A pH-study of n-dodecyl-beta-D-maltoside foam films

A novel concept of photosynthetic soft membranes: a numerical study

We focus on a novel concept of photosynthetic soft membranes, possibly able to allow the conversion of solar energy and carbon dioxide (CO[Formula: see text]) into green fuels. The considered membranes rely on self-assembled functional molecules in the form of soap films. We elaborate a multi-scale and multi-physics model to describe the relevant phenomena, investigating the expected performance of a single soft photosynthetic membrane. First, we present a macroscale continuum model, which accounts for the transport of gaseous and ionic species within the soap film, the chemical equilibria and the two involved photocatalytic half reactions of the CO[Formula: see text] reduction and water oxidation at the two gas-surfactant-water interfaces of the soap film. Second, we introduce a mesoscale discrete Monte Carlo model, to deepen the investigation of the structure of the functional monolayers. Finally, the morphological information obtained at the mesoscale is integrated into the continuum model in a multi-scale framework. The developed tools are then used to perform sensitivity studies in a wide range of possible experimental conditions, to provide scenarios on fuel production by such a novel approach.

Interfacial and Foaming Properties of Tailor-Made Glycolipids-Influence of the Hydrophilic Head Group and Functional Groups in the Hydrophobic Tail

Glycolipids are a class of biodegradable surfactants less harmful to the environment than petrochemically derived surfactants. Here we discuss interfacial properties, foam stability, characterized in terms of transient foam height, gas volume fraction and bubble diameter as well as texture of seven enzymatically synthesized surfactants for the first time. Glycolipids consisting of different head groups, namely glucose, sorbitol, glucuronic acid and sorbose, combined with different C10 acyl chains, namely decanoate, dec-9-enoate and 4-methyl-nonanoate are compared. Equilibrium interfacial tension values vary between 24.3 and 29.6 mN/m, critical micelle concentration varies between 0.7 and 3.0 mM. In both cases highest values were found for the surfactants with unsaturated or branched tail groups. Interfacial elasticity and viscosity, however, were significantly reduced in these cases. Head and tail group both affect foam stability. Foams from glycolipids with sorbose and glucuronic acid derived head groups showed higher stability than those from surfactants with glucose head group, sorbitol provided lowest foam stability. We attribute this to different head group hydration also showing up in the time to reach equilibrium interfacial adsorption. Unsaturated tail groups reduced whereas branching enhanced foam stability compared to the systems with linear, saturated tail. Moreover, the tail group strongly influences foam texture. Glycolipids with unsaturated tail groups produced foams quickly collapsing even at smallest shear loads, whereas the branched tail group yielded a higher modulus than the linear tails. Normalized shear moduli for the systems with different head groups varied in a narrow range, with the highest value found for decylglucuronate.

Non-detergent isolation of a cyanobacterial photosystem I using styrene maleic acid alternating copolymers

Trimeric Photosystem I (PSI) from the thermophilic cyanobacteriumThermosynechococcus elongatus(Te) is the largest membrane protein complex to be encapsulated within a SMALP to date.

Transmission Measurements as Tool to Study Phase Transitions of Liquid Mixtures

We present a quantitative method to determine the phase transition temperatures between one-phase and two-phase regions of multi-component liquid mixtures via temperature-dependent transmission measurements with an UV/Vis spectrometer. The method is based on the fact that multi-phase samples are turbid, while one-phase samples are transparent. We describe the method in detail and discuss the choice of the experimental parameters (wavelength, sample layer thickness), a suitable temperature program as well as the data analysis. We prove the validity of our method by measuring the phase diagrams of two model systems, namely a liquid and a gelled microemulsion. The results are in good agreement with those obtained with the conventional visual method used for phase studies.

