Hydrophobic and superhydrophobic surfaces fabricated using atmospheric pressure cold plasma technology: A review.

PubMed

Dimitrakellis, Panagiotis; Gogolides, Evangelos

2018-04-01

Hydrophobic surfaces are often used to reduce wetting of surfaces by water. In particular, superhydrophobic surfaces are highly desired for several applications due to their exceptional properties such as self-cleaning, anti-icing, anti-friction and others. Such surfaces can be prepared via numerous methods including plasma technology, a dry technique with low environmental impact. Atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) has recently attracted significant attention as lower-cost alternative to low-pressure plasmas, and as a candidate for continuous rather than batch processing. Although there are many reviews on water-repellent surfaces, and a few reviews on APP technology, there are hardly any review works on APP processing for hydrophobic and superhydrohobic surface fabrication, a topic of high importance in nanotechnology and interface science. Herein, we critically review the advances on hydrophobic and superhydrophobic surface fabrication using APP technology, trying also to give some perspectives in the field. After a short introduction to superhydrophobicity of nanostructured surfaces and to APPs we focus this review on three different aspects: (1) The atmospheric plasma reactor technology used for fabrication of (super)hydrophobic surfaces. (2) The APP process for hydrophobic surface preparation. The hydrophobic surface preparation processes are categorized methodologically as: a) activation, b) grafting, c) polymerization, d) roughening and hydrophobization. Each category includes subcategories related to different precursors used. (3) One of the most important sections of this review concerns superhydrophobic surfaces fabricated using APP. These are methodologically characterized as follows: a) single step processes where micro-nano textured topography and low surface energy coating are created at the same time, or b) multiple step processes, where these steps occur sequentially in or out of the plasma. We end the review with some perspectives in the field. We aspire to address scientists, who will get involved in the fields of (super)hydrophobicity and/or in atmospheric pressure plasma processing. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fabrication, Characterization, and Wettability Analysis of a Microstructured Hybrid Hydrophobic/Hydrophilic Surface

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

superhydrophobic surface. This effect was therefore named the “lotus- effect” [13]. In contrast to the highly hydrophobic lotus leaf, a Hybrid...enhanced CVD. Thin Solid Films, 1997. 303(1-2): p. 222-225. 17. Yabu, H. and M. Shimomura, Single-step fabrication of transparent superhydrophobic ...Wetting and self- cleaning properties of artificial superhydrophobic surfaces. Langmuir, 2005. 21(3): p. 956-961. 21. Nosonovsky, M. and B. Bhushan

Preparation of enhanced hydrophobic poly(L-lactide-co-ɛ-caprolactone) films surface and its blood compatibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Seung Il; Lim, Jin Ik; Jung, Youngmee; Mun, Cho Hay; Kim, Ji Heung; Kim, Soo Hyun

2013-07-01

Hydrophobicity-enhanced poly(L-lactide-co-ɛ-caprolactone) (PLCL) (50:50) films were cast by using the solvent-nonsolvent casting method. PLCL (50:50) was synthesized by the well-known random copolymerization process and confirmed by 1H NMR analysis. The molecular weight of the synthesized PLCL was measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Number-average (Mn), weight-average (Mw) molecular weights and polydispersity (Mw/Mn) were 7 × 104, 1.2 × 105, and 1.7, respectively. PLCL films were cast in vacuum condition with various nonsolvents and nonsolvent ratios. Tetrahydrofuran (THF) was used as the solvent and three different alcohols were used as the nonsolvent: methanol, ethanol, and isopropyl alcohol (IPA). Surface hydrophobicity was confirmed by water contact angle. The water contact angle was increased from 81° ± 2° to 107° ± 2°. Water contact angle was influenced by surface porosity and topography. The prepared film surfaces were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The change of crystalline property was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Platelet adhesion tests on the modified PLCL film surfaces were evaluated by platelet-rich plasma (PRP). The modified film surface exhibited enhanced hydrophobicity and reduced platelet adhesion ratio depending on the surface topography. One of the candidate products proposed as a potential blood compatible material showed a markedly reduced platelet adhesion property.

Macro and micro wettability of hydrophobic siloxane films with hierarchical surface roughness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terpilowski, Konrad; Goncharuk, Olena; Gun’ko, Vladimir M.

2018-07-01

A method has been proposed to control the macro- and micro-wetting properties of hydrophobic surfaces through changes in the roughness due to modifying siloxane films with silica microparticles (MP). An experimental and theoretical analysis of macro- and micro-wettability dependence on the roughness of a film surface was carried out by combination of SEM and XPS methods with evaluation of equilibrium contact angles from Tadmor’s equation. SEM images (environmental mode) allowed characterizing the mosaic hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity of the siloxane film surface. Hydrophobic siloxane films filled with silica MP were synthesized on the plasma activated and non-activated glass substrates by the sol-gel dip-coating method using tetraethylorthosilicate based precursor compositions with subsequent reaction with hexamethyldisilazane. The values of water contact angles higher than 150° indicating a superhydrophobic effect were observed for films with combining nano- and micro-hierarchical roughness. Moreover, considering wettability on the micro scale the hybrid effect was discovered and confirmed by the SEM and XPS studies showing the presence of not only hydrophobic but also hydrophilic surface domains.

Characterization of highly hydrophobic textiles by means of X-ray microtomography, wettability analysis and drop impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santini, M.; Guilizzoni, M.; Fest-Santini, S.; Lorenzi, M.

2017-11-01

Highly hydrophobic surfaces have been intensively investigated in the last years because their properties may lead to very promising technological spillovers encompassing both everyday use and high-tech fields. Focusing on textiles, hydrophobic fabrics are of major interest for applications ranging from clothes to architecture to environment protection and energy conversion. Gas diffusion media - made by a gas diffusion layer (GDL) and a microporous layer (MPL) - for fuel cells are a good benchmark to develop techniques aimed at characterizing the wetting performances of engineered textiles. An experimental investigation was carried out about carbon-based, PTFE-treated GDLs with and without MPLs. Two samples (woven and woven-non-woven) were analysed before and after coating with a MPL. Their three-dimensional structure was reconstructed and analysed by computer-aided X-ray microtomography (µCT). Static and dynamic wettability analyses were then carried out using a modified axisymmetric drop shape analysis technique. All the surfaces exhibited very high hydrophobicity, three of them near to a super-hydrophobic behavior. Water drop impacts were performed, evidencing different bouncing, sticking and fragmentation outcomes for which critical values of the Weber number were identified. Finally, a µCT scan of a drop on a GDL was performed, confirming the Cassie-Baxter wetting state on such surface.

Superhydrophobic cotton fabrics prepared by sol–gel coating of TiO2 and surface hydrophobization

PubMed Central

Xue, Chao-Hua; Jia, Shun-Tian; Chen, Hong-Zheng; Wang, Mang

2008-01-01

By coating fibers with titania sol to generate a dual-size surface roughness, followed by hydrophobization with stearic acid, 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltrichlorosilane or their combination, hydrophilic cotton fabrics were made superhydrophobic. The surface wettability and topology of cotton fabrics were studied by contact angle measurement and scanning electron microscopy. The UV-shielding property of the treated fabrics was also characterized by UV-vis spectrophotometry. PMID:27877998

Adsorption and wetting characterization of hydrophobic SBA-15 silicas.

PubMed

Bernardoni, Frank; Fadeev, Alexander Y

2011-04-15

This work describes adsorption and wetting characterization of hydrophobic ordered mesoporous silicas (OMSs) with the SBA-15 motif. Three synthetic approaches to prepare hydrophobic SBA-15 silicas were explored: grafting with (1) covalently-attached monolayers (CAMs) of C(n)H(2)(n+1)Si(CH(3))(2)N(CH(3))(2), (2) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of C(n)H(2)(n+1)Si(OEt)(3), and (3) direct ("one-pot") co-condensation of TEOS with C(n)H(2)(n+1)Si(OEt)(3) in presence of P123 (n=1-18). The materials prepared were characterized by nitrogen adsorption, TEM, and chemical analysis. The surface properties of the materials were assessed by water contact angles (CAs) and by BET C constants. The results showed that, while loadings of the alkyl groups (%C) were comparable, the surface properties and pore ordering of the materials prepared through different methods were quite different. The best quality hydrophobic surfaces were prepared for SBA-15 grafted with CAMs of alkylsilanes. For these materials, the water CAs were above ∼120°/100° (adv/rec) and BET C constants were in the range of ∼15-25, indicating uniform low-energy surfaces of closely packed alkyl groups on external and internal surfaces of the pores respectively. Moreover, surfaces grafted with the long-chained (C(12)-C(18)) silanes showed super-hydrophobic behavior (CAs∼150-180°) and extremely low adhesion for water. The pore uniformity of parental SBA-15 was largely preserved and the pore volume and pore diameter were consistent with the formation of a single layer of alkylsilyl groups inside the pores. Post-synthesis grafting of SBA-15 with SAMs worked not as well as CAMs: the surfaces prepared demonstrated lower water CAs and higher BET C constants, thereby indicating a small amount of accessible polar groups (Si-OH) related to packing constrains for SAMs supported on highly curved surfaces of mesopores. The co-condensation method produced substantially more disordered materials and less hydrophobic surfaces than any of the grafting methods. The surfaces of these materials showed low water CAs and high BET C constants (∼100-200) thereby demonstrating a non-uniform surface coverage and presence of unmodified silica. It is concluded that CAMs chemistry is the most efficient approach in preparation of the functionalized OMS materials with uniform surfaces and pores. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Ambient pressure synthesis and characterization of silica aerogel as adsorbent for dieldrin].

PubMed

Sha, Wei; Liu, Rui-ping; Liu, Hui-juan; Qu, Jiu-hui

2008-12-01

Hydrophobic silica aerogels were prepared from cheap waterglass precursors via surface modification of wet gels and ambient pressure drying route. Its adsorption capacity of Dieldrin, a typical of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), was examined. It is characterized via BET, FTIR, and DSC-TGA. The silica aerogels were highly hydrophobic with contact angles of 135 degrees-142 degrees, and the hydrophobicity of the aerogels could be maintained up to the temperature of 380 degrees C. The silica aerogels were porous with, pore size distribution of 17.5-23.4 nm, porosity of 94.8%-95.6%, and surface area of 444-560 m2 x g(-1). The results of adsorption experiments indicated that the hydrophobic aerogels could remove 84% of dieldrin from aqueous solution within 4 h; the adsorption process followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics process. Based on the adsorption equilibrium results, the adsorption capacity of silica aerogel was 11 times bigger than by active carbon.

Selective staining of proteins with hydrophobic surface sites on a native electrophoretic gel.

PubMed

Bertsch, Martina; Kassner, Richard J

2003-01-01

Chemical proteomics aims to characterize all of the proteins in the proteome with respect to their function, which is associated with their interaction with other molecules. We propose the identification of a subproteomic library of expressed proteins whose native structures are typified by the presence of hydrophobic surface sites, which are often involved in interactions with small molecules, membrane lipids, and other proteins, pertaining to their functions. We demonstrate that soluble globular proteins with hydrophobic surface sites can be detected selectively by staining on an electrophoretic gel run under nondenaturing conditions. The application of these staining techniques may help elucidate new catalytic, transport, and regulatory functionalities in complex proteomic screenings.

Comblike poly(ethylene oxide)/hydrophobic C6 branched chitosan surfactant polymers as anti-infection surface modifying agents.

PubMed

Mai-ngam, Katanchalee

2006-05-01

A series of structurally well-defined poly(ethylene oxide)/hydrophobic C6 branched chitosan surfactant polymers that undergo surface induced self assembly on hydrophobic biomaterial surfaces were synthesized and characterized. The surfactant polymers consist of low molecular weight (Mw) chitosan backbone with hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and hydrophobic hexyl pendant groups. Chitosan was depolymerized by nitrous acid deaminative cleavage. Hexanal and aldehyde-terminated PEO chains were simultaneously attached to low Mw chitosan hydrochloride via reductive amination. The surfactant polymers were prepared with various ratios of the two side chains. The molecular composition of the surfactant polymers was determined by FT-IR and 1H NMR. Surface active properties at the air-water interface were determined by Langmuir film balance measurements. The surfactant polymers with PEO/hexyl ratios of 1:3.0 and 1:14.4 were used as surface modifying agents to investigate their anti-infection properties. E. coli adhesion on Silastic surface was decreased significantly by the surfactant polymer with PEO/hexyl 1:3.0. Surface growth of adherent E. coli was effectively suppressed by both tested surfactant polymers.

The synthesis and protein resistance of amphiphilic PDMS-b-(PDMS-g-cysteine) copolymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Yufeng; Lin, Yaling; Zhang, Anqiang

2017-10-01

Zwitterionic polymers have been used to cope with nonspecific protein adsorption and bio-fouling problems for a wide range of materials, including biomedical devices, marine coatings and membrane separation. However, direct surface modification with highly water-soluble zwitterionic polymers is rather difficult due to their poor attachment to hydrophobic solid surfaces. In this work, we utilize the hydrophobic interaction to anchor zwitterionic polysiloxanes grafted with cysteine onto surfaces by adding an hydrophobic block of polydimethylsiloxanes, referred as PDMS-b-(PDMS-g-Cys)s. The synthesis involves only three steps of reactions, and the structures of each product were characterized using GPC, FT-IR and 1H NMR. The adsorption and protein resistance of PDMS-b-(PDMS-g-Cys)s on a gold surface are investigated with QCM-D. The results show that the hydrophobic interaction moieties of the additional PDMS blocks help the hydrophilic cysteine-grafted blocks stably attach and then function on the sensor. These findings suggest that the addition of hydrophobic moieties provides an effective approach to construct anti-fouling interfaces with zwitterionic polymers in aqueous solution.

