1
|
Gochev GG, Campbell RA, Schneck E, Zawala J, Warszynski P. Exploring proteins at soft interfaces and in thin liquid films - From classical methods to advanced applications of reflectometry. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 329:103187. [PMID: 38788307 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2024.103187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
The history of the topic of proteins at soft interfaces dates back to the 19th century, and until the present day, it has continuously attracted great scientific interest. A multitude of experimental methods and theoretical approaches have been developed to serve the research progress in this large domain of colloid and interface science, including the area of soft colloids such as foams and emulsions. From classical methods like surface tension adsorption isotherms, surface pressure-area measurements for spread layers, and surface rheology probing the dynamics of adsorption, nowadays, advanced surface-sensitive techniques based on spectroscopy, microscopy, and the reflection of light, X-rays and neutrons at liquid/fluid interfaces offers important complementary sources of information. Apart from the fundamental characteristics of protein adsorption layers, i.e., surface tension and surface excess, the nanoscale structure of such layers and the interfacial protein conformations and morphologies are of pivotal importance for extending the depth of understanding on the topic. In this review article, we provide an extensive overview of the application of three methods, namely, ellipsometry, X-ray reflectometry and neutron reflectometry, for adsorption and structural studies on proteins at water/air and water/oil interfaces. The main attention is placed on the development of experimental approaches and on a discussion of the relevant achievements in terms of notable experimental results. We have attempted to cover the whole history of protein studies with these techniques, and thus, we believe the review should serve as a valuable reference to fuel ideas for a wide spectrum of researchers in different scientific fields where proteins at soft interface may be of relevance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Georgi G Gochev
- Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, 30239 Krakow, Poland; Institute of Physical Chemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria.
| | - Richard A Campbell
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, University of Manchester, M13 9PT Manchester, UK
| | - Emanuel Schneck
- Physics Department, Technical University Darmstadt, 64289 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Jan Zawala
- Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, 30239 Krakow, Poland
| | - Piotr Warszynski
- Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, 30239 Krakow, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Xu C, Zhang Y, Sharma V. Spatiotemporal mapping of nanotopography and thickness transitions of ultrathin foam films. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:3719-3727. [PMID: 38654634 DOI: 10.1039/d4sm00048j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Freshly formed soap films, soap bubbles, or foam films display iridescent colors due to thin film interference that changes as squeeze flow drives drainage and a progressive decrease in film thickness. Ultrathin (thickness <100 nm) freestanding films of soft matter containing micelles, particles, polyelectrolyte-surfactant complexes, or other supramolecular structures or liquid crystalline phases display drainage via stratification. A fascinating array of thickness variations and transitions, including stepwise thinning and coexistence of thick-thin flat regions, arise in micellar foam films that undergo drainage via stratification. In this tutorial, we describe the IDIOM (interferometry digital imaging optical microscopy) protocols that combine the conventional interferometry principle with digital filtration and image analysis to obtain nanometer accuracy for thickness determination while having high spatial and temporal resolution. We provide fully executable image analysis codes and algorithms for the analysis of nanotopography and summarize some of the unique insights obtained for stratified micellar foam films.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chenxian Xu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Yiran Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Vivek Sharma
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
King JP, Dagastine RR, Berry JD, Tabor RF. Stratification and film ripping induced by structural forces in granular micellar thin films. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 657:25-36. [PMID: 38029526 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.11.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS Interactions across incredibly thin layers of fluids, known as thin films, underpin many important processes involving colloids, such as wetting-dewetting phenomena. Often in these systems, thin films are composed of complex fluids that contain dispersed components, such as spherical micelles, giving rise to oscillatory structural forces due to preferential layering under confinement. Modelling of thin film dynamics involving Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) type forces has been widely reported using the Stokes-Reynolds-Young-Laplace (SRYL) model, and we hypothesize that this theory can be extended to a concentrated micellar system by including an oscillatory structural force term in the disjoining pressure. EXPERIMENTS We study the drainage behaviour of thin films comprising sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelles across a range of concentrations and interaction conditions between an air bubble and a mica disk using a custom-built dual-wave interferometry apparatus. FINDINGS Early-stage film behaviour is dominated by hydrodynamics, which can be well reproduced by the SRYL model. However, experimental profiles drain significantly faster than predicted, transitioning into a structural force dominated phase characterised by four types of film ripping instabilities that we term 'waving', 'ridging', 'webbing', and 'hole-sheeting'. These instabilities were mapped according to SDS concentration and approach velocity, providing insight into the interplay between structural forces and hydrodynamic conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua P King
