "binding" or "partitioning" constants of anions to the lipid bilayers both in the absence and in the presence of sodium binding. The computed binding constants depend on anion type and follow the Hofmeister series, but were found to increase with electrolyte concentration, implying that the local binding approximation cannot fit bilayer repulsion data. The partitioning model was also found inadequate at high electrolyte concentrations. The fitting attempts revealed two additional features worthy of future investigation. First, at maximum swelling in the presence of electrolytes the osmotic pressure of the bilayer system cannot be set equal to zero. Second, at high salt concentrations an additional repulsion appears to come into effect in the presence of strongly adsorbing anions such as I(-) or SCN(-). Both these phenomena may reflect an inconsistent treatment of the ion-surface interactions, which have an impact on the osmotic pressure. Alternatively, they may arise from bulk solution nonidealities that cannot be handled by the classical Poisson-Boltzmann formalism. The inability of current models to explain the "lateral" EOS by fitting the area per lipid headgroup as a function of salt type and concentration shows that current understanding of phospholipid-ion interactions is still very incomplete.