Hydrophobization of epoxy nanocomposite surface with 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltrichlorosilane for superhydrophobic properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Psarski, Maciej; Marczak, Jacek; Celichowski, Grzegorz; Sobieraj, Grzegorz B.; Gumowski, Konrad; Zhou, Feng; Liu, Weimin

2012-10-01

Nature inspires the design of synthetic materials with superhydrophobic properties, which can be used for applications ranging from self-cleaning surfaces to microfluidic devices. Their water repellent properties are due to hierarchical (micrometer- and nanometre-scale) surface morphological structures, either made of hydrophobic substances or hydrophobized by appropriate surface treatment. In this work, the efficiency of two surface treatment procedures, with a hydrophobic fluoropolymer, synthesized and deposited from 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltrichlorosilane (PFOTS) is investigated. The procedures involved reactions from the gas and liquid phases of the PFOTS/hexane solutions. The hierarchical structure is created in an epoxy nanocomposite surface, by filling the resin with alumina nanoparticles and micron-sized glass beads and subsequent sandblasting with corundum microparticles. The chemical structure of the deposited fluoropolymer was examined using XPS spectroscopy. The topography of the modified surfaces was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The hydrophobic properties of the modified surfaces were investigated by water contact and sliding angles measurements. The surfaces exhibited water contact angles of above 150° for both modification procedures, however only the gas phase modification provided the non-sticking behaviour of water droplets (sliding angle of 3°). The discrepancy is attributed to extra surface roughness provided by the latter procedure.

Recent experimental advances on hydrophobic interactions at solid/water and fluid/water interfaces.

PubMed

Zeng, Hongbo; Shi, Chen; Huang, Jun; Li, Lin; Liu, Guangyi; Zhong, Hong

2015-03-15

Hydrophobic effects play important roles in a wide range of natural phenomena and engineering processes such as coalescence of oil droplets in water, air flotation of mineral particles, and folding and assembly of proteins and biomembranes. In this work, the authors highlight recent experimental attempts to reveal the physical origin of hydrophobic effects by directly quantifying the hydrophobic interaction on both solid/water and fluid/water interfaces using state-of-art nanomechanical techniques such as surface forces apparatus and atomic force microscopy (AFM). For solid hydrophobic surfaces of different hydrophobicity, the range of hydrophobic interaction was reported to vary from ∼10 to >100 nm. With various characterization techniques, the very long-ranged attraction (>100 nm) has been demonstrated to be mainly attributed to nonhydrophobic interaction mechanisms such as pre-existing nanobubbles and molecular rearrangement. By ruling out these factors, intrinsic hydrophobic interaction was measured to follow an exponential law with decay length of 1-2 nm with effective range less than 20 nm. On the other hand, hydrophobic interaction measured at fluid interfaces using AFM droplet/bubble probe technique was found to decay with a much shorter length of ∼0.3 nm. This discrepancy of measured decay lengths is proposed to be attributed to inherent physical distinction between solid and fluid interfaces, which impacts the structure of interface-adjacent water molecules. Direct measurement of hydrophobic interaction on a broader range of interfaces and characterization of interfacial water molecular structure using spectroscopic techniques are anticipated to help unravel the origin of this rigidity-related mismatch of hydrophobic interaction and hold promise to uncover the physical nature of hydrophobic effects. With improved understanding of hydrophobic interaction, intrinsic interaction mechanisms of many biological and chemical pathways can be better elucidated, and novel devices/processes can be developed with capacity to modulate and control the hydrophobic effects from the molecular to the macroscopic scale.

Salvinia-Effect-Inspired "Sticky" Superhydrophobic Surfaces by Meniscus-Confined Electrodeposition.

PubMed

Zheng, Deyin; Jiang, Youhua; Yu, Wentao; Jiang, Xiufen; Zhao, Xin; Choi, Chang-Hwan; Sun, Guangyi

2017-11-28

Inspired by the Salvinia effect, we report the fabrication and characterization of a novel "sticky" superhydrophobic surface sustaining a Cassie-Baxter wetting state for water droplets with high contact angles but strong solid-liquid retention. Unlike superhydrophobic surfaces mimicking the lotus or petal effect, whose hydrophobicity and droplet retention are typically regulated by hierarchical micro- and nanostructures made of a homogeneous material with the same surface energy, our superhydrophobic surface merely requires singular microstructures covered with a hydrophobic coating but creatively coupled with hydrophilic tips with different surface energy. Hydrophilic tips are selectively formed by meniscus-confined electrodeposition of a metal (e.g., nickel) layer on top of hydrophobic microstructures. During the electrodeposition process, the superhydrophobic surface retains its plastron so that the electrolyte cannot penetrate into the cavity of hydrophobic microstructures, consequently making the electrochemical reaction between solid and electrolyte occur only on the tip. In contrast to typical superhydrophobic surfaces where droplets are highly mobile, the "sticky" superhydrophobic surface allows a water droplet to have strong local pinning and solid-liquid retention on the hydrophilic tips, which is of great significance in many droplet behaviors such as evaporation.

Free-surface liquid jet impingement on rib patterned superhydrophobic surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maynes, D.; Johnson, M.; Webb, B. W.

2011-05-01

We report experimental results characterizing the dynamics of a liquid jet impinging normally on hydrophilic, hydrophobic, and superhydrophobic surfaces spanning the Weber number (based on the jet velocity and diameter) range from 100 to 1900. The superhydrophobic surfaces are fabricated with both hydrophobically coated silicon and polydimethylsiloxane that exhibit alternating microribs and cavities. For all surfaces a transition from a thin radially moving liquid sheet occurs. This takes the form of the classical hydraulic jump for the hydrophilic surfaces but is markedly different for the hydrophobic and superhydrophobic surfaces, where the transition is significantly influenced by surface tension and a break-up into droplets is observed at high Weber number. For the superhydrophobic surfaces, the transition exhibits an elliptical shape with the major axis being aligned parallel to the ribs, concomitant with the frictional resistance being smaller in the parallel direction than in the transverse direction. However, the total projected area of the ellipse exhibits a nearly linear dependence on the jet Weber number, and was nominally invariant with varying hydrophobicity and relative size of the ribs and cavities. For the hydrophobic and superhydrophobic scenarios, the local Weber number based on the local radial velocity and local depth of the radially moving liquid sheet is observed to be of order unity at the transition location. The results also reveal that for increasing relative size of the cavities, the ratio of the ellipse axis (major-to-minor) increases.

Silica nano-particle super-hydrophobic surfaces: the effects of surface morphology and trapped air pockets on hydrodynamic drainage forces.

PubMed

Chan, Derek Y C; Uddin, Md Hemayet; Cho, Kwun L; Liaw, Irving I; Lamb, Robert N; Stevens, Geoffrey W; Grieser, Franz; Dagastine, Raymond R

2009-01-01

We used atomic force microscopy to study dynamic forces between a rigid silica sphere (radius approximately 45 microm) and a silica nano-particle super-hydrophobic surface (SNP-SHS) in aqueous electrolyte, in the presence and absence of surfactant. Characterization of the SNP-SHS surface in air showed a surface roughness of up to two microns. When in contact with an aqueous phase, the SNP-SHS traps large, soft and stable air pockets in the surface interstices. The inherent roughness of the SNP-SHS together with the trapped air pockets are responsible for the superior hydrophobic properties of SNP-SHS such as high equilibrium contact angle (> 140 degrees) of water sessile drops on these surfaces and low hydrodynamic friction as observed in force measurements. We also observed that added surfactants adsorbed at the surface of air pockets magnified hydrodynamic interactions involving the SNP-SHS. The dynamic forces between the same silica sphere and a laterally smooth mica surface showed that the fitted Navier slip lengths using the Reynolds lubrication model were an order of magnitude larger than the length scale of the sphere surface roughness. The surface roughness and the lateral heterogeneity of the SNP-SHS hindered attempts to characterize the dynamic response using the Reynolds lubrication model even when augmented with a Navier slip boundary.

Design and fabrication of highly hydrophobic Mn nano-sculptured thin films and evaluation of surface properties on hydrophobicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosseini, Somaye; Savaloni, Hadi; Gholipour-Shahraki, Mehran

2017-03-01

The wettability of solid surfaces is important from the aspects of both science and technology. The Mn nano-sculptured thin films were designed and fabricated by oblique angle deposition of Mn on glass substrates at room temperature. The obtained structure was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The wettability of thin films samples was investigated by water contact angle (WCA). The 4-pointed helical star-shaped structure exhibits hydrophobicity with static WCAs of more than 133° for a 10-mg distilled water droplet. This sample also shows the rose petal effect with the additional property of high adhesion. The Mn nano-sculptured thin films also act as a sticky surface which is confirmed by hysteresis of the contact angle obtained from advancing and receding contact angles measurements. Physicochemical property of liquid phase could effectively change the contact angle, and polar solvents in contact with hydrophobic solid surfaces do not necessarily show high contact angle value.

Morphology studies of hydrophobic silica on filter surface prepared via spray technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahfiq Zulkifli, Nazrul; Zaini Yunos, Muhamad; Ahmad, Azlinnorazia; Harun, Zawati; Akhair, Siti Hajar Mohd; Adibah Raja Ahmad, Raja; Hafeez Azhar, Faiz; Rashid, Abdul Qaiyyum Abd; Ismail, Al Emran

2017-08-01

This study investigated the effect of the hydrophobic surface treatment effect of air filter performance by using silica aerogel powder as an additive by using spray coating techniques. The membrane characterization tests were carried out on a filter prepared from different additive concentration. Studies on the cross-section and the distribution of particles on the membrane were carried out using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the surface morphology was investigated by x-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The results are shown by SEM and EDS that the microstructure filter, especially in the upper layer and sub-layer has been changed. The results also show an increase of hydrophobicity due to the increased quantity of silica aerogel powder.

Molecular dynamics study of a nanotube-binding amphiphilic helical peptide at different water/hydrophobic interfaces.

PubMed

Chiu, Chi-Cheng; Dieckmann, Gregg R; Nielsen, Steven O

2008-12-25

Many potential applications of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) require that they be isolated from one another. This may be accomplished through covalent or noncovalent SWNT functionalization. The noncovalent approach preserves the intrinsic electrical, optical, and mechanical properties of SWNTs and can be achieved by dispersing SWNTs in aqueous solution using surfactants, polymers, or biomacromolecules like DNA or polypeptides. The designed amphiphilic helical peptide nano-1, which contains hydrophobic valine and aromatic phenylalanine residues for interaction with SWNTs and glutamic acid and lysine residues for water solubility, has been shown to debundle and disperse SWNTs, although the details of the peptide-SWNT interactions await elucidation. Here we use fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the nano-1 peptide at three different water/hydrophobic interfaces: water/oil, water/graphite, and water/SWNT. The amphiphilic nature of the peptide is characterized by its secondary structure, peptide-water hydrogen bonding, and peptide-hydrophobic surface van der Waals energy. We show that nano-1 has reduced amphiphilic character at the water/oil interface because the peptide helix penetrates into the hydrophobic phase. The peptide alpha-helix cannot match its hydrophobic face to the rigid planar graphite surface without partially unfolding. In contrast, nano-1 can curve on the SWNT surface in an alpha-helical conformation to simultaneously maximize its hydrophobic contacts with the SWNT and its hydrogen bonds with water. The molecular insight into the peptide conformation at the various hydrophobic surfaces provides guidelines for future peptide design.

A simple atomic-level hydrophobicity scale reveals protein interfacial structure.

PubMed

Kapcha, Lauren H; Rossky, Peter J

2014-01-23

Many amino acid residue hydrophobicity scales have been created in an effort to better understand and rapidly characterize water-protein interactions based only on protein structure and sequence. There is surprisingly low consistency in the ranking of residue hydrophobicity between scales, and their ability to provide insightful characterization varies substantially across subject proteins. All current scales characterize hydrophobicity based on entire amino acid residue units. We introduce a simple binary but atomic-level hydrophobicity scale that allows for the classification of polar and non-polar moieties within single residues, including backbone atoms. This simple scale is first shown to capture the anticipated hydrophobic character for those whole residues that align in classification among most scales. Examination of a set of protein binding interfaces establishes good agreement between residue-based and atomic-level descriptions of hydrophobicity for five residues, while the remaining residues produce discrepancies. We then show that the atomistic scale properly classifies the hydrophobicity of functionally important regions where residue-based scales fail. To illustrate the utility of the new approach, we show that the atomic-level scale rationalizes the hydration of two hydrophobic pockets and the presence of a void in a third pocket within a single protein and that it appropriately classifies all of the functionally important hydrophilic sites within two otherwise hydrophobic pores. We suggest that an atomic level of detail is, in general, necessary for the reliable depiction of hydrophobicity for all protein surfaces. The present formulation can be implemented simply in a manner no more complex than current residue-based approaches. © 2013.

Plasma-induced polymerization for enhancing paper hydrophobicity.

PubMed

Song, Zhaoping; Tang, Jiebin; Li, Junrong; Xiao, Huining

2013-01-30

Hydrophobic modification of cellulose fibers was conducted via plasma-induced polymerization in an attempt to graft the hydrophobic polymer chains on paper surface, this increasing the hydrophobicity of paper. Two hydrophobic monomers, butyl acrylate (BA) and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (2-EHA), were grafted on cellulose fibers, induced by atmospheric cold plasma. Various influencing factors associated with the plasma-induced grafting were investigated. Contact-angle measurement, Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to ascertain the occurrence of the grafting and characterized the changes of the cellulose fiber after modification. The results showed that the hydrophobicity of the modified paper sheet was improved significantly after the plasma-induced grafting. The water contact angle on the paper surface reached up to 130°. The morphological differences between modified and unmodified samples were also revealed by SEM observation. The resulting paper is promising as a green-based packaging material. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of the side chain and substrate on polythiophene thin film surface, bulk, and buried interfacial structures.