- School of Chemistry, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Raymond R Dagastine
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the Particulate Fluids Processing Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Joseph D Berry
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the Particulate Fluids Processing Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
| | - Rico F Tabor
- School of Chemistry, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ochoa C, Gao S, Xu C, Srivastava S, Sharma V. Foam film stratification, viscosity, and small-angle X-ray scattering of micellar SDS solutions over an extended concentration range (1< c/CMC < 75). SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:1922-1934. [PMID: 38323381 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm01069d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Ultrathin foam films (thickness, h < 100 nm) containing micelles undergo drainage via stratification manifested as coexisting thick-thin flat regions, nanoscopic non-flat topography, and the stepwise decrease in film thickness that yields a characteristic step-size. Most studies characterize the variation in step size and stratification kinetics in micellar foam films in a limited concentration range, c/CMC < 12.5 (c < 100 mM). Likewise, most scattering studies characterize micelle dimensions, intermicellar distance, and volume fraction in bulk aqueous SDS solutions in this limited concentration range. In this contribution, we show drainage via stratification can be observed for concentrations up to c/CMC < 75 (c < 600 mM). Understanding the stratification behavior of freely draining micellar films with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) concentration varying in the range 10 mM ≤ cSDS ≤ 600 mM is essential for molecular engineering, consumer product formulations, and controlling foaming in industrial processes. Here, we visualize and analyze nanoscopic thickness variations and transitions in stratifying foam films using Interferometry Digital Imaging Optical Microscopy (IDIOM) protocols. We compare step size obtained from foam stratification to micelle dimension, micelle volume fraction, and intermicellar distance obtained from small angle X-ray scattering studies. Even though the volume fraction increases and approaches 25% at c = 600 mM, the solution viscosity only increases by a factor of four compared to the solvent, consistent with the findings from both stratification and scattering studies. These comparisons allow us to explore the effect of micelle size, morphology, and intermicellar interactions on supramolecular oscillatory structural disjoining pressure, which influences the stratification behavior of draining foam films containing micelles under confinement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chrystian Ochoa
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, 929 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA.
| | - Shang Gao
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Chenxian Xu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, 929 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA.
| | - Samanvaya Srivastava
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Center for Biological Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Institute for Carbon Management, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Vivek Sharma
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, 929 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Yang M, Gong X, Wang S, Tian Y, Yin X, Wang X, Yu J, Zhang S, Ding B. Two-Dimensional Nanofibrous Networks by Superspreading-Based Phase Inversion for High-Efficiency Separation. NANO LETTERS 2023; 23:10579-10586. [PMID: 37934045 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c03486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have been widely applied as building blocks of nanoporous materials for high-precision separations. However, most existing 2D nanomaterials suffer from poor continuity and a lack of interior linking, resulting in deteriorated performance when assembled into macroscopic bulk structures. Here, a unique superspreading-based phase inversion technique is proposed to directly construct 2D nanofibrous networks (NFNs) from a polymer solution. By tailoring capillary behavior, polymer solution droplets evolve into ultrathin liquid films through superspreading; manipulating phase instability, subsequently, enables the liquid film to phase invert into continuous nanostructured networks. The assembled single-layered NFNs possess integrated structural superiorities of 1D nanoscale fiber diameter (∼40 nm) and 2D lateral infinity, exhibiting a weblike nanoarchitecture with extremely small through-pores (∼100 nm). Our NFNs show remarkable performances in air filtration (PM0.3 removal) and water purification (microfiltration level). This creation of such attractive 2D fibrous nanomaterials can pave the way for versatile high-performance separation applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ming Yang
- Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Xiaobao Gong
- Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Sai Wang
- Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Yucheng Tian
- Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Xia Yin
- Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Xianfeng Wang
- Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Jianyong Yu
- Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Shichao Zhang
- Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Bin Ding
- Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Hassan L, Xu C, Boehm M, Baier SK, Sharma V. Ultrathin Micellar Foam Films of Sodium Caseinate Protein Solutions. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:6102-6112. [PMID: 37074870 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c00192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Sodium caseinates (NaCas), derived from milk proteins called caseins, are often added to food formulations as emulsifiers, foaming agents, and ingredients for producing dairy products. In this contribution, we contrast the drainage behavior of single foam films made with micellar NaCas solutions with well-established features of stratification observed for the micellar sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) foam films. In reflected light microscopy, the stratified SDS foam films display regions with distinct gray colors due to differences in interference intensity from coexisting thick-thin regions. Using IDIOM (interferometry digital imaging optical microscopy) protocols we pioneered for mapping nanotopography of foam films, we showed that drainage via stratification in SDS films proceeds by the expansion of flat domains that are thinner than surrounding by a concentration-dependent step-size, and nonflat features (nanoridges and mesas) form at the moving front. Furthermore, stratifying SDS foam films show stepwise thinning, such that the step-size and terminal film thickness decrease with concentration. Here we visualize the nanotopography in protein films with high spatiotemporal resolution using IDIOM protocols to address two long-standing questions. Do protein foam films formulated with NaCas undergo drainage via stratification? Are thickness transitions and variations in protein foam films determined by intermicellar interactions and supramolecular oscillatory disjoining pressure? In contrast with foam films containing micellar SDS, we find that micellar NaCas foam films display just one step, nonflat and noncircular domains that expand without forming nanoridges and a terminal thickness that increases with NaCas concentration. We infer that the differences in adsorbing and self-assembling unimers triumph over any similarities in the structure and interactions of their micelles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lena Hassan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, 929 West Taylor Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
| | - Chenxian Xu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, 929 West Taylor Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
| | - Michael Boehm
- Motif Foodworks, 27 Drydock Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, United States
| | - Stefan K Baier
- Motif Foodworks, 27 Drydock Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, United States
- School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072 Queensland, Australia
| | - Vivek Sharma
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, 929 West Taylor Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Xu C, MartÃnez Narváez CDV, Kotwis P, Sharma V. Polymer-Surfactant Complexes Impact the Stratification and Nanotopography of Micellar Foam Films. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:5761-5770. [PMID: 37040267 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c00024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Freestanding films of soft matter drain via stratification due to confinement-induced structuring and layering of supramolecular structures such as micelles. Neutral polymers, added as rheology modifiers to cosmetics, foods, pharmaceuticals, and petrochemical formulations, often interact with monomers and micelles of surfactants, forming polymer-surfactant complexes. Despite many studies that explore interfacial and bulk rheological properties, the corresponding influence of polymer-surfactant complexes on foam drainage and lifetime is not well understood and motivates this study. Here, we report the discovery and evidence of drainage via stratification in foam films formed with polymer-surfactant (PEO-SDS) complexes. We show that the stratification trifecta of coexisting thick-thin regions, stepwise thinning, and nanoscopic topological features such as nanoridges and mesas can be observed using IDIOM (interferometry, digital imaging, and optical microscopy) protocols we developed for nanoscopic thickness mapping. We determine that for polymer concentrations below overlap concentration and surfactant concentrations beyond the excess micelle point, polymer-surfactant complexation impact the nanoscopic topography but not the step size, implying the amplitude of disjoining pressure changes, but periodicity remains unchanged.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chenxian Xu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, 929 W. Taylor Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
| | - Carina D V MartÃnez Narváez
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, 929 W. Taylor Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
| | - Patrycja Kotwis
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, 929 W. Taylor Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
| | - Vivek Sharma