Electrostatic and steric interactions in oil-in-water emulsion films from Pluronic surfactants

Stabilization of oil-in-water emulsion films from PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymers is described in terms of interaction surface forces. Results on emulsion films from four Pluronic surfactants, namely F108, F68, P104 and P65 obtained with the Thin Film Pressure Balance Technique are summarized. It is found that film stabilization is due to DLVO (electrostatic) and non-DLVO (steric in origin) repulsive forces. The charging of the oil/water film interfaces is related to preferential adsorption of OH(-) ions. This is confirmed by pH-dependent measurements of the equivalent film thickness (h(w)) at both constant capillary pressure and ionic strength. With reducing pH in the acidic region, a critical value (pH(cr,st)) corresponding to an isoelectric state of the oil/water film surfaces is found where the electrostatic interaction in the films is eliminated. At pH≤pH(cr,st), the emulsion films are stabilized only by steric forces due to interaction between the polymer adsorption layers. Disjoining pressure (Π) isotherms measured for emulsion films from all the four Pluronic surfactants used at pH<pH(cr,st) show a transition to a Newton black film with increasing Π. The experimental data before the NBF-transition in the disjoining pressure isotherms are fitted to the Alexander-de Gennes' scaling theory for steric interaction between polymer brushes with the PEO-brush thickness as a free parameter. The NBF observed are stabilized most probably by short-range steric forces that may differ from the brush-to-brush interaction.

Determining concentration depth profiles of thin foam films with neutral impact collision ion scattering spectroscopy

Equipment is developed to measure the concentration depth profiles in foam films with the vacuum based technique neutral impact collision ion scattering spectroscopy. Thin foam films have not previously been investigated using vacuum based techniques, hence specialized methods and equipment have been developed for generating and equilibrating of foam films under vacuum. A specialized film holder has been developed that encloses the foam film in a pressure cell. The pressure cell is air-tight except for apertures that allow for the entrance and exit of the ion beam to facilitate the analysis with the ion scattering technique. The cell is supplied with a reservoir of solvent which evaporates upon evacuating the main chamber. This causes the cell to be maintained at the vapor pressure of the solvent, thus minimizing further evaporation from the films. In order to investigate the effect of varying the pressure over the films, a hydrostatic pressure is applied to the foam films. Concentration depth profiles of the elements in a thin foam film made from a solution of glycerol and the cationic surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (C(16)TAB) were measured. The measured concentration depth profiles are used to compare the charge distribution in foam films with the charge distribution at the surface of a bulk solution. A greater charge separation was observed at the films' surface compared to the bulk surface, which implies a greater electrostatic force contribution to the stabilization of thin foam films.

Dynamics of thinning of foam films stabilized by n-dodecyl-beta-maltoside

We studied the process of thinning of thin liquid films stabilized with the nonionic surfactant n-dodecyl-beta-maltoside (beta-C(12)G(2)) with primary interest in interfacial diffusion processes during the thinning process dependent on surfactant concentration. The surfactant concentration in the film forming solutions was varied from 0.01 to 1.0 mM through the critical micellar concentration of 0.16 mM at constant electrolyte (NaCl) concentration, nominally 0.2 M. This assures the formation of Newton black films at the end of the thinning process. The velocity of thinning was analyzed combining previously developed theoretical approaches. From the model, which accounts for diffusion processes in the bulk of the film and in the interfaces, an analytical function was derived and fitted numerically to the experimental data. Quantitative information about the mobility of the surfactant molecules at the film surfaces could be obtained. We find that above a surfactant concentration of 0.12 mM (beta-C(12)G(2)) the film surfaces behave as immobile and nondeformable which decelerates the thinning process. This follows the predictions for Reynolds flow of liquid between two nondeformable disks. Moreover, we could apply the theory on free area dependent diffusion coefficients on our results and show that it is in reasonable ranges applicable on the used surfactant system.

Mixtures of n-dodecyl-beta-D-maltoside and hexaoxyethylene dodecyl ether--surface properties, bulk properties, foam films, and foams