PubMed

Xiao, Minyu; Jasensky, Joshua; Zhang, Xiaoxian; Li, Yaoxin; Pichan, Cayla; Lu, Xiaolin; Chen, Zhan

2016-08-10

The molecular structures of organic semiconducting thin films mediate the performance of various devices composed of such materials. To fully understand how the structures of organic semiconductors alter on substrates due to different polymer side chains and different interfacial interactions, thin films of two kinds of polythiophene derivatives with different side-chains, poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and poly(3-potassium-6-hexanoate thiophene) (P3KHT), were deposited and compared on various surfaces. A combination of analytical tools was applied in this research: contact angle goniometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize substrate dielectric surfaces with varied hydrophobicity for polymer film deposition; X-ray diffraction and UV-vis spectroscopy were used to examine the polythiophene film bulk structure; sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy was utilized to probe the molecular structures of polymer film surfaces in air and buried solid/solid interfaces. Both side-chain hydrophobicity and substrate hydrophobicity were found to mediate the crystallinity of the polythiophene film, as well as the orientation of the thiophene ring within the polymer backbone at the buried polymer/substrate interface and the polymer thin film surface in air. For the same type of polythiophene film deposited on different substrates, a more hydrophobic substrate surface induced thiophene ring alignment with the surface normal at both the buried interface and on the surface in air. For different films (P3HT vs. P3KHT) deposited on the same dielectric substrate, a more hydrophobic polythiophene side chain caused the thiophene ring to align more towards the surface at the buried polymer/substrate interface and on the surface in air. We believe that the polythiophene surface, bulk, and buried interfacial molecular structures all influence the hole mobility within the polythiophene film. Successful characterization of an organic conducting thin film surface, buried interfacial, and bulk structures is a first crucial step in understanding the structure-function relationship of such films in order to optimize device performance. An in-depth understanding on how the side-chain influences the interfacial and surface polymer orientation will guide the future molecular structure design of organic semiconductors.

Poly(ethylene oxide) surfactant polymers.

PubMed

Vacheethasanee, Katanchalee; Wang, Shuwu; Qiu, Yongxing; Marchant, Roger E

2004-01-01

We report on a series of structurally well-defined surfactant polymers that undergo surface-induced self-assembly on hydrophobic biomaterial surfaces. The surfactant polymers consist of a poly(vinyl amine) backbone with poly(ethylene oxide) and hexanal pendant groups. The poly(vinyl amine) (PVAm) was synthesized by hydrolysis of poly(N-vinyl formamide) following free radical polymerization of N-vinyl formamide. Hexanal and aldehyde-terminated poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) were simultaneously attached to PVAm via reductive amination. Surfactant polymers with different PEO:hexanal ratios and hydrophilic/hydrophobic balances were prepared, and characterized by FT-IR, 1H-NMR and XPS spectroscopies. Surface active properties at the air/water interface were determined by surface tension measurements. Surface activity at a solid surface/water interface was demonstrated by atomic force microscopy, showing epitaxially molecular alignment for surfactant polymers adsorbed on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite. The surfactant polymers described in this report can be adapted for simple non-covalent surface modification of biomaterials and hydrophobic surfaces to provide highly hydrated interfaces.

Effect of surface hydrophobicity on the function of the immobilized biomineralization protein Mms6

DOE PAGES

Liu, Xunpei; Zhang, Honghu; Nayak, Srikanth; ...

2015-08-13

Magnetotactic bacteria produce magnetic nanocrystals with uniform shapes and sizes in nature, which has inspired in vitro synthesis of uniformly sized magnetite nanocrystals under mild conditions. Mms6, a biomineralization protein from magnetotactic bacteria with a hydrophobic N-terminal domain and a hydrophilic C-terminal domain, can promote formation of magnetite nanocrystals in vitro with well-defined shape and size in gels under mild conditions. Here we investigate the role of surface hydrophobicity on the ability of Mms6 to template magnetite nanoparticle formation on surfaces. Our results confirmed that Mms6 can form a protein network structure on a monolayer of hydrophobic octadecanethiol (ODT)-coated goldmore » surfaces and facilitate magnetite nanocrystal formation with uniform sizes close to those seen in nature, in contrast to its behavior on more hydrophilic surfaces. We propose that this hydrophobicity effect might be due to the amphiphilic nature of the Mms6 protein and its tendency to incorporate the hydrophobic N-terminal domain into the hydrophobic lipid bilayer environment of the magnetosome membrane, exposing the hydrophilic C-terminal domain that promotes biomineralization. Supporting this hypothesis, the larger and well-formed magnetite nanoparticles were found to be preferentially located on ODT surfaces covered with Mms6 as compared to control samples, as characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy studies. A C-terminal domain mutant of this protein did not form the same network structure as wild-type Mms6, suggesting that the network structure is important for the magnetite nanocrystal formation. This article provides valuable insights into the role of surface hydrophilicity on the action of the biomineralization protein Mms6 to synthesize magnetic nanocrystals and provides a facile route to controlling bioinspired nanocrystal synthesis in vitro.« less

Temperature sensitive surfaces and methods of making same

DOEpatents

Liang, Liang [Richland, WA; Rieke, Peter C [Pasco, WA; Alford, Kentin L [Pasco, WA

2002-09-10

Poly-n-isopropylacrylamide surface coatings demonstrate the useful property of being able to switch charateristics depending upon temperature. More specifically, these coatings switch from being hydrophilic at low temperature to hydrophobic at high temperature. Research has been conducted for many years to better characterize and control the properties of temperature sensitive coatings. The present invention provides novel temperature sensitive coatings on articles and novel methods of making temperature sensitive coatings that are disposed on the surfaces of various articles. These novel coatings contain the reaction products of n-isopropylacrylamide and are characterized by their properties such as advancing contact angles. Numerous other characteristics such as coating thickness, surface roughness, and hydrophilic-to-hydrophobic transition temperatures are also described. The present invention includes articles having temperature-sensitve coatings with improved properties as well as improved methods for forming temperature sensitive coatings.

Influence of surface structure and chemistry on water droplet splashing.

PubMed

Koch, Kerstin; Grichnik, Roland

2016-08-06

Water droplet splashing and aerosolization play a role in human hygiene and health systems as well as in crop culturing. Prevention or reduction of splashing can prevent transmission of diseases between animals and plants and keep technical systems such as pipe or bottling systems free of contamination. This study demonstrates to what extent the surface chemistry and structures influence the water droplet splashing behaviour. Smooth surfaces and structured replicas of Calathea zebrina (Sims) Lindl. leaves were produced. Modification of their wettability was done by coating with hydrophobizing and hydrophilizing agents. Their wetting was characterized by contact angle measurement and splashing behaviour was observed with a high-speed video camera. Hydrophobic and superhydrophilic surfaces generally showed fewer tendencies to splash than hydrophobic ones. Structuring amplified the underlying behaviour of the surface chemistries, increasing hydrophobic surfaces' tendency to splash and decreasing splash on hydrophilic surfaces by quickly transporting water off the impact point by capillary forces. The non-porous surface structures found in C. zebrina could easily be applied to technical products such as plastic foils or mats and coated with hydrophilizing agents to suppress splash in areas of increased hygiene requirements or wherever pooling of liquids is not desirable.This article is part of the themed issue 'Bioinspired hierarchically structured surfaces for green science'. © 2016 The Author(s).

Induced superhydrophobic and antimicrobial character of zinc metal modified ceramic wall tile surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Özcan, Selçuk; Açıkbaş, Gökhan; Çalış Açıkbaş, Nurcan

2018-04-01

Hydrophobic surfaces are also known to have antimicrobial effect by restricting the adherence of microorganisms. However, ceramic products are produced by high temperature processes resulting in a hydrophilic surface. In this study, an industrial ceramic wall tile glaze composition was modified by the inclusion of metallic zinc powder in the glaze suspension applied on the pre-sintered wall tile bodies by spraying. The glazed tiles were gloss fired at industrially applicable peak temperatures ranging from 980 °C to 1100 °C. The fired tile surfaces were coated with a commercial fluoropolymer avoiding water absorption. The surfaces were characterized with SEM, EDS, XRD techniques, roughness, sessile water drop contact angle, surface energy measurements, and standard antimicrobial tests. The surface hydrophobicity and the antimicrobial activity results were compared with that of unmodified, uncoated gloss fired wall tiles. A superhydrophobic contact angle of 150° was achieved at 1000 °C peak temperature due to the formation of micro-structured nanocrystalline zinc oxide granules providing a specific surface topography. At higher peak temperatures the hydrophobicity was lost as the specific granular surface topography deteriorated with the conversion of zinc oxide granules to the ubiquitous willemite crystals embedded in the glassy matrix. The antimicrobial efficacy also correlated with the hydrophobic character.

Computational analysis of protein-protein interfaces involving an alpha helix: insights for terphenyl-like molecules binding.

PubMed

Isvoran, Adriana; Craciun, Dana; Martiny, Virginie; Sperandio, Olivier; Miteva, Maria A

2013-06-14

Protein-Protein Interactions (PPIs) are key for many cellular processes. The characterization of PPI interfaces and the prediction of putative ligand binding sites and hot spot residues are essential to design efficient small-molecule modulators of PPI. Terphenyl and its derivatives are small organic molecules known to mimic one face of protein-binding alpha-helical peptides. In this work we focus on several PPIs mediated by alpha-helical peptides. We performed computational sequence- and structure-based analyses in order to evaluate several key physicochemical and surface properties of proteins known to interact with alpha-helical peptides and/or terphenyl and its derivatives. Sequence-based analysis revealed low sequence identity between some of the analyzed proteins binding alpha-helical peptides. Structure-based analysis was performed to calculate the volume, the fractal dimension roughness and the hydrophobicity of the binding regions. Besides the overall hydrophobic character of the binding pockets, some specificities were detected. We showed that the hydrophobicity is not uniformly distributed in different alpha-helix binding pockets that can help to identify key hydrophobic hot spots. The presence of hydrophobic cavities at the protein surface with a more complex shape than the entire protein surface seems to be an important property related to the ability of proteins to bind alpha-helical peptides and low molecular weight mimetics. Characterization of similarities and specificities of PPI binding sites can be helpful for further development of small molecules targeting alpha-helix binding proteins.

Preparation of anticoagulant PyC biomaterials with super-hydrophobic surface.

PubMed

Ze, Wang; Wen-Sheng, Tan; Ye-Xia; Ming, Zhang; Xiao-Ping, Li; Jian-Guo, Qiu; Xiao-Hong, Yang

2018-01-01

Pyrolytic carbon (PyC) is a kind of biomaterial which is chemically inert and has excellent biocompatibility. In order to obtain a super-hydrophobic PyC surface to improve anticoagulation and inhibit thrombus, this study prepares grating pair structure, microhole array structure, helix structure on PyC surface by nanoseconds laser etching. Rod-like ZnO film and ball-like ZnO film are prepared on the PyC surface by the hydrothermal method; polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) nanofiber film and PVP/TiO 2 complex nanofiber film are prepared on the PyC surface by the electrospinning method; the PyC surface is silanized. Finally, surface microstructure and surface energy are characterized by scanning electron microscopy and contact angle meter (OCA20, German DataPhysics Co.). The periodical microstructures are formed respectively by nanoseconds laser etching. The surface roughness is increased by the hydrothermal and electrospinning method. Through infiltration experiment on rough and smooth PyC surfaces, rough PyC surface with microstructure is super-hydrophobic and has greater than 150° contact angle, which decreases blood flow resistance and inhibits thrombus.

3D hydrophobic moment vectors as a tool to characterize the surface polarity of amphiphilic peptides.

PubMed

Reißer, Sabine; Strandberg, Erik; Steinbrecher, Thomas; Ulrich, Anne S

2014-06-03

The interaction of membranes with peptides and proteins is largely determined by their amphiphilic character. Hydrophobic moments of helical segments are commonly derived from their two-dimensional helical wheel projections, and the same is true for β-sheets. However, to the best of our knowledge, there exists no method to describe structures in three dimensions or molecules with irregular shape. Here, we define the hydrophobic moment of a molecule as a vector in three dimensions by evaluating the surface distribution of all hydrophilic and lipophilic regions over any given shape. The electrostatic potential on the molecular surface is calculated based on the atomic point charges. The resulting hydrophobic moment vector is specific for the instantaneous conformation, and it takes into account all structural characteristics of the molecule, e.g., partial unfolding, bending, and side-chain torsion angles. Extended all-atom molecular dynamics simulations are then used to calculate the equilibrium hydrophobic moments for two antimicrobial peptides, gramicidin S and PGLa, under different conditions. We show that their effective hydrophobic moment vectors reflect the distribution of polar and nonpolar patches on the molecular surface and the calculated electrostatic surface potential. A comparison of simulations in solution and in lipid membranes shows how the peptides undergo internal conformational rearrangement upon binding to the bilayer surface. A good correlation with solid-state NMR data indicates that the hydrophobic moment vector can be used to predict the membrane binding geometry of peptides. This method is available as a web application on http://www.ibg.kit.edu/HM/. Copyright © 2014 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigation of protein selectivity in multimodal chromatography using in silico designed Fab fragment variants.