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, 929 W. Taylor Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Qu Z, Zhou P, Min F, Chen S, Guo M, Huang Z, Ji S, Yan Y, Yin X, Jiang H, Ke Y, Zhao YS, Yan X, Qiao Y, Song Y. Bubble wall confinement-driven molecular assembly toward sub-12 nm and beyond precision patterning. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadf3567. [PMID: 36921052 PMCID: PMC10017045 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf3567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Patterning is attractive for nanofabrication, electron devices, and bioengineering. However, achieving the molecular-scale patterns to meet the demands of these fields is challenging. Here, we propose a bubble-template molecular printing concept by introducing the ultrathin liquid film of bubble walls to confine the self-assembly of molecules and achieve ultrahigh-precision assembly up to 12Â nanometers corresponding to the critical point toward the Newton black film limit. The disjoining pressure describing the intermolecular interaction could predict the highest precision effectively. The symmetric molecules exhibit better reconfiguration capacity and smaller preaggregates than the asymmetric ones, which are helpful in stabilizing the drainage of foam films and construct high-precision patterns. Our results confirm the robustness of the bubble template to prepare molecular-scale patterns, verify the criticality of molecular symmetry to obtain the ultimate precision, and predict the application potential of high-precision organic patterns in hierarchical self-assembly and high-sensitivity sensors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyuan Qu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Green Printing, CAS Research, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Peng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Fanyi Min
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Green Printing, CAS Research, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Shengnan Chen
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Green Printing, CAS Research, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Mengmeng Guo
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Green Printing, CAS Research, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Zhandong Huang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an JiaoTong University, Shaanxi 710049, P. R. China
| | - Shiyang Ji
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Yongli Yan
- Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Xiaodong Yin
- Key Laboratory of Cluster Science, Ministry of Education of China, Beijing Key Laboratory of Photoelectronic/Electrophotonic Conversion Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 102488, P. R. China
| | - Hanqiu Jiang
- Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
- Spallation Neutron Source Science Center, Dongguan 523803, P. R. China
| | - Yubin Ke
- Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
- Spallation Neutron Source Science Center, Dongguan 523803, P. R. China
| | - Yong Sheng Zhao
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Xuehai Yan
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Yali Qiao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Green Printing, CAS Research, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Yanlin Song
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Green Printing, CAS Research, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Braun L, Hohenschutz M, Diat O, von Klitzing R, Bauduin P. Repulsive, but sticky - Insights into the non-ionic foam stabilization mechanism by superchaotropic nano-ions. J Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 641:437-448. [PMID: 36948099 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.03.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS The superchaotropic Keggin polyoxometalate α-SiW12O404- (SiW) was recently shown to stabilize non-ionic surfactant (C18:1E10) foams owing to electrostatic repulsion that arises from the adsorption of SiW-ions to the foam interfaces. The precise mechanism of foam stabilization by SiW however remained unsolved. EXPERIMENTS Imaging and conductimetry were used on macroscopic foams to monitor the foam collapse under free drainage and small angle neutron scattering (SANS) at a given foam height allowed for the tracking of the evolution of film thickness under quasi-stationary conditions. Thin film pressure balance (TFPB) measurements enabled to quantify the resistance of single foam films to external pressure and to identify intra-film forces. FINDINGS At low SiW/surfactant ratios, the adsorption of SiW induces electrostatic repulsion within foam films. Above a concentration threshold corresponding to an adsorption saturation, excess of SiW screens the electrostatic repulsion that leads to thinner foam films. Despite screened electrostatics, the foam and single foam films remain very stable caused by an additional steric stabilizing force consistent with the presence of trapped micelles inside the foam films that bridge between the interfaces. These trapped micelles can serve as a surfactant reservoir, which promotes self-healing of the interface leading to much more resilient foam films in comparison to bare surfactant foams/films.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Braun
- Soft Matter at Interfaces, Department of Physics, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Max Hohenschutz
- ICSM, CEA, CNRS, ENSCM, Univ Montpellier, Marcoule, France; RWTH Aachen University, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Landoltweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Olivier Diat
- ICSM, CEA, CNRS, ENSCM, Univ Montpellier, Marcoule, France
| | - Regine von Klitzing
- Soft Matter at Interfaces, Department of Physics, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.
