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Ham S, Wang X, Nair AKN, Sun S, Lattimer B, Qiao R. Transport of Heptane Molecules across Water-Vapor Interfaces Laden with Surfactants. J Phys Chem B 2023. [PMID: 37410979 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c02618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Molecular transport across liquid-vapor interfaces covered by surfactant monolayers plays a key role in applications such as fire suppression by foams. The molecular understanding of such transport, however, remains incomplete. This work uses molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the heptane transport across water-vapor interfaces populated with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactants. Heptane molecules' potential of mean force (PMF) and local diffusivity profiles across SDS monolayers with different SDS densities are calculated to obtain heptane's transport resistance. We show that a heptane molecule experiences a finite resistance as it crosses water-vapor interfaces covered by SDS. Such interfacial transport resistance is contributed significantly by heptane molecules' high PMF in the SDS headgroup region and their slow diffusion there. This resistance increases linearly as the SDS density rises from zero but jumps as the density approaches saturation when its value is equivalent to that afforded by a 5 nm thick layer of bulk water. These results are understood by analyzing the micro-environment experienced by a heptane molecule crossing SDS monolayers and the local perturbation it brings to the monolayers. The implications of these findings for the design of surfactants to suppress heptane transport through water-vapor interfaces are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seokgyun Ham
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Arun Kumar Narayanan Nair
- Department of Earth Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shuyu Sun
- Department of Earth Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Brian Lattimer
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Rui Qiao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
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Xiang L, Kaspar F, Schallmey A, Constantinou I. Two-Phase Biocatalysis in Microfluidic Droplets. BIOSENSORS 2021; 11:bios11110407. [PMID: 34821623 PMCID: PMC8616014 DOI: 10.3390/bios11110407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
This Perspective discusses the literature related to two-phase biocatalysis in microfluidic droplets. Enzymes used as catalysts in biocatalysis are generally less stable in organic media than in their native aqueous environments; however, chemical and pharmaceutical compounds are often insoluble in water. The use of aqueous/organic two-phase media provides a solution to this problem and has therefore become standard practice for multiple biotransformations. In batch, two-phase biocatalysis is limited by mass transport, a limitation that can be overcome with the use of microfluidic systems. Although, two-phase biocatalysis in laminar flow systems has been extensively studied, microfluidic droplets have been primarily used for enzyme screening. In this Perspective, we summarize the limited published work on two-phase biocatalysis in microfluidic droplets and discuss the limitations, challenges, and future perspectives of this technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lanting Xiang
- Institute for Microtechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany;
- Zentrum für Pharmaverfahrenstechnik (PVZ), Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany;
| | - Felix Kaspar
- Institute for Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany;
- Chair of Bioprocess Engineering, Institute of Biotechnology, Faculty III Process Sciences, Technische Universität Berlin, 13355 Berlin, Germany
| | - Anett Schallmey
- Zentrum für Pharmaverfahrenstechnik (PVZ), Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany;
- Institute for Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany;
- Braunschweig Integrated Center of Systems Biology (BRICS), Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Iordania Constantinou
- Institute for Microtechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany;
- Zentrum für Pharmaverfahrenstechnik (PVZ), Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany;
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Ahmadi M, Hou Q, Wang Y, Chen Z. Interfacial and molecular interactions between fractions of heavy oil and surfactants in porous media: Comprehensive review. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2020; 283:102242. [PMID: 32858410 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2020.102242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The oil production by the natural energy in oil reservoirs is decreasing gradually. Only 25-30% of the world's reservoirs can be produced naturally, and different methods are employed to recover the remaining oil. The use of surfactants is one of the promising methods for unlocking the residual oil after natural depletion. In such a method, one of the main challenges is to study how surfactant, oil, and water interact and how porous media affect these interactions. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation provides an opportunity to gain insights into this challenge. MD simulation can be used to study interactions between surfactant, oil, and water statically and dynamically in porous media. This paper presents a comprehensive review of interactions between surfactants and fractions of oil/heavy oil, including asphaltene, resin, aromatics, and saturates. Also, it explains the probable mechanisms of oil detachment from reservoir rock in the presence of surfactants. A thorough grasp of molecular interactions between surface-active agents and different fractions of oil helps us to develop successful surfactant-based oil recovery methods.