PubMed

Karkov, Hanne Sophie; Krogh, Berit Olsen; Woo, James; Parimal, Siddharth; Ahmadian, Haleh; Cramer, Steven M

2015-11-01

In this study, a unique set of antibody Fab fragments was designed in silico and produced to examine the relationship between protein surface properties and selectivity in multimodal chromatographic systems. We hypothesized that multimodal ligands containing both hydrophobic and charged moieties would interact strongly with protein surface regions where charged groups and hydrophobic patches were in close spatial proximity. Protein surface property characterization tools were employed to identify the potential multimodal ligand binding regions on the Fab fragment of a humanized antibody and to evaluate the impact of mutations on surface charge and hydrophobicity. Twenty Fab variants were generated by site-directed mutagenesis, recombinant expression, and affinity purification. Column gradient experiments were carried out with the Fab variants in multimodal, cation-exchange, and hydrophobic interaction chromatographic systems. The results clearly indicated that selectivity in the multimodal system was different from the other chromatographic modes examined. Column retention data for the reduced charge Fab variants identified a binding site comprising light chain CDR1 as the main electrostatic interaction site for the multimodal and cation-exchange ligands. Furthermore, the multimodal ligand binding was enhanced by additional hydrophobic contributions as evident from the results obtained with hydrophobic Fab variants. The use of in silico protein surface property analyses combined with molecular biology techniques, protein expression, and chromatographic evaluations represents a previously undescribed and powerful approach for investigating multimodal selectivity with complex biomolecules. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Simple treatment of cotton textile to impart high water repellent properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanova, N. A.; Zaretskaya, A. K.

2010-12-01

We describe two methods to impart the water repellency for the surface of cotton fabric, using a commercially available and a laboratory synthesized fluoroalkylsiloxanes. To characterize the wettability and the durability of water repellent properties of hydrophobic coating produced, we have studied the advancing water contact angles, rolling angles and the evolution of water contact angle in time during a continuous contact of the surface with the water drop. The quality of the coatings was also assessed after the washing procedure. The analysis of the wettability of hydrophobized fabrics indicated that a better effect, leading to the superhydrophobic state of the surface, was observed when the surface relief of the fabric with the coating is determined by not only the structure and braiding of the fabric, but also the additional elements of texture created by the aggregates of molecules of hydrophobic agent.

Impact of surface wettability on S-layer recrystallization: a real-time characterization by QCM-D.

PubMed

Iturri, Jagoba; Vianna, Ana C; Moreno-Cencerrado, Alberto; Pum, Dietmar; Sleytr, Uwe B; Toca-Herrera, José Luis

2017-01-01

Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) has been employed to study the assembly and recrystallization kinetics of isolated SbpA bacterial surface proteins onto silicon dioxide substrates of different surface wettability. Surface modification by UV/ozone oxidation or by vapor deposition of 1 H ,1 H ,2 H ,2 H -perfluorododecyltrichlorosilane yielded hydrophilic or hydrophobic samples, respectively. Time evolution of frequency and dissipation factors, either individually or combined as the so-called Df plots, showed a much faster formation of crystalline coatings for hydrophobic samples, characterized by a phase-transition peak at around the 70% of the total mass adsorbed. This behavior has been proven to mimic, both in terms of kinetics and film assembly steps, the recrystallization taking place on an underlying secondary cell-wall polymer (SCWP) as found in bacteria. Complementary atomic force microscopy (AFM) experiments corroborate these findings and reveal the impact on the final structure achieved.

Preparation of superhydrophobic glass fiber and interfacially reinforced glass fiber/epoxy composites by grafting polysiloxane nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lv, Junwei; Wang, Bin; Ma, Qi; Li, Mengyao; Wang, Wenjing; Lu, Gaotaihang; Li, Hui; Zhao, Chunxia

2018-04-01

Ethyltrichlorosilane used as precursor reacted with glass fiber (GF) surface. Then polysiloxane was functionalized onto GF surface to improve GF’s hydrophobicity and interfacial properties of GF reinforced composites. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the successful grafting of polysiloxane onto GF’s surface. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) characterized the variation of chemical composition of GF surface. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that the polysiloxane was grafted onto GF’s surface uniformly and the surface roughness of GF was enhanced obviously. Static contact angle analysis (SCA) revealed the significant improvement of surface hydrophobicity. Compared with the original GF composites, the interfacial shear strength (IFSS) increased by 36.52%. Meanwhile, we discovered a facile way to accomplish the experiment.

Superhydrophobic surfaces’ influence on streaming current based energy harvester

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fouché, Florent; Dargent, Thomas; Coffinier, Yannick; Treizebré, Anthony; Vlandas, Alexis; Senez, Vincent

2016-11-01

The purpose of this paper is to report the design, fabrication and characterization of silicon-based microfluidic channels with superhydrophobic walls for energy harvesting. We present the fabrication step of silicon based streaming current energy harvester and the nanostructuration of the microchannel walls. We characterize the superhydrophobic properties of the surface in a closed system. Our preliminary results on the electrical characterization of the device show a 43% increase of power harvested with our superhydrophobic surface compared to a planar hydrophobic surface.

Hydrophilic/hydrophobic surface modification impact on colloid lithography: Schottky-like defects, dislocation, and ideal distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burtsev, Vasilii; Marchuk, Valentina; Kugaevskiy, Artem; Guselnikova, Olga; Elashnikov, Roman; Miliutina, Elena; Postnikov, Pavel; Svorcik, Vaclav; Lyutakov, Oleksiy

2018-03-01

Nano-spheres lithography is actually considered as a powerful tool to manufacture various periodic structures with a wide potential in the field of nano- and micro-fabrication. However, during self-assembling of colloid microspheres, various defects and mismatches can appear. In this work the size and quality of single-domains of closed-packed polystyrene (PS), grown up on thin Au layers modified by hydrophilic or hydrophobic functional groups via diazonium chemistry was studied. The effects of the surface modification on the quality and single-domain size of polystyrene (PS) microspheres array were investigated and discussed. Modified surfaces were characterized using the AFM and wettability tests. PS colloidal suspension was deposited using the drop evaporation method. Resulted PS microspheres array was characterized using the SEM, AFM and confocal microscopy technique.

Characterization of the Cell Surface Properties of Drinking Water Pathogens by Microbial Adhesion to Hydrocarbon and Electrophoretic Mobility Measurements

EPA Science Inventory

The surface characteristics of microbial cells directly influence their mobility and behavior within aqueous environments. The cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) and electrophoretic mobility (EPM) of microbial cells impact a number of interactions and processes including aggregati...

A study on the nature of interactions of mixed-mode ligands HEA and PPA HyperCel using phenylglyoxal modified lysozyme.

PubMed

Pezzini, J; Cabanne, C; Dupuy, J-W; Gantier, R; Santarelli, X

2014-06-01

Mixed mode chromatography, or multimodal chromatography, involves the exploitation of combinations of several interactions in a controlled manner, to facilitate the rapid capture of proteins. Mixed-mode ligands like HEA and PPA HyperCel™ facilitate different kinds of interactions (hydrophobic, ionic, etc.) under different conditions. In order to better characterize the nature of this multi-modal interaction, we sought to study a protein, lysozyme, which is normally not retained by these mixed mode resins under normal binding conditions. Lysozyme was modified specifically at Arginine residues by the action of phenylglyoxal, and was extensively studied in this work to better characterize the mixed-mode interactions of HEA HyperCel™ and PPA HyperCel™ chromatographic supports. We show here that the adsorption behaviour of lysozyme on HEA and PPA HyperCel™ mixed mode sorbents varies depending on the degree of charge modification at the surface of the protein. Experiments using conventional cation exchange and hydrophobic interaction chromatography confirm that both charge and hydrophobicity modification occurs at the surface of the protein after lysozyme reaction with phenylglyoxal. The results emanating from this work using HEA and PPA HyperCel sorbents strongly suggest that mixed mode chromatography can efficiently separate closely related proteins of only minor surface charge and/or hydrophobicity differences. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Is it the shape of the cavity, or the shape of the water in the cavity?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snyder, Phillip W.; Lockett, Matthew R.; Moustakas, Demetri T.; Whitesides, George M.

2014-04-01

Historical interpretations of the thermodynamics characterizing biomolecular recognition have marginalized the role of water. An important (even, perhaps, dominant) contribution to molecular recognition in water comes from the "hydrophobic effect," in which non-polar portions of a ligand interact preferentially with non-polar regions of a protein. Water surrounds the ligand, and water fills the binding pocket of the protein: when the protein-ligand complex forms, and hydrophobic surfaces of the binding pocket and the ligand approach one another, the molecules (and hydrogen-bonded networks of molecules) of water associated with both surfaces rearrange and, in part, entirely escape into the bulk solution. It is now clear that neither of the two most commonly cited rationalizations for the hydrophobic effect-an entropy-dominated hydrophobic effect, in which ordered waters at the surface of the ligand, and water at the surface of the protein, are released to the bulk upon binding, and a "lock-and-key" model, in which the surface of a ligand interacts directly with a surface of a protein having a complementary shape-can account for water-mediated interactions between the ligand and the protein, and neither is sufficient to account for the experimental observation of both entropy- andenthalpy-dominated hydrophobic effects. What is now clear is that there is no single hydrophobic effect, with a universally applicable, common, thermodynamic description: different processes (i.e., partitioning between phases of different hydrophobicity, aggregation in water, and binding) with different thermodynamics, depend on the molecular-level details of the structures of the molecules involved, and of the aggregates that form. A "water-centric" description of the hydrophobic effect in biomolecular recognition focuses on the structures of water surrounding the ligand, and of water filling the binding pocket of the protein, both before and after binding. This view attributes the hydrophobic effect to changes in the free energy of the networks of hydrogen bonds that are formed, broken, or re-arranged when two hydrophobic surfaces approach (but do not necessarily contact) one another. The details of the molecular topography (and the polar character) of the mole- cular surfaces play an important role in determining the structure of these networks of hydrogen-bonded waters, and in the thermodynamic description of the hydrophobic effect(s). Theorists have led the formulation of this "water-centric view", although experiments are now supplying support for it. It poses complex problems for would-be "designers" of protein-ligand interactions, and for so-called "rational drug design".

Preparation of Superhydrophobic Film on Ti Substrate and Its Anticorrosion Property

PubMed Central

Zhu, Min; Tang, Wenchuan; Huang, Luyao; Zhang, Dawei; Du, Cuiwei; Yu, Gaohong; Chen, Ming; Chowwanonthapunya, Thee

2017-01-01

Superhydrophobic films were fabricated on a titanium substrate with or without anodizing by using a self-assembling method. Firstly, the pretreatments of mechanical polishing/anodizing or mechanical polishing only were conducted, respectively. Subsequently, the preparation of polydopamine film layer, deposition of nano-silver particles, and post modification of 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecanethiol were performed on the surface of the pretreated substrate. The surface morphologies, compositions, wettability, and corrosion resistance of the films were investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS), water contact angle measurements, and electrochemical tests, respectively. Meanwhile, the effect of the deposition time in the silver nitrate solution on the hydrophobicity of the specimen surface was investigated. The result showed that with the increase of deposition time, the hydrophobic property enhanced gradually. The surface deposited for 7 h exhibited an optimum hydrophobic effect, which was characterized with a large water contact angle (WCA) of 154°, and the surface was rather rough and covered by a relatively uniform layer of micro-nano silver particles. The excellent hydrophobicity was attributed to a rough stratified microstructure along with the low surface energy. The electrochemical measurements showed that the existence of the superhydrophobic film can effectively enhance the corrosion resistance of Ti samples. PMID:28772987

Preparation of Superhydrophobic Film on Ti Substrate and Its Anticorrosion Property.

PubMed

Zhu, Min; Tang, Wenchuan; Huang, Luyao; Zhang, Dawei; Du, Cuiwei; Yu, Gaohong; Chen, Ming; Chowwanonthapunya, Thee

2017-06-08

Superhydrophobic films were fabricated on a titanium substrate with or without anodizing by using a self-assembling method. Firstly, the pretreatments of mechanical polishing/anodizing or mechanical polishing only were conducted, respectively. Subsequently, the preparation of polydopamine film layer, deposition of nano-silver particles, and post modification of 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecanethiol were performed on the surface of the pretreated substrate. The surface morphologies, compositions, wettability, and corrosion resistance of the films were investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS), water contact angle measurements, and electrochemical tests, respectively. Meanwhile, the effect of the deposition time in the silver nitrate solution on the hydrophobicity of the specimen surface was investigated. The result showed that with the increase of deposition time, the hydrophobic property enhanced gradually. The surface deposited for 7 h exhibited an optimum hydrophobic effect, which was characterized with a large water contact angle (WCA) of 154°, and the surface was rather rough and covered by a relatively uniform layer of micro-nano silver particles. The excellent hydrophobicity was attributed to a rough stratified microstructure along with the low surface energy. The electrochemical measurements showed that the existence of the superhydrophobic film can effectively enhance the corrosion resistance of Ti samples.

Tribological interaction between polytetrafluoroethylene and silicon oxide surfaces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Uçar, A.; Çopuroğlu, M.; Suzer, S., E-mail: suzer@fen.bilkent.edu.tr

2014-10-28

We investigated the tribological interaction between polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and silicon oxide surfaces. A simple rig was designed to bring about a friction between the surfaces via sliding a piece of PTFE on a thermally oxidized silicon wafer specimen. A very mild inclination (∼0.5°) along the sliding motion was also employed in order to monitor the tribological interaction in a gradual manner as a function of increasing contact force. Additionally, some patterns were sketched on the silicon oxide surface using the PTFE tip to investigate changes produced in the hydrophobicity of the surface, where the approximate water contact angle was 45°more » before the transfer. The nature of the transferred materials was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). XPS results revealed that PTFE was faithfully transferred onto the silicon oxide surface upon even at the slightest contact and SEM images demonstrated that stable morphological changes could be imparted onto the surface. The minimum apparent contact pressure to realize the PTFE transfer is estimated as 5 kPa, much lower than reported previously. Stability of the patterns imparted towards many chemical washing processes lead us to postulate that the interaction is most likely to be chemical. Contact angle measurements, which were carried out to characterize and monitor the hydrophobicity of the silicon oxide surface, showed that upon PTFE transfer the hydrophobicity of the SiO{sub 2} surface could be significantly enhanced, which might also depend upon the pattern sketched onto the surface. Contact angle values above 100° were obtained.« less

Design and construction of glutamine binding proteins with a self-adhering capability to unmodified hydrophobic surfaces as reagentless fluorescence sensing devices.