| | - Pierre Bauduin
- ICSM, CEA, CNRS, ENSCM, Univ Montpellier, Marcoule, France.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Braun L, von Klitzing R. When Bulk Matters: Disentanglement of the Role of Polyelectrolyte/Surfactant Complexes at Surfaces and in the Bulk of Foam Films. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:111-118. [PMID: 36525629 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c02260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Foam films display exciting systems as on one hand they dictate the performance of macroscopic foams and on the other hand they allow studies of surface forces. With regard to surface forces, we attempt to disentangle the effect of the foam film surfaces and the foam film bulk. For that, we study the influence of salt (LiBr) on foam films formed by mixtures of oppositely charged polyelectrolyte and surfactant: anionic monosulfonated polyphenylene sulfone (sPSO2-220) and cationic tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide (C14TAB). Adding a small amount of salt (≤10-3 M) decreases the foam film stability due to a weakened electrostatic net repulsion. In contrast, a large amount of salt (10-2 M) unexpectedly increases the foam film stability. Disjoining pressure isotherms reveal that the increased stability is due to an additional steric stabilization, which is attributed to sPSO2-220/C14TAB complexes in the film bulk. These bulk complexes also contribute to the measured apparent surface potential between the two air/water interfaces. We find, for the first time, the formation of Newton black films for mixtures of anionic polyelectrolytes and cationic surfactants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Braun
- Soft Matter at Interfaces, Department of Physics, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Hochschulstraße 8, 64289Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Regine von Klitzing
- Soft Matter at Interfaces, Department of Physics, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Hochschulstraße 8, 64289Darmstadt, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Lamolinairie J, Dollet B, Bridot JL, Bauduin P, Diat O, Chiappisi L. Probing foams from the nanometer to the millimeter scale by coupling small-angle neutron scattering, imaging, and electrical conductivity measurements. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:8733-8747. [PMID: 36341841 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm01252a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Liquid foams are multi-scale structures whose structural characterization requires the combination of very different techniques. This inherently complex task is made more difficult by the fact that foams are also intrinsically unstable systems and that their properties are highly dependent on the production protocol and sample container. To tackle these issues, a new device has been developed that enables the simultaneous time-resolved investigation of foams by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), electrical conductivity, and bubbles imaging. This device allows the characterization of the foam and its aging from nanometer up to centimeter scale in a single experiment. A specific SANS model was developed to quantitatively adjust the scattering intensity from the dry foam. Structural features such as the liquid fraction, specific surface area of the Plateau borders and inter-bubble films, and thin film thickness were deduced from this analysis, and some of these values were compared with values extracted from the other applied techniques. This approach has been applied to a surfactant-stabilized liquid foam under free drainage and the underlying foam destabilization mechanisms were discussed with unprecedented detail. For example, the information extracted from the image analysis and SANS data allows for the first time to determine the disjoining pressure vs. thickness isotherm in a real, draining foam.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julien Lamolinairie
- Institut Max von Laue - Paul Langevin (ILL), 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Grenoble, France.