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Microscopic insights into the intensification effect of shear fields on molecular transport across interfaces. Chem Eng Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2019.115381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Behavior of the SDS/1-butanol and SDS/2-butanol mixtures at the water/n-octane interface through molecular dynamics simulations. Chem Phys 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphys.2019.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Liu A, Fan MQ, Li ZH, Fan JC. Non-polar oil assisted DDA flotation of quartz II: Effect of different polarity oil components on the flotation of quartz. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.minpro.2017.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Liu Y, Liu H. Development of 3D polymer DFT and its application to molecular transport through a surfactant-covered interface. AIChE J 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/aic.15858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and School of Chemical Engineering; East China University of Science and Technology; Shanghai 200237 China
| | - Honglai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and School of Chemical Engineering; East China University of Science and Technology; Shanghai 200237 China
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Hu YF, Lv WJ, Zhao S, Shang YZ, Wang HL, Liu HL. Effect of surfactant SDS on DMSO transport across water/hexane interface by molecular dynamics simulation. Chem Eng Sci 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2015.05.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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9
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Janiesch JW, Weiss M, Kannenberg G, Hannabuss J, Surrey T, Platzman I, Spatz JP. Key factors for stable retention of fluorophores and labeled biomolecules in droplet-based microfluidics. Anal Chem 2015; 87:2063-7. [PMID: 25607822 DOI: 10.1021/ac504736e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Water-in-oil emulsion droplets created in droplet-based microfluidic devices have been tested and used recently as well-defined picoliter-sized 3D compartments for various biochemical and biomedical applications. In many of these applications, fluorescence measurements are applied to reveal the protein content, spatial distribution, and dynamics in the droplets. However, emulsion droplets do not always provide entirely sealed compartments, and partitioning of dyes or labeled molecules to the oil phase is frequently observed. Therefore, stable molecular retention in the droplets represents a challenge, and many physical and chemical key factors of microfluidic system components have to be considered. In this study, we investigated the retention of 12 commonly used water-soluble dyes in droplets having six different aqueous phase conditions. We demonstrate that the physicochemical properties of the dyes have a major influence on the retention level. In particular, hydrophilicity has a strong influence on retention, with highly hydrophilic dyes (LogD < -7) showing stable, buffer/medium independent retention. In the case of less hydrophilic dyes, we showed that retention can be improved by adjusting the surfactants physical properties, such as geometry, length, and concentration. Furthermore, we analyzed the retention stability of labeled biomolecules such as antibodies, streptavidin, and tubulin proteins and showed that stable retention can be strongly dependent on dye and surfactants selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan-Willi Janiesch
- Department of New Materials and Biosystems, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems , Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
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Kopelevich DI. One-dimensional potential of mean force underestimates activation barrier for transport across flexible lipid membranes. J Chem Phys 2014; 139:134906. [PMID: 24116584 DOI: 10.1063/1.4823500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Transport of a fullerene-like nanoparticle across a lipid bilayer is investigated by coarse-grained molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Potentials of mean force (PMF) acting on the nanoparticle in a flexible bilayer suspended in water and a bilayer restrained to a flat surface are computed by constrained MD simulations. The rate of the nanoparticle transport into the bilayer interior is predicted using one-dimensional Langevin models based on these PMFs. The predictions are compared with the transport rates obtained from a series of direct (unconstrained) MD simulations of the solute transport into the flexible bilayer. It is observed that the PMF acting on the solute in the flexible membrane underestimates the transport rate by more than an order of magnitude while the PMF acting on the solute in the restrained membrane yields an accurate estimate of the activation energy for transport into the flexible membrane. This paradox is explained by a coexistence of metastable membrane configurations for a range of the solute positions inside and near the flexible membrane. This leads to a significant reduction of the contribution of the transition state to the mean force acting on the solute. Restraining the membrane shape ensures that there is only one stable membrane configuration corresponding to each solute position and thus the transition state is adequately represented in the PMF. This mechanism is quite general and thus this phenomenon is expected to occur in a wide range of interfacial systems. A simple model for the free energy landscape of the coupled solute-membrane system is proposed and validated. This model explicitly accounts for effects of the membrane deformations on the solute transport and yields an accurate prediction of the activation energy for the solute transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry I Kopelevich
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA
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Hu YF, Lv WJ, Shang YZ, Liu HL, Wang HL, Suh SH. DMSO Transport across Water/Hexane Interface by Molecular Dynamics Simulation. Ind Eng Chem Res 2013. [DOI: 10.1021/ie303006d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yao-Feng Hu
- State Key
Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemistry, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai
200237, China
| | - Wen-Jie Lv
- State Environmental
Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control
on Chemical Process, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Ya-Zhuo Shang
- State Key
Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemistry, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai
200237, China
| | - Hong-Lai Liu
- State Key
Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemistry, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai
200237, China
| | - Hua-Lin Wang
- State Environmental
Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control
on Chemical Process, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Soong-Hyuck Suh
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Keimyung University, Daegu 704-701, Korea
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Ahn YN, Mohan G, Kopelevich DI. Collective degrees of freedom involved in absorption and desorption of surfactant molecules in spherical non-ionic micelles. J Chem Phys 2012; 137:164902. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4762816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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Abstract
Surfactants are an essential part of the droplet-based microfluidic technology. They are involved in the stabilization of droplet interfaces, in the biocompatibility of the system and in the process of molecular exchange between droplets. The recent progress in the applications of droplet-based microfluidics has been made possible by the development of new molecules and their characterizations. In this review, the role of the surfactant in droplet-based microfluidics is discussed with an emphasis on the new molecules developed specifically to overcome the limitations of 'standard' surfactants. Emulsion properties and interfacial rheology of surfactant-laden layers strongly determine the overall capabilities of the technology. Dynamic properties of droplets, interfaces and emulsions are therefore very important to be characterized, understood and controlled. In this respect, microfluidic systems themselves appear to be very powerful tools for the study of surfactant dynamics at the time- and length-scale relevant to the corresponding microfluidic applications. More generally, microfluidic systems are becoming a new type of experimental platform for the study of the dynamics of interfaces in complex systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Christophe Baret
- Droplets, Membranes and Interfaces, MPI for Dynamics and Self-organization, Am Fassberg 17, 37077 Goettingen, Germany.
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Ban YM, Tasseff RA, Kopelevich DI. Non-adiabatic dynamics of interfacial systems: a case study of a nanoparticle penetration into a lipid bilayer. MOLECULAR SIMULATION 2011. [DOI: 10.1080/08927022.2011.566610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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