PubMed

Wada, Akira; Mie, Masayasu; Aizawa, Masuo; Lahoud, Pedro; Cass, Anthony E G; Kobatake, Eiry

2003-12-31

The chemically and genetically remodeling of proteins with ligand binding specificities can be utilized to synthesize various protein-based microsensors for detecting single biomolecules. Here, we describe the construction and characterization of fluorophore-labeled glutamine binding proteins (QBP) and derivatives coupled to the independently designed hydrophobic polypeptide (E12) that can adhere onto solid surfaces via hydrophobic interactions. The single cysteine mutant (N160C QBP) modified with the three environmentally sensitive fluorescent dyes (IAANS, acrylodan, and IANBD ester) showed increased changes in fluorescence intensity induced by glutamine binding. The use of these conjugates as reagentless fluorescence sensors enables us to determine the glutamine concentrations (0.1-50 microM) in homogeneous solution. The fusion of N160C QBP with E12, (Gly4-Ser)n spacers (GSn), and IANBD resulted in the novel fluorescence sensing elements having an adhering capability to hydrophobic surfaces of unmodified microplates. In ELISA and fluorescence experiments for the microplates treated with a series of the conjugates, IANBD-labeled N160C QBP-GS1-E12 displayed the best reproducibility in adhesion onto the hydrophobic surfaces and the precise correlation between fluorescence changes and glutamine concentrations. The performance of the biosensor-attached microplate for glutamine titrations demonstrated that the hydrophobic interaction of E12 with solid surfaces is useful for effective immobilization of proteins that need specific conformational movements in recognizing particular biomolecules. Therefore, the technique using E12 as a surface-linking domain for protein adhesion onto unmodified substrates could be applied effectively to prepare microplates/arrays for a wide variety of high-throughput assays on chemical and biological samples.

Modified silicas with different structure of grafted methylphenylsiloxane layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolbukh, Yuliia; Terpiłowski, Konrad; Kozakevych, Roman; Sternik, Dariusz; Deryło-Marczewska, Anna; Tertykh, Valentin

2016-06-01

The method of a chemical assembly of the surface polymeric layer with high contents of the modifying agent was developed. Powders of nanodispersed silica with chemisorbed polymethylphenylsiloxane (PMPS) were synthesized by solvent-free chemical assembly technique with a dimethyl carbonate (DMC) as scission agent. Samples were characterized using FTIR spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and elemental analysis (CHN analysis). Coating microstructure, morphology, and hydrophilic-hydrophobic properties of nanoparticles were estimated. The results indicate a significant effect of the PMPS/DMC ratio at each modification stage on hydrophobic properties of modified silicas. Modification with a similar composition of the PMPS/DMC mixture, even with different polymer amount at each stage, provides the worst hydrophobicity. Results suggest that the highest hydrophobicity (contact angle θ = 135°-140°) is achieved in the case when silica modified with the PMPS/DMC mixture using multistage approach that providing a formation of the monomolecular layer of polysiloxane at the first modification step. The characteristics of surface structure were interpreted in terms of density of polymer-silica bonds at the interfaces that, usually, are reduced for modified surfaces, in a coupling with conformation model that accented the shape of chains (arch- and console-like) adsorbed on solid surfaces.

Surface hydrophobic modification of polyurethanes by diaryl carbene chemistry: Synthesis and characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Pengfei; Wang, Yongqing; Lu, Ling; Yu, Xi; Liu, Lian

2018-03-01

Dodecyl diaryl diazomethane was firstly synthesized from 4,4-dihydroxybenzophenone and 1-bromododecane by a series of reaction steps. Then water-borne polyurethane films with different amount of DMPA were prepared, as well as a type of solvent-borne polyurethane film for comparison. Finally, all these polyurethane films were modified by dodecyl diaryl diazomethane. The dodecyl diaryl carbene was generated from dodecyl diaryl diazomethane by strong solar light, which was very convenient to insert into the Xsbnd H bonds (X = C, N) on the surface of polyurethane films. The contact angle test was used to characterize these films and depict the surface property. DSC analysis and tensile test were used to investigate the physical properties of polyurethane films before and after modification. It was suggested that the hydrophobic modification protocol with carbene insertion was very useful and convenient to prepare water-proof coatings outdoors under direct solar-light exposure.

Wettability transition of laser textured brass surfaces inside different mediums

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Huangping; Abdul Rashid, Mohamed Raiz B.; Khew, Si Ying; Li, Fengping; Hong, Minghui

2018-01-01

Hydrophobic surface on brass has attracted intensive attention owing to its importance in scientific research and practical applications. Laser texturing provides a simple and promising method to achieve it. Reducing wettability transition time from hydrophilicity to hydrophobicity or superhydrophobicity remains a challenge. Herein, wettability transition of brass surfaces with hybrid micro/nano-structures fabricated by laser texturing was investigated by immersing the samples inside different mediums. Scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and surface contact angle measurement were employed to characterize surface morphology, chemical composition and wettability of the fabricated surfaces of brass samples. Wettability transition time from hydrophilicity to hydrophobicity was shortened by immersion into isopropyl alcohol for a period of 3 h as a result of the absorption and accumulation of organic substances on the textured brass surface. When the textured brass sample was immersed into sodium bicarbonate solution, flower-like structures on the sample surface played a key role in slowing down wettability transition. Moreover, it had the smallest steady state contact angle as compared to the others. This study provides a facile method to construct textured surfaces with tunable wetting behaviors and effectively extend the industrial applications of brass.

Use of Self-Assembled Monolayers of Different Wettabilities To Study Surface Selection and Primary Adhesion Processes of Green Algal (Enteromorpha) Zoospores

PubMed Central

Callow, Maureen E.; Callow, J. A.; Ista, Linnea K.; Coleman, Sarah E.; Nolasco, Aleece C.; López, Gabriel P.

2000-01-01

We investigated surface selection and adhesion of motile zoospores of a green, macrofouling alga (Enteromorpha) to self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) having a range of wettabilities. The SAMs were formed from alkyl thiols terminated with methyl (CH3) or hydroxyl (OH) groups or mixtures of CH3- and OH-terminated alkyl thiols and were characterized by measuring the advancing contact angles and by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. There was a positive correlation between the number of spores that attached to the SAMs and increasing contact angle (hydrophobicity). Moreover, the sizes of the spore groups (adjacent spores touching) were larger on the hydrophobic SAMs. Video microscopy of a patterned arrangement of SAMs showed that more zoospores were engaged in swimming and “searching” above the hydrophobic sectors than above the hydrophilic sectors, suggesting that the cells were able to “sense” that the hydrophobic surfaces were more favorable for settlement. The results are discussed in relation to the attachment of microorganisms to substrata having different wettabilities. PMID:10919777

An SFG study of interfacial amino acids at the hydrophilic SiO2 and hydrophobic deuterated polystyrene surfaces.

PubMed

Holinga, George J; York, Roger L; Onorato, Robert M; Thompson, Christopher M; Webb, Nic E; Yoon, Alfred P; Somorjai, Gabor A

2011-04-27

Sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy was employed to characterize the interfacial structure of eight individual amino acids--L-phenylalanine, L-leucine, glycine, L-lysine, L-arginine, L-cysteine, L-alanine, and L-proline--in aqueous solution adsorbed at model hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces. Specifically, SFG vibrational spectra were obtained for the amino acids at the solid-liquid interface between both hydrophobic d(8)-polystyrene (d(8)-PS) and SiO(2) model surfaces and phosphate buffered saline (PBS) at pH 7.4. At the hydrophobic d(8)-PS surface, seven of the amino acids solutions investigated showed clear and identifiable C-H vibrational modes, with the exception being l-alanine. In the SFG spectra obtained at the hydrophilic SiO(2) surface, no C-H vibrational modes were observed from any of the amino acids studied. However, it was confirmed by quartz crystal microbalance that amino acids do adsorb to the SiO(2) interface, and the amino acid solutions were found to have a detectable and widely varying influence on the magnitude of SFG signal from water at the SiO(2)/PBS interface. This study provides the first known SFG spectra of several individual amino acids in aqueous solution at the solid-liquid interface and under physiological conditions.

Impact of surface wettability on S-layer recrystallization: a real-time characterization by QCM-D

PubMed Central

Vianna, Ana C; Moreno-Cencerrado, Alberto; Pum, Dietmar; Sleytr, Uwe B

2017-01-01

Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) has been employed to study the assembly and recrystallization kinetics of isolated SbpA bacterial surface proteins onto silicon dioxide substrates of different surface wettability. Surface modification by UV/ozone oxidation or by vapor deposition of 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorododecyltrichlorosilane yielded hydrophilic or hydrophobic samples, respectively. Time evolution of frequency and dissipation factors, either individually or combined as the so-called Df plots, showed a much faster formation of crystalline coatings for hydrophobic samples, characterized by a phase-transition peak at around the 70% of the total mass adsorbed. This behavior has been proven to mimic, both in terms of kinetics and film assembly steps, the recrystallization taking place on an underlying secondary cell-wall polymer (SCWP) as found in bacteria. Complementary atomic force microscopy (AFM) experiments corroborate these findings and reveal the impact on the final structure achieved. PMID:28144568

Synthesis and Characterization of Hydrophobic Silica Thin Layer Derived from Methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darmawan, Adi; Utari, Riyadini; Eka Saputra, Riza; Suhartana; Astuti, Yayuk

2018-01-01

This study investigated the synthesis and characterization of MTMS hydrophobic silica prepared by sol-gel method. In principle, silica xerogels and silica thin layer were obtained by reacting MTMS in ethanol solvent in some pH variations. The MTMS solution was used to modify the surface of the ceramic plate by dipcoating method to further be calcined at two different temperatures of 350°C and 500°C. The silica xerogels were analysed by FTIR, TGA-DSC and GSA to determine functional group characteristics, thermal properties and pore morphology respectively. Meanwhile, the silica thin layers were analysed their hydrophobic properties using water contact angle measurement and surface roughness determination using SEM. The results showed that the higher the pH used in the MTMS solution, the higher the resulting contact angle. The highest contact angle was obtained at pH 8.12 which reached 94.7° and 79.5° for silica thin layer calcined at 350°C and 500°C, respectively. The TGA results indicated that the methyl group survived up to 400°C and disappeared at 500°C which had implications on silica thin layer hydrophobic nature. GSA result exhibited that the silica xerogel had a close structure with a very low pore volume. While the SEM-EDX results displayed that the silica thin layer prepared at acidic pH had smoother surface morphology and became rough when prepared at an alkaline pH.

Effects of lengthscales and attractions on the collapse of hydrophobic polymers in water

PubMed Central

Athawale, Manoj V.; Goel, Gaurav; Ghosh, Tuhin; Truskett, Thomas M.; Garde, Shekhar

2007-01-01

We present results from extensive molecular dynamics simulations of collapse transitions of hydrophobic polymers in explicit water focused on understanding effects of lengthscale of the hydrophobic surface and of attractive interactions on folding. Hydrophobic polymers display parabolic, protein-like, temperature-dependent free energy of unfolding. Folded states of small attractive polymers are marginally stable at 300 K and can be unfolded by heating or cooling. Increasing the lengthscale or decreasing the polymer–water attractions stabilizes folded states significantly, the former dominated by the hydration contribution. That hydration contribution can be described by the surface tension model, ΔG = γ(T)ΔA, where the surface tension, γ, is lengthscale-dependent and decreases monotonically with temperature. The resulting variation of the hydration entropy with polymer lengthscale is consistent with theoretical predictions of Huang and Chandler [Huang DM, Chandler D (2000) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 97:8324–8327] that explain the blurring of entropy convergence observed in protein folding thermodynamics. Analysis of water structure shows that the polymer–water hydrophobic interface is soft and weakly dewetted, and is characterized by enhanced interfacial density fluctuations. Formation of this interface, which induces polymer folding, is strongly opposed by enthalpy and favored by entropy, similar to the vapor–liquid interface. PMID:17215352

Highly Transparent Water-Repelling Surfaces based on Biomimetic Hierarchical Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wooh, Sanghyuk; Koh, Jai; Yoon, Hyunsik; Char, Kookheon

2013-03-01

Nature is a great source of inspiration for creating unique structures with special functions. The representative examples of water-repelling surfaces in nature, such as lotus leaves, rose petals, and insect wings, consist of an array of bumps (or long hairs) and nanoscale surface features with different dimension scales. Herein, we introduced a method of realizing multi-dimensional hierarchical structures and water-repellancy of the surfaces with different drop impact scenarios. The multi-dimensional hierarchical structures were fabricated by soft imprinting method with TiO2 nanoparticle pastes. In order to achieve the enhanced hydrophobicity, fluorinated moieties were attached to the etched surfaces to lower the surface energy. As a result, super-hydrophobic surfaces with high transparency were realized (over 176° water contact angle), and for further investigation, these hierarchical surfaces with different drop impact scenarios were characterized by varying the impact speed, drop size, and the geometry of the surfaces.

Elaboration of highly hydrophobic polymeric surface--a potential strategy to reduce the adhesion of pathogenic bacteria?