| | - Benjamin Dollet
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, LIPhy, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | | | - Pierre Bauduin
- ICSM, Univ Montpellier, CEA, CNRS, ENSCM, Marcoule, France
| | - Olivier Diat
- ICSM, Univ Montpellier, CEA, CNRS, ENSCM, Marcoule, France
| | - Leonardo Chiappisi
- Institut Max von Laue - Paul Langevin (ILL), 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Grenoble, France.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Gao S, Ochoa C, Sharma V, Srivastava S. Salt Weakens Intermicellar Interactions and Structuring in Bulk Solutions and Foam Films. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:11003-11014. [PMID: 36044777 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c01592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Drainage via stratification in micellar foam films formulated with ionic surfactants shows dramatic changes on salt addition: both the step size and the number of steps in their stepwise thinning diminish. As the stratification process is governed by supramolecular oscillatory structural forces that arise due to confinement-induced structuring of micelles, it is apparent that salt addition reduces the magnitude, periodicity, and decay length of the oscillatory forces. In this contribution, we characterize the changes in micellar size, shape, and interactions on salt addition in bulk solutions using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) to understand and elucidate the influence of salt on stratification in micellar foam films and, more broadly, on the oscillatory structural forces. Adding salt leads to a significant reduction in long-range correlations between micelles and smaller intermicellar distances. These effects manifest as a weakening of the primary peak of the structure factor, ascertained from SAXS spectra, accompanied by its shift to higher wave vectors. Weakened long-range correlations diminish the magnitude and periodicity of the oscillatory disjoining pressure leading to smaller step sizes, fewer steps, and a rich nanoscopic topography, due to the influence of disjoining pressure on the deformable interfaces. The step sizes in stratifying thin films and intermicellar distances in bulk solutions present incongruous values, implying an imperfect analogy with studies on charged nanoparticles with matched and salt concentration-independent values of measured interparticle distances that equal the periodicity of force-distance curves. We anticipate that our findings are significant for multicomponent soft and biological matter containing self-assembled supramolecular structures wherein screened Coulomb interactions govern the self-assembly, interfacial adsorption, interactions, dynamics, and stability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shang Gao
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Chrystian Ochoa
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60608, United States
| | - Vivek Sharma
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60608, United States
| | - Samanvaya Srivastava
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Center for Biological Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Institute for Carbon Management, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Mikhailovskaya A, Chatzigiannakis E, Renggli D, Vermant J, Monteux C. From Individual Liquid Films to Macroscopic Foam Dynamics: A Comparison between Polymers and a Nonionic Surfactant. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:10768-10780. [PMID: 35998760 PMCID: PMC9454262 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c00900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Foams can resist destabilizaton in ways that appear similar on a macroscopic scale, but the microscopic origins of the stability and the loss thereof can be quite diverse. Here, we compare both the macroscopic drainage and ultimate collapse of aqueous foams stabilized by either a partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) or a nonionic low-molecular-weight surfactant (BrijO10) with the dynamics of individual thin films at the microscale. From this comparison, we gain significant insight regarding the effect of both surface stresses and intermolecular forces on macroscopic foam stability. Distinct regimes in the lifetime of the foams were observed. Drainage at early stages is controlled by the different stress-boundary conditions at the surfaces of the bubbles between the polymer and the surfactant. The stress-carrying capacity of PVA-stabilized interfaces is a result of the mutual contribution of Marangoni stresses and surface shear viscosity. In contrast, surface shear inviscidity and much weaker Marangoni stresses were observed for the nonionic surfactant surfaces, resulting in faster drainage times, both at the level of the single film and the macroscopic foam. At longer times, the PVA foams present a regime of homogeneous coalescence where isolated coalescence events are observed. This regime, which is observed only for PVA foams, occurs when the capillary pressure reaches the maximum disjoining pressure. A final regime is then observed for both systems where a fast coalescence front propagates from the top to the bottom of the foams. The critical liquid fractions and capillary pressures at which this regime is obtained are similar for both PVA and BrijO10 foams, which most likely indicates that collapse is related to a universal mechanism that seems unrelated to the stabilizer interfacial dynamics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alesya Mikhailovskaya
- Soft
Matter Science and Engineering, ESPCI Paris, CNRS, PSL University, Sorbonne University, 75005 Paris, Franceand
- Institut
de Chimie et des Matériaux Paris-Est, CNRS UMR 7182, 2-8 rue Henri Dunant, 94320 Thiais, France
| | - Emmanouil Chatzigiannakis
- Department
of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir Prelog Weg 5, 8032 Zürich, Switzerland and
- Polymer
Technology Group, Eindhoven University of
Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Damian Renggli
- Department
of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir Prelog Weg 5, 8032 Zürich, Switzerland and
| | - Jan Vermant
- Department
of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir Prelog Weg 5, 8032 Zürich, Switzerland and
| | - Cécile Monteux
- Soft Matter
Science and Engineering, ESPCI Paris, CNRS,
PSL University, Sorbonne University, 75005 Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Nanofluid Structural Forces Alter Solid Wetting, Enhancing Oil Recovery. COLLOIDS AND INTERFACES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/colloids6020033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Nanofluids have attracted significant research interest for their promising application in enhanced oil recovery. One striking feature leading to the outstanding efficiency of nanofluids in enhanced oil recovery is the structure of nanoparticles, which induces oscillatory structural forces in the confined space between fluid–fluid interfaces or air–liquid and liquid–solid interfaces. To promote the understanding of the oscillatory structural forces and their application in enhanced oil recovery, we reviewed the origin and theory of the oscillatory structural forces, factors affecting their magnitude, and the experimental techniques demonstrating their impacts on enhanced oil recovery. We also reviewed the methods, where the benefits of nanofluids in enhanced oil recovery provided by the oscillatory structural forces are directly manifested. The oscillatory structural forces promote the wetting and spreading of nanofluids on solid surfaces, which ultimately enhances the separation of oil from the reservoir. Some imbibition tests demonstrated as much as 50% increased oil recovery, compared to the cases where the oscillatory structural forces were absent.