Mixtures of the two non-ionic surfactants hexaoxyethylene dodecyl ether (C(12)E(6)) and n-dodecyl-beta-D-maltoside (beta-C(12)G(2)) were studied with regard to surface properties, bulk properties, foam films, and foams. The reason for studying a mixture of an ethylene oxide (C(i)E(j)) and a sugar (C(n)G(m)) based surfactant is that despite being non-ionic, these two surfactants behave quite differently. Firstly, the physico-chemical properties of aqueous solutions of C(n)G(m) surfactants are less temperature-sensitive than those of C(i)E(j) solutions. Secondly, the surface charge density q(0) of foam films stabilized by C(n)G(m) surfactants is pH insensitive down to the so-called isoelectric point, while that of foam films stabilized by C(i)E(j) surfactants changes linearly with the pH. The third difference is related to interaction forces between solid surfaces. Under equilibrium conditions very high forces are needed to expel beta-C(12)G(2) from between thiolated gold surfaces, while for C(12)E(6) low loads are sufficient. Fourthly, the adsorption of C(12)E(6) and beta-C(12)G(2) on hydrophilic silica and titania, respectively, is inverted. While the surface excess of C(12)E(6) is large on silica and negligible on titania, beta-C(12)G(2) adsorbs very little on silica but has a large surface excess on titania. What is the reason for this different behaviour? Under similar conditions and for comparable head group sizes, it was found that the hydration of C(i)E(j) surfactants is one order of magnitude higher but on average much weaker than that of C(n)G(m) surfactants. Moreover, C(n)G(m) surfactants possess a rigid maltoside unit, while C(i)E(j) surfactants have a very flexible hydrophilic part. Indeed, most of the different properties mentioned above can be explained by the different hydration and the head group flexibilities. The intriguing question of how mixtures of C(i)E(j) and C(n)G(m) surfactants would behave arises organically. Thus various properties of C(12)E(6)+beta-C(12)G(2) mixtures in aqueous solution have been studied with a focus on the 1:1 mixture. The results are compared with those of the single surfactants and are discussed accordingly.

Binary mixtures of (β-C12G2) with cationic and non-ionic surfactants: micelle and surface compositions

Surfactants used for practical applications are usually surfactant mixtures because they often exhibit a performance that is superior to the individual surfactants. In the present study binary mixtures of the sugar based surfactant n-dodecyl-β-D-maltoside (β-C12G2) with the cationic surfactant dodecyl trimethylammonium bromide (C12TAB) and the non-ionic hexaethylene-glycol dodecyl ether (C12E6), respectively, were investigated at different bulk mole fractions. Surface tension measurements were used to determine the critical micelle concentration and the surfactant composition at the surface. In addition, the regular solution theory was used to calculate interaction parameters as well as the mole fractions of the individual surfactants in the mixed air-water monolayer and in the mixed micelles, respectively. It was found that n-dodecyl-β-D-maltoside interacts weakly with the cationic surfactant (C12TAB) and that it dominates in both the mixed monolayer and the mixed micelles. On the other hand, β-C12G2 and C12E6 mix ideally in solution. For both surfactant mixtures the surfactant composition at the surface determined by surface tension measurements and by the regular solution theory, respectively, were compared and discussed in detail.

Novel nanocomplexes of hyperbranched poly(ethyleneimine), and dodecyl maltoside

The aqueous complexes of poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and dodecyl maltoside (C12G2) have been studied under dilute conditions using dynamic light scattering, electrophoretic mobility, surface tension and pH measurements. According to the surface tension data the complexation between PEI and C12G2 can be neglected while a strong interaction was detected between PEI and SDS. The charged nature and size of the PEI-SDS-C12G2 complexes vary in a similar manner with SDS concentration as for the PEI-SDS systems. At large excess of SDS a kinetically stable colloid dispersion of the compact PEI-SDS-C12G2 particles forms. The electrophoretic mobility measurements indicate that the charge reversal of the PEI molecules occurs at lower SDS concentrations in the presence than in the absence of dodecyl maltoside. The enhanced charge inversion of PEI affords a significant extension of the concentration range with kinetically stable dispersion of the polyelectrolyte-surfactant nanoparticles compared with the PEI-SDS system. The pH of the PEI-SDS-C12G2 mixtures also reveals a peculiar dependence on the surfactant concentration. These latter findings are explained by the synergistic binding of the ionic and non-ionic surfactants to both the uncharged and charged amine groups of the PEI. It can be concluded that the addition of sugar surfactants is an efficient way to increase the kinetic stability and manipulate the pH of the mixtures of oppositely charged weak polyelectrolytes and surfactants.