PubMed

Poncin-Epaillard, F; Herry, J M; Marmey, P; Legeay, G; Debarnot, D; Bellon-Fontaine, M N

2013-04-01

Different polymeric surfaces have been modified in order to reach a high hydrophobic character, indeed the superhydrophobicity property. For this purpose, polypropylene and polystyrene have been treated by RF or μwaves CF4 plasma with different volumes, the results were compared according to the density of injected power. The effect of pretreatment such as mechanical abrasion or plasma activation was also studied. The modified surfaces were shown as hydrophobic, or even superhydrophobic depending of defects density. They were characterized by measurement of wettability and roughness at different scales, i.e. macroscopic, mesoscopic and atomic. It has been shown that a homogeneous surface at the macroscopic scale could be heterogeneous at lower mesoscopic scale. This was associated with the crystallinity of the material. The bioadhesion tests were performed with Gram positive and negative pathogenic strains: Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Hafnia alvei. They have demonstrated an antibacterial efficiency of very hydrophobic and amorphous PS treated for all strains tested and a strain-dependent efficiency with modified PP surface being very heterogeneous at the mesoscopic scale. Thus, these biological results pointed out not only the respective role of the surface chemistry and topography in bacterial adhesion, but also the dependence on the peaks and valley distribution at bacteria dimension scale. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A comparative study of fibrinogen adsorption onto metal oxide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva-Bermudez, P.; Muhl, S.; Rodil, S. E.

2013-10-01

One of the first events occurring upon foreign material-biological medium contact is the adsorption of proteins, which evolution greatly determines the cells response to the material. Protein-surface interactions are a complex phenomenon driven by the physicochemical properties of the surface, protein(s) and liquid medium involve in the interaction. In this article the adsorption of fibrinogen (Fbg) onto Ta2O5, Nb2O5, TiO2 and ZrO2 thin films is reported. The adsorption kinetics and characteristics of the adsorbed fibrinogen layer were studied in situ using dynamic and spectroscopic ellipsometry. The films wettability, surface energy (γLW/AB) and roughness were characterized aiming to elucidate their correlations with Fbg adsorption. The adsorption rate changed accordingly to the film; the fastest adsorption rate and highest Fbg surface mass concentration (Γ) was observed on ZrO2. The hydrophobic/hydrophilic character of the oxide highly influenced Fbg adsorption. On Ta2O5, Nb2O5 and TiO2, which were either hydrophilic or in the breaking-point between hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity, Γ was correlated to the polar component of γLW/AB and roughness of the surface. On ZrO2, clearly hydrophobic, Γ increased significantly off the correlation observed for the other films. The results indicated different adsorption dynamics and orientations of the Fbg molecules dependent on the surface hydrophobic/hydrophilic character.

Fabrication and characterization of a novel hydrophobic CaCO3 grafted by hydroxylated poly(vinyl chloride) chains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bao, Lixia; Yang, Simei; Luo, Xin; Lei, Jingxin; Cao, Qiue; Wang, Jiliang

2015-12-01

The hydroxylated PVC (PVC-OH) was successfully synthesized by a suspension polymerization of vinyl chloride (VC), butyl acrylate (BA) and hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA). Novel hydrophobic CaCO3 was then prepared by a urethane formation reaction between methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and the sbnd OH groups both in the PVC-OH chains and on the surface of pristine CaCO3 particles. The effect of the PVC-OH content on the grafting ratio of treated CaCO3 particles was extensively investigated. Combining the result of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) with that of water contact angle, it can be concluded that the hydrophobicity of CaCO3 had been efficiently improved by the PVC-OH segments grafted on the surface of CaCO3 particles. X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal gravity analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were also used to study crystalline behaviors, thermal stability and surface morphology of the modified CaCO3 particles, respectively. The change of specific surface area implying surface modification was investigated as well.

Application of ANS fluorescent probes to identify hydrophobic sites on the surface of DREAM.

PubMed

Gonzalez, Walter G; Miksovska, Jaroslava

2014-09-01

DREAM (calsenilin or KChIP-3) is a calcium sensor involved in regulation of diverse physiological processes by interactions with multiple intracellular partners including DNA, Kv4 channels, and presenilin, however the detailed mechanism of the recognition of the intracellular partners remains unclear. To identify the surface hydrophobic surfaces on apo and Ca(2+)DREAM as a possible interaction sites for target proteins and/or specific regulators of DREAM function the binding interactions of 1,8-ANS and 2,6-ANS with DREAM were characterized by fluorescence and docking studies. Emission intensity of ANS-DREAM complexes increases upon Ca(2+) association which is consistent with an overall decrease in surface polarity. The dissociation constants for ANS binding to apoDREAM and Ca(2+)DREAM were determined to be 195±20μM and 62±4μM, respectively. Fluorescence lifetime measurements indicate that two ANS molecules bind in two independent binding sites on DREAM monomer. One site is near the exiting helix of EF-4 and the second site is located in the hydrophobic crevice between EF-3 and EF-4. 1,8-ANS displacement studies using arachidonic acid demonstrate that the hydrophobic crevice between EF-3 and EF-4 serves as a binding site for fatty acids that modulate functional properties of Kv4 channel:KChIP complexes. Thus, the C-terminal hydrophobic crevice may be involved in DREAM interactions with small hydrophobic ligands as well as other intracellular proteins. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A study of degradation resistance and cytocompatibility of super-hydrophobic coating on magnesium.

PubMed

Zhang, Yufen; Feyerabend, Frank; Tang, Shawei; Hu, Jin; Lu, Xiaopeng; Blawert, Carsten; Lin, Tiegui

2017-09-01

Calcium stearate based super-hydrophobic coating was deposited on plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) pre-treated magnesium substrate. The pre-treated magnesium and super-hydrophobic coating covered sample were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and electrochemical corrosion measurements. The cytocompatibility and degradation resistance of magnesium, pre-treated magnesium and super-hydrophobic coating were analysed in terms of cell adhesion and osteoblast differentiation. The results indicate that the calcium stearate top coating shows super-hydrophobicity and that the surface is composed of micro/nanostructure. The super-hydrophobic coating covered sample shows higher barrier properties compared with the PEO pre-treated magnesium and bare magnesium. Human osteoblast proliferation, but not differentiation is enhanced by the PEO coating. Contrary, the super-hydrophobic coating reduces proliferation, but enhances differentiation of osteoblast, observable by the formation of hydroxyapatite. The combination of corrosion protection and cell reaction indicates that this system could be interesting for biomedical applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Construction of hydrophobic wood surfaces by room temperature deposition of rutile (TiO2) nanostructures

Treesearch

Rongbo Zheng; Mandla A. Tshabalala; Qingyu Li; Hongyan Wang

2015-01-01

A convenient room temperature approach was developed for growing rutile TiO2 hierarchical structures on the wood surface by direct hydrolysis and crystallization of TiCl3 in saturated NaCl aqueous solution.The morphology and the crystal structure of TiO2 coated on the wood surface were characterized...

How To Functionalize Ceramics by Perfluoroalkylsilanes for Membrane Separation Process? Properties and Application of Hydrophobized Ceramic Membranes.

PubMed

Kujawa, Joanna; Cerneaux, Sophie; Kujawski, Wojciech; Bryjak, Marek; Kujawski, Jan

2016-03-23

The combination of microscopic (atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy) and goniometric (static and dynamic measurements) techniques, and surface characterization (surface free energy determination, critical surface tension, liquid entry pressure, hydraulic permeability) was implemented to discuss the influence of perfluoroalkylsilanes structure and grafting time on the physicochemistry of the created hydrophobic surfaces on the titania ceramic membranes of 5 kD and 300 kD. The impact of molecular structure of perfluoroalkylsilanes modifiers (possessing from 6 to 12 carbon atoms in the fluorinated part of the alkyl chain) and the time of the functionalization process in the range of 5 to 35 h was studied. Based on the scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, it was found that the localization of grafting molecules depends on the membrane pore size (5 kD or 300 kD). In the case of 5 kD titania membranes, modifiers are attached mainly on the surface and only partially inside the membrane pores, whereas, for 300 kD membranes, the perfluoroalkylsilanes molecules are present within the whole porous structure of the membranes. The application of 4 various types of PFAS molecules enabled for interesting observations and remarks. It was explained how to obtain ceramic membrane surfaces with controlled material (contact angle, roughness, contact angle hysteresis) and separation properties. Highly hydrophobic surfaces with low values of contact angle hysteresis and low roughness were obtained. These surfaces possessed also low values of critical surface tension, which means that surfaces are highly resistant to wetting. This finding is crucial in membrane applicability in separation processes. The obtained and characterized hydrophobic membranes were subsequently applied in air-gap membrane distillation processes. All membranes were very efficient in MD processes, showing good transport and selective properties (∼99% of NaCl salt rejection). Depending on the membrane pore size and used modifiers, the permeate flux was in the range of 0.5-4.5 kg·m(-2)·h(-1) and 0.3-4.2 kg·m(-2)·h(-1) for 5 kD and 300 kD membranes, respectively.

Analyzing the Molecular Kinetics of Water Spreading on Hydrophobic Surfaces via Molecular Dynamics Simulation.

PubMed

Zhao, Lei; Cheng, Jiangtao

2017-09-07

In this paper, we report molecular kinetic analyses of water spreading on hydrophobic surfaces via molecular dynamics simulation. The hydrophobic surfaces are composed of amorphous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) with a static contact angle of ~112.4° for water. On the basis of the molecular kinetic theory (MKT), the influences of both viscous damping and solid-liquid retarding were analyzed in evaluating contact line friction, which characterizes the frictional force on the contact line. The unit displacement length on PTFE was estimated to be ~0.621 nm and is ~4 times as long as the bond length of C-C backbone. The static friction coefficient was found to be ~[Formula: see text] Pa·s, which is on the same order of magnitude as the dynamic viscosity of water, and increases with the droplet size. A nondimensional number defined by the ratio of the standard deviation of wetting velocity to the characteristic wetting velocity was put forward to signify the strength of the inherent contact line fluctuation and unveil the mechanism of enhanced energy dissipation in nanoscale, whereas such effect would become insignificant in macroscale. Moreover, regarding a liquid droplet on hydrophobic or superhydrophobic surfaces, an approximate solution to the base radius development was derived by an asymptotic expansion approach.

Biomimetic hydrophobic surface fabricated by chemical etching method from hierarchically structured magnesium alloy substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yan; Yin, Xiaoming; Zhang, Jijia; Wang, Yaming; Han, Zhiwu; Ren, Luquan

2013-09-01

As one of the lightest metal materials, magnesium alloy plays an important role in industry such as automobile, airplane and electronic product. However, magnesium alloy is hindered due to its high chemical activity and easily corroded. Here, inspired by typical plant surfaces such as lotus leaves and petals of red rose with super-hydrophobic character, the new hydrophobic surface is fabricated on magnesium alloy to improve anti-corrosion by two-step methodology. The procedure is that the samples are processed by laser first and then immersed and etched in the aqueous AgNO3 solution concentrations of 0.1 mol/L, 0.3 mol/L and 0.5 mol/L for different times of 15 s, 40 s and 60 s, respectively, finally modified by DTS (CH3(CH2)11Si(OCH3)3). The microstructure, chemical composition, wettability and anti-corrosion are characterized by means of SEM, XPS, water contact angle measurement and electrochemical method. The hydrophobic surfaces with microscale crater-like and nanoscale flower-like binary structure are obtained. The low-energy material is contained in surface after DTS treatment. The contact angles could reach up to 138.4 ± 2°, which hydrophobic property is both related to the micro-nano binary structure and chemical composition. The results of electrochemical measurements show that anti-corrosion property of magnesium alloy is improved. Furthermore, our research is expected to create some ideas from natural enlightenment to improve anti-corrosion property of magnesium alloy while this method can be easily extended to other metal materials.

Six hydrophobins are involved in hydrophobin rodlet formation in Aspergillus nidulans and contribute to hydrophobicity of the spore surface.

PubMed

Grünbacher, André; Throm, Tanja; Seidel, Constanze; Gutt, Beatrice; Röhrig, Julian; Strunk, Timo; Vincze, Paul; Walheim, Stefan; Schimmel, Thomas; Wenzel, Wolfgang; Fischer, Reinhard

2014-01-01

Hydrophobins are amphiphilic proteins able to self-assemble at water-air interphases and are only found in filamentous fungi. In Aspergillus nidulans two hydrophobins, RodA and DewA, have been characterized, which both localize on the conidiospore surface and contribute to its hydrophobicity. RodA is the constituent protein of very regularly arranged rodlets, 10 nm in diameter. Here we analyzed four more hydrophobins, DewB-E, in A. nidulans and found that all six hydrophobins contribute to the hydrophobic surface of the conidiospores but only deletion of rodA caused loss of the rodlet structure. Analysis of the rodlets in the dewB-E deletion strains with atomic force microscopy revealed that the rodlets appeared less robust. Expression of DewA and DewB driven from the rodA promoter and secreted with the RodA secretion signal in a strain lacking RodA, restored partly the hydrophobicity. DewA and B were able to form rodlets to some extent but never reached the rodlet structure of RodA. The rodlet-lacking rodA-deletion strain opens the possibility to systematically study rodlet formation of other natural or synthetic hydrophobins.