Collapse
|
15
|
The foam film's stepwise thinning phenomenon and role of oscillatory forces. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 303:102636. [PMID: 35306389 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2022.102636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
As a foam film formed from complex fluids thins, the particles under the film confinement self-organize into layers. Reflected light was used to monitor the rate of layer-by-layer thinning and the layers' thickness. The microscopic and macroscopic films thin using the same stepwise manner (stratify), via layers or stripes with equal thicknesses. The roles of the film area (size) and film capillary pressure on the film stepwise thinning were studied. A micron-sized dot with a thickness one layer less than that of the surrounding film area is observed. The dot expands into a spot when the film reaches the critical area. The 2D dot-spot exhibits a threshold process. The spot expands and the film's stepwise thinning begins. When the film area is reduced, the spot stops expanding and begins to reduce in size. The film slowly recovers its original thickness in a stepwise manner, one layer at a time. It was demonstrated that the film area is the governing factor in the film stepwise thinning rather than the film capillary pressure. A particle dislocation-diffusion-osmotic pressure model is proposed to explain the mechanism of the film stepwise thinning phenomenon via dot-spot formation. The model explains all the features of the foam stepwise thinning phenomenon, including the reversibility of the film's stepwise thinning. For the first time for a film with a thickness less than three layers, a 2D in-layer hexagonal particle entropy structural transition was observed and theoretically predicted by the analysis of the Radial Distribution Function (RDF).
Collapse
|
16
|
Ochoa C, Xu C, MartÃnez Narváez CDV, Yang W, Zhang Y, Sharma V. Drainage via stratification and nanoscopic thickness transitions of aqueous sodium naphthenate foam films. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:8915-8924. [PMID: 34545906 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm01169c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Sodium naphthenates (NaNs), found in crude oils and oil sands process-affected water (OSPW), can act as surfactants and stabilize undesirable foams and emulsions. Despite the critical impact of soap-like NaNs on the formation, properties, and stability of petroleum and OSPW foams, there is a significant lack of studies that characterize foam film drainage, motivating this study. Here, we contrast the drainage of aqueous foam films formulated with NaN with foams containing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), a well-studied surfactant system, in the relatively low concentration regime (c/CMC < 12.5). The foam films exhibit drainage via stratification, displaying step-wise thinning and coexisting thick-thin regions manifested as distinct shades of gray in reflected light microscopy due to thickness-dependent interference intensity. Using IDIOM (interferometry digital imaging optical microscopy) protocols that we developed, we analyze pixel-wise intensity to obtain thickness maps with high spatiotemporal resolution (thickness <1 nm, lateral ∼500 nm, time ∼10 ms). The analysis of interference intensity variations over time reveals that the aqueous foam films of both SDS and NaN possess an evolving, dynamic, and rich nanoscopic topography. The nanoscopic thickness transitions for stratifying SDS foam films are attributed to the role played by damped supramolecular oscillatory structural disjoining pressure contributed by the confinement-induced layering of spherical micelles. In comparison with SDS, we find smaller concentration-dependent step size and terminal film thickness values for NaN, implying weaker intermicellar interactions and oscillatory structural disjoining pressure with shorter decay length and periodicity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chrystian Ochoa
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Chenxian Xu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | | | - William Yang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Yiran Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Vivek Sharma
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|