Six Hydrophobins Are Involved in Hydrophobin Rodlet Formation in Aspergillus nidulans and Contribute to Hydrophobicity of the Spore Surface

PubMed Central

Seidel, Constanze; Gutt, Beatrice; Röhrig, Julian; Strunk, Timo; Vincze, Paul; Walheim, Stefan; Schimmel, Thomas; Wenzel, Wolfgang; Fischer, Reinhard

2014-01-01

Hydrophobins are amphiphilic proteins able to self-assemble at water-air interphases and are only found in filamentous fungi. In Aspergillus nidulans two hydrophobins, RodA and DewA, have been characterized, which both localize on the conidiospore surface and contribute to its hydrophobicity. RodA is the constituent protein of very regularly arranged rodlets, 10 nm in diameter. Here we analyzed four more hydrophobins, DewB-E, in A. nidulans and found that all six hydrophobins contribute to the hydrophobic surface of the conidiospores but only deletion of rodA caused loss of the rodlet structure. Analysis of the rodlets in the dewB-E deletion strains with atomic force microscopy revealed that the rodlets appeared less robust. Expression of DewA and DewB driven from the rodA promoter and secreted with the RodA secretion signal in a strain lacking RodA, restored partly the hydrophobicity. DewA and B were able to form rodlets to some extent but never reached the rodlet structure of RodA. The rodlet-lacking rodA-deletion strain opens the possibility to systematically study rodlet formation of other natural or synthetic hydrophobins. PMID:24722460

Selective modification of halloysite lumen with octadecylphosphonic acid: new inorganic tubular micelle.

PubMed

Yah, Weng On; Takahara, Atsushi; Lvov, Yuri M

2012-01-25

Selective fatty acid hydrophobization of the inner surface of tubule halloysite clay is demonstrated. Aqueous phosphonic acid was found to bind to alumina sites at the tube lumen and did not bind the tube's outer siloxane surface. The bonding was characterized with solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance ((29)Si, (13)C, (31)P NMR), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. NMR and FTIR spectroscopy of selectively modified tubes proved binding of octadecylphosphonic acid within the halloysite lumen through bidentate and tridentate P-O-Al linkage. Selective modification of the halloysite clay lumen creates an inorganic micelle-like architecture with a hydrophobic aliphatic chain core and a hydrophilic silicate shell. An enhanced capacity for adsorption of the modified halloysite toward hydrophobic derivatives of ferrocene was shown. This demonstrates that the different inner and outer surface chemistry of clay nanotubes can be used for selective modification, enabling different applications from water purification to drug immobilization and controlled release. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Characterization of Non-Infectious Virus-Like Particle Surrogates for Viral Clearance Applications.

PubMed

Johnson, Sarah; Brorson, Kurt A; Frey, Douglas D; Dhar, Arun K; Cetlin, David A

2017-09-01

Viral clearance is a critical aspect of biopharmaceutical manufacturing process validation. To determine the viral clearance efficacy of downstream chromatography and filtration steps, live viral "spiking" studies are conducted with model mammalian viruses such as minute virus of mice (MVM). However, due to biosafety considerations, spiking studies are costly and typically conducted in specialized facilities. In this work, we introduce the concept of utilizing a non-infectious MVM virus-like particle (MVM-VLP) as an economical surrogate for live MVM during process development and characterization. Through transmission electron microscopy, size exclusion chromatography with multi-angle light scattering, chromatofocusing, and a novel solute surface hydrophobicity assay, we examined and compared the size, surface charge, and hydrophobic properties of MVM and MVM-VLP. The results revealed that MVM and MVM-VLP exhibited nearly identical physicochemical properties, indicating the potential utility of MVM-VLP as an accurate and economical surrogate to live MVM during chromatography and filtration process development and characterization studies.

Enhanced protein adsorption and patterning on nanostructured latex-coated paper.

PubMed

Juvonen, Helka; Määttänen, Anni; Ihalainen, Petri; Viitala, Tapani; Sarfraz, Jawad; Peltonen, Jouko

2014-06-01

Specific interactions of extracellular matrix proteins with cells and their adhesion to the substrate are important for cell growth. A nanopatterned latex-coated paper substrate previously shown to be an excellent substrate for cell adhesion and 2D growth was studied for directed immobilization of proteins. The nanostructured latex surface was formed by short-wavelength IR irradiation of a two-component latex coating consisting of a hydrophilic film-forming styrene butadiene acrylonitrile copolymer and hydrophobic polystyrene particles. The hydrophobic regions of the IR-treated latex coating showed strong adhesion of bovine serum albumin (cell repelling protein), fibronectin (cell adhesive protein) and streptavidin. Opposite to the IR-treated surface, fibronectin and streptavidin had a poor affinity toward the untreated pristine latex coating. Detailed characterization of the physicochemical surface properties of the latex-coated substrates revealed that the observed differences in protein affinity were mainly due to the presence or absence of the protein repelling polar and charged surface groups. The protein adsorption was assisted by hydrophobic (dehydration) interactions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prediction of delayed retention of antibodies in hydrophobic interaction chromatography from sequence using machine learning.

PubMed

Jain, Tushar; Boland, Todd; Lilov, Asparouh; Burnina, Irina; Brown, Michael; Xu, Yingda; Vásquez, Maximiliano

2017-12-01

The hydrophobicity of a monoclonal antibody is an important biophysical property relevant for its developability into a therapeutic. In addition to characterizing heterogeneity, Hydrophobic Interaction Chromatography (HIC) is an assay that is often used to quantify the hydrophobicity of an antibody to assess downstream risks. Earlier studies have shown that retention times in this assay can be correlated to amino-acid or atomic propensities weighted by the surface areas obtained from protein 3-dimensional structures. The goal of this study is to develop models to enable prediction of delayed HIC retention times directly from sequence. We utilize the randomforest machine learning approach to estimate the surface exposure of amino-acid side-chains in the variable region directly from the antibody sequence. We obtain mean-absolute errors of 4.6% for the prediction of surface exposure. Using experimental HIC data along with the estimated surface areas, we derive an amino-acid propensity scale that enables prediction of antibodies likely to have delayed retention times in the assay. We achieve a cross-validation Area Under Curve of 0.85 for the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve of our model. The low computational expense and high accuracy of this approach enables real-time assessment of hydrophobic character to enable prioritization of antibodies during the discovery process and rational engineering to reduce hydrophobic liabilities. Structure data, aligned sequences, experimental data and prediction scores for test-cases, and R scripts used in this work are provided as part of the Supplementary Material. tushar.jain@adimab.com. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Highly hydrophobic biopolymers prepared by the surface pentafluorobenzoylation of cellulose substrates.

PubMed

Cunha, Ana G; Freire, Carmen S R; Silvestre, Armando J D; Pascoal Neto, Carlos; Gandini, Alessandro; Orblin, Elina; Fardim, Pedro

2007-04-01

New highly hydrophobic/lipophobic biopolymers were prepared by the controlled heterogeneous pentafluorobenzoylation of cellulose substrates, i.e., plant and bacterial cellulose fibers. The characterization of the modified fibers was performed by elemental analysis, FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, and surface analysis (XPS, ToF-SIMS, and contact angle measurements). The degree of substitution of the ensuing pentafluorobenzoylated fibers ranged from 0.014 to 0.39. The hydrolytic stability of these perfluorinated cellulose derivatives was also evaluated and showed that they were quite water stable, although of course the fluorinated moieties could readily be removed by hydrolysis in an aqueous alkaline medium.

A facile method of hydrophobic surface modification for acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate terpolymer based on the out-migration property of metallic soaps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qi, Yanli; Chen, Tingting; Zhang, Jun

2018-03-01

Hydrophobic surface modification is conducted in this study by using additives with long alkyl chains. Several kinds of metallic soaps, such as calcium stearate (CaSt), zinc stearate (ZnSt), magnesium stearate (MgSt) and barium stearate (BaSt) were employed. Polymer matrix is acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate (ASA) terpolymer due to its wonderful weather resistance property. The surface chemical characterization was studied by Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) technology and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Carboxylate (Osbnd Csbnd O-) indexes of composites in both transmittance and reflection modes were calculated according to FTIR results. As to the ratio of carboxylate index in reflection mode to that in transmittance mode, the sample added with 5 wt% ZnSt shows a higher value of 8.77, and a much higher value of 14.47 for the sample added with 10 wt% ZnSt. The corresponding Csbnd C/ Csbnd H /Cdbnd C peak areas of the samples added with 5 wt% or 10 wt% ZnSt are 75.4% and 77.3% respectively, much higher than other samples. This indicates ZnSt is much easier to out-migrate to material surface and therefore is more suitable for hydrophobic surface modification. In particular, the water contact angle of the ASA/ZnSt composite added with 10 wt% ZnSt significantly increased to 127o (40o increase in comparison with pure ASA), successfully converting the surface wettability from hydrophilic to hydrophobic.

Characterization and disinfection by-product formation potential of natural organic matter in surface and ground waters from Northern Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rostad, C.E.; Leenheer, J.A.; Katz, B.; Martin, B.S.; Noyes, T.I.

2000-01-01

Streamwaters in northern Florida have large concentrations of natural organic matter (NOM), and commonly flow directly into the ground water system through karst features, such as sinkholes. In this study NOM from northern Florida stream and ground waters was fractionated, the fractions characterized by infrared (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and then chlorinated to investigate their disinfection by-product (DBP) formation potential (FP). As the NOM character changed (as quantified by changes in NOM distribution in various fractions, such as hydrophilic acids or hydrophobic neutrals) due to migration through the aquifer, the total organic halide (TOX)-FP and trihalomethane (THM)-FP yield of each of these fractions varied also. In surface waters, the greatest DBP yields were produced by the colloid fraction. In ground waters, DBP yield of the hydrophobic acid fraction (the greatest in terms of mass) decreased during infiltration.

Characterization of local polarity and hydrophobic binding sites of beta-lactoglobulin by using N-terminal specific fluorescence labeling.

PubMed

Dong, Su-Ying; Zhao, Zhen-Wen; Ma, Hui-Min

2006-01-01

Because of wide ligand-binding ability and significant industrial interest of beta-lactoglobulin (beta-LG), its binding properties have been extensively studied. However, there still exists a controversy as to where a ligand binds, since at least two potential hydrophobic binding sites in beta-LG have been postulated for ligand binding: an internal one (calyx) and an external one (near the N-terminus). In this work, the local polarity and hydrophobic binding sites of beta-LG have been characterized by using N-terminal specific fluorescence labeling combined with a polarity-sensitive fluorescent probe 3-(4-chloro-6-hydrazino- 1,3,5-triazinylamino)-7-(dimethylamino)-2-methylphenazine (CHTDP). The polarity within the calyx is found to be extremely low, which is explained in terms of superhydrophobicity possibly resulting from its nanostructure, and the polarity is increased with the destruction of the calyx by heat treatment. However, the polarity of the N-terminal domain in native beta-LG is decreased after thermal denaturation. This polarity trend toward decreasing instead of increasing shows that beta-LG may have no definite external hydrophobic binding site. The hydrophobic binding of a ligand such as CHTDP at the surface of the protein is probably achieved via appropriate assembling of corresponding hydrophobic residues rather than via a fixed external hydrophobic binding site. Also, the ligand-binding location in beta-LG is found to be relevant to not only experimental conditions (pH < or = 6.2 or pH > 7.1) but also binding mechanisms (hydrophobic affinity or electrostatic interaction).

Development of a composite resin disclosing agent based on the understanding of tooth staining mechanisms.

PubMed

Abdallah, Mohamed-Nur; Light, Nathan; Amin, Wala M; Retrouvey, Jean-Marc; Cerruti, Marta; Tamimi, Faleh

2014-06-01

To characterize the surface composition of dental enamel and composite resin, assess the ability of dyes with different affinities to stain these surfaces, and use this information to develop a disclosing agent that stains composite resin more than dental enamel. One hundred and ten sound extracted teeth were collected and 60 discs of composite resin, 9 mm diameter and 3 mm thick, were prepared. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was employed to determine the elemental composition on the different surfaces. A tooth shade spectrophotometer was used to assess the change in shade after staining the surfaces with different dyes. XPS analysis revealed that surfaces of both outer dental enamel and composite resin contained relatively high amounts of carbon, specifically hydrocarbons. Both dental enamel and composite surfaces were stainable with the hydrophobic dye (p<0.05); however, the composite resin was stained more than the dental enamel (p<0.05). The hydrophobic surface of dental enamel and composite resin might explain their high affinity to be stained by food and beverages containing hydrophobic molecules. The composite resin is more stainable by hydrophobic dyes than dental enamel. We used this information to develop an agent for disclosing composite resins that could be used to visualize composite resins that need to be removed. Removal of composite resin can be problematic, time consuming and stressful to the dental practitioner. A composite disclosing agent would help the dental practitioner identify the composite resin and facilitate its removal without damaging the adjacent healthy tooth tissues. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adsorption of hydrophobin on different self-assembled monolayers: the role of the hydrophobic dipole and the electric dipole.

PubMed

Peng, Chunwang; Liu, Jie; Zhao, Daohui; Zhou, Jian

2014-09-30

In this work, the adsorptions of hydrophobin (HFBI) on four different self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) (i.e., CH3-SAM, OH-SAM, COOH-SAM, and NH2-SAM) were investigated by parallel tempering Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations. Simulation results indicate that the orientation of HFBI adsorbed on neutral surfaces is dominated by a hydrophobic dipole. HFBI adsorbs on the hydrophobic CH3-SAM through its hydrophobic patch and adopts a nearly vertical hydrophobic dipole relative to the surface, while it is nearly horizontal when adsorbed on the hydrophilic OH-SAM. For charged SAM surfaces, HFBI adopts a nearly vertical electric dipole relative to the surface. HFBI has the narrowest orientation distribution on the CH3-SAM, and thus can form an ordered monolayer and reverse the wettability of the surface. For HFBI adsorption on charged SAMs, the adsorption strength weakens as the surface charge density increases. Compared with those on other SAMs, a larger area of the hydrophobic patch is exposed to the solution when HFBI adsorbs on the NH2-SAM. This leads to an increase of the hydrophobicity of the surface, which is consistent with the experimental results. The binding of HFBI to the CH3-SAM is mainly through hydrophobic interactions, while it is mediated through a hydration water layer near the surface for the OH-SAM. For the charged SAM surfaces, the adsorption is mainly induced by electrostatic interactions between the charged surfaces and the oppositely charged residues. The effect of a hydrophobic dipole on protein adsorption onto hydrophobic surfaces is similar to that of an electric dipole for charged surfaces. Therefore, the hydrophobic dipole may be applied to predict the probable orientations of protein adsorbed on hydrophobic surfaces.

Impact of wall hydrophobicity on condensation flow and heat transfer in silicon microchannels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Chen; Steinbrenner, Julie E.; Wang, Fu-Min; Goodson, Kenneth E.

2010-04-01

While microchannel condensation has been the subject of several recent studies, the critical impact of wall hydrophobicity on the microchannel condensation flow has received very little attention. The paper experimentally studies steam condensation in a silicon microchannel 286 µm in hydraulic diameter with three different wall hydrophobicities. It is found that the channel surface wettability has a significant impact on the flow pattern, pressure drop and heat transfer characteristic. Spatial flow pattern transition is observed in both hydrophobic and hydrophilic channels. In the hydrophobic channel, the transition from dropwise/slugwise flow to plug flow is induced by the slug instability. In the hydrophilic channel, the flow transition is characterized by the periodic bubble detachment, a process in which pressure evolution is found important. Local temperature measurement is conducted and heat flux distribution in the microchannel is reconstructed. For the same inlet vapor flux and temperature, the hydrophobic microchannel yields higher heat transfer rate and pressure drop compared to the hydrophilic channel. The difference is attributed to the distinction in flow pattern and heat transfer mechanism dictated by the channel hydrophobicity. This study highlights the importance of the channel hydrophobicity control for the optimization of the microchannel condenser.

Soft matter interactions at the molecular scale: interaction forces and energies between single hydrophobic model peptides.

PubMed

Stock, Philipp; Utzig, Thomas; Valtiner, Markus

2017-02-08

In all realms of soft matter research a fundamental understanding of the structure/property relationships based on molecular interactions is crucial for developing a framework for the targeted design of soft materials. However, a molecular picture is often difficult to ascertain and yet essential for understanding the many different competing interactions at play, including entropies and cooperativities, hydration effects, and the enormous design space of soft matter. Here, we characterized for the first time the interaction between single hydrophobic molecules quantitatively using atomic force microscopy, and demonstrated that single molecular hydrophobic interaction free energies are dominated by the area of the smallest interacting hydrophobe. The interaction free energy amounts to 3-4 kT per hydrophobic unit. Also, we find that the transition state of the hydrophobic interactions is located at 3 Å with respect to the ground state, based on Bell-Evans theory. Our results provide a new path for understanding the nature of hydrophobic interactions at the single molecular scale. Our approach enables us to systematically vary hydrophobic and any other interaction type by utilizing peptide chemistry providing a strategic advancement to unravel molecular surface and soft matter interactions at the single molecular scale.

Simultaneous tuning of chemical composition and topography of copolymer surfaces: micelles as building blocks.

PubMed

Zhao, Ning; Zhang, Xiaoyan; Zhang, Xiaoli; Xu, Jian

2007-05-14

A simple method is described for controlling the surface chemical composition and topography of the diblock copolymer poly(styrene)-b-poly(dimethylsiloxane)(PS-b-PDMS) by casting the copolymer solutions from solvents with different selectivities. The surface morphology and chemical composition were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively, and the wetting behavior was studied by water contact angle (CA) and sliding angle (SA) and by CA hysteresis. Chemical composition and morphology of the surface depend on solvent properties, humidity of the air, solution concentration, and block lengths. If the copolymer is cast from a common solvent, the resultant surface is hydrophobic, with a flat morphology, and dominated by PDMS on the air side. From a PDMS-selective solvent, the surface topography depends on the morphology of the micelles. Starlike micelles give rise to a featureless surface nearly completely covered by PDMS, while crew-cut-like micelles lead to a rough surface with a hierarchical structure that consists partly of PDMS. From a PS-selective solvent, however, surface segregation of PDMS was restricted, and the surface morphology can be controlled by vapor-induced phase separation. On the basis of the tunable surface roughness and PDMS concentration on the air side, water repellency of the copolymer surface could be tailored from hydrophobic to superhydrophobic. In addition, reversible switching behavior between hydrophobic and superhydrophobic can be achieved by exposing the surface to solvents with different selectivities.

The sps Gene Products Affect the Germination, Hydrophobicity, and Protein Adsorption of Bacillus subtilis Spores

PubMed Central

Cangiano, Giuseppina; Sirec, Teja; Panarella, Cristina; Isticato, Rachele; Baccigalupi, Loredana; De Felice, Maurilio

2014-01-01

The multilayered surface of the Bacillus subtilis spore is composed of proteins and glycans. While over 70 different proteins have been identified as surface components, carbohydrates associated with the spore surface have not been characterized in detail yet. Bioinformatic data suggest that the 11 products of the sps operon are involved in the synthesis of polysaccharides present on the spore surface, but an experimental validation is available only for the four distal genes of the operon. Here, we report a transcriptional analysis of the sps operon and a functional study performed by constructing and analyzing two null mutants lacking either all or only the promoter-proximal gene of the operon. Our results show that both sps mutant spores apparently have normal coat and crust but have a small germination defect and are more hydrophobic than wild-type spores. We also show that spores lacking all Sps proteins are highly adhesive and form extensive clumps. In addition, sps mutant spores have an increased efficiency in adsorbing a heterologous enzyme, suggesting that hydrophobic force is a major determinant of spore adsorption and indicating that a deep understanding of the surface properties of the spore is essential for its full development as a surface display platform. PMID:25239894

Dynamics of Wetting of Ultra Hydrophobic Surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammad Karim, Alireza; Kim, Jeong-Hyun; Rothstein, Jonathan; Kavehpour, Pirouz; Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst Collaboration

2013-11-01

Controlling the surface wettability of hydrophobic and super hydrophobic surfaces has extensive industrial applications ranging from coating, painting and printing technology and waterproof clothing to efficiency increase in power and water plants. This requires enhancing the knowledge about the dynamics of wetting on these hydrophobic surfaces. We have done experimental investigation on the dynamics of wetting on hydrophobic surfaces by looking deeply in to the dependency of the dynamic contact angles both advancing and receding on the velocity of the three-phase boundary (Solid/Liquid/Gas interface) using the Wilhelmy plate method with different ultra-hydrophobic surfaces. Several fluids with different surface tension and viscosity are used to study the effect of physical properties of liquids on the governing laws.

Antibacterial activity of isolated phenolic compounds from cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) against Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Pérez, Celia; Quirantes-Piné, Rosa; Uberos, José; Jiménez-Sánchez, Cecilia; Peña, Alejandro; Segura-Carretero, Antonio

2016-03-01

Phenolic compounds from a cranberry extract were isolated in order to assess their contribution to the antibacterial activity against uropathogenic strains of Escherichia coli (UPEC). With this purpose, a total of 25 fractions from a cranberry extract were isolated using semipreparative high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and characterized based on the results obtained by reversed-phase HPLC coupled to mass spectrometry detection. Then, the effects on UPEC surface hydrophobicity and biofilm formation of the cranberry extract as well as the purest fractions (a total of 13) were tested. As expected, the whole extract presented a powerful antibacterial activity against UPEC while the selected fractions presented a different behavior. Myricetin and quercitrin significantly decreased (p < 0.05) E. coli biofilm formation compared with the control, while dihydroferulic acid glucuronide, procyanidin A dimer, quercetin glucoside, myricetin and prodelphinidin B led to a significant decrease of the surface hydrophobicity compared with the control. The results suggest that apart from proanthocyanidins, other compounds, mainly flavonoids, can act against E. coli biofilm formation and also modify UPEC surface hydrophobicity in vitro, one of the first steps of adhesion.

Oxygen Plasma Effect on QCM Sensor Coated Polystyrene Film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khusnah, N. F.; Sakti, S. P.; Santjojo, D. J. D. H.

2018-05-01

Hydrophobicity property of polystyrene (PS) thin film is one of the essential factors to be considered in the development of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) biosensor using polystyrene as matrix layer. Many methods were developed to improve the immobilization rate of the biomolecule on the sensor surface without affecting the QCM essential works. Surface modification of the sensor surface aims to modify the physical and or chemical property of the surface. A straightforward method, the fast, environmentally-friendly, and low-cost solution to modify the sensor surface coated with polystyrene film is using oxygen plasma. In this experiment, the polystyrene film was spin-coated on both surface of QCM electrodes and then heated at 100 °C. The specimen is then placed for 5 min long in a chamber filled with oxygen plasma generated by 2 MHz RF-DC high-density plasma system. The relationship between DC-bias used and the changes in morphology properties of the coated film was characterized by Topography Measurement System (TMS) and Contact Angle Measurement. The electrical characteristic of QCM was also characterized using Impedance Analyzer. It was revealed that the contact angle of oxygen plasma treated film is changed and depicted the hydrophobic character. Also, there is an increasing resonance frequency of the sensor after oxygen plasma treatment indicates an etching mechanism occurs during plasma treatment.

Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) inhibition reverses low cell activity on hydrophobic surfaces.

PubMed

Tian, Yu Shun; Kim, Hyun Jung; Kim, Hyun-Man

2009-08-28

Hydrophobic polymers do not offer an adequate scaffold surface for cells to attach, migrate, proliferate, and differentiate. Thus, hydrophobic scaffolds for tissue engineering have traditionally been physicochemically modified to enhance cellular activity. However, modifying the surface by chemical or physical treatment requires supplementary engineering procedures. In the present study, regulation of a cell signal transduction pathway reversed the low cellular activity on a hydrophobic surface without surface modification. Inhibition of Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) by Y-27632 markedly enhanced adhesion, migration, and proliferation of osteoblastic cells cultured on a hydrophobic polystyrene surface. ROCK inhibition regulated cell-cycle-related molecules on the hydrophobic surface. This inhibition also decreased expression of the inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases such as p21(cip1) and p27(kip1) and increased expression of cyclin A and D. These results indicate that defective cellular activity on the hydrophobic surface can be reversed by the control of a cell signal transduction pathway without physicochemical surface modification.

Microstructure and Transparent Super-Hydrophobic Performance of Vacuum Cold-Sprayed Al2O3 and SiO2 Aerogel Composite Coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jie; Zhang, Yu; Ma, Kai; Pan, Xi-De; Li, Cheng-Xin; Yang, Guan-Jun; Li, Chang-Jiu

2018-02-01

In this study, vacuum cold spraying was used as a simple and fast way to prepare transparent super-hydrophobic coatings. Submicrometer-sized Al2O3 powder modified by 1,1,2,2-tetrahydroperfluorodecyltriethoxysilane and mixed with hydrophobic SiO2 aerogel was employed for the coating deposition. The deposition mechanisms of pure Al2O3 powder and Al2O3-SiO2 mixed powder were examined, and the effects of powder structure on the hydrophobicity and light transmittance of the coatings were evaluated. The results showed that appropriate contents of SiO2 aerogel in the mixed powder could provide sufficient cushioning to the deposition of submicrometer Al2O3 powder during spraying. The prepared composite coating surface showed rough structures with a large number of submicrometer convex deposited particles, characterized by being super-hydrophobic. Also, the transmittance of the obtained coating was higher than 80% in the range of visible light.

Characterization of the cell surface properties of drinking water pathogens by microbial adhesion to hydrocarbon and electrophoretic mobility measurements.

PubMed

Popovici, Jonathan; White, Colin P; Hoelle, Jill; Kinkle, Brian K; Lytle, Darren A

2014-06-01

The surface characteristics of microbial cells directly influence their mobility and behavior within aqueous environments. The cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) and electrophoretic mobility (EPM) of microbial cells impact a number of interactions and processes including aggregation, adhesion to surfaces, and stability of the cells within the aqueous environments. These cell characteristics are unique to the bacterial species and are a reflection of the large diversity of surface structures, proteins, and appendages of microorganisms. CSH and EPM of bacterial cells contribute substantially to the effectiveness of drinking water treatment to remove them, and therefore an investigation of these properties will be useful in predicting their removal through drinking water treatment processes and transport through drinking water distribution systems. EPM and CSH measurements of six microbiological pathogen or surrogate species suspended in phosphate-buffered water are reported in this work. Two strains of Vibrio cholerae were hydrophobic, while three strains of Escherichia coli were hydrophilic. Bacillus cereus was categorized as moderately hydrophobic. The strains of E. coli had the highest (most negative) EPM. Based on the measurements, E. coli species is predicted to be most difficult to remove from water while V. cholerae will be the easiest to remove. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Robust Hydrophobic Surfaces from Suspension HVOF Thermal Sprayed Rare-Earth Oxide Ceramics Coatings.

PubMed

Bai, M; Kazi, H; Zhang, X; Liu, J; Hussain, T

2018-05-03

This study has presented an efficient coating method, namely suspension high velocity oxy-fuel (SHVOF) thermal spraying, to produce large super-hydrophobic ceramic surfaces with a unique micro- and nano-scale hierarchical structures to mimic natural super-hydrophobic surfaces. CeO 2 was selected as coatings material, one of a group of rare-earth oxide (REO) ceramics that have recently been found to exhibit intrinsic hydrophobicity, even after exposure to high temperatures and abrasive wear. Robust hydrophobic REO ceramic surfaces were obtained from the deposition of thin CeO 2 coatings (3-5 μm) using an aqueous suspension with a solid concentration of 30 wt.% sub-micron CeO 2 particles (50-200 nm) on a selection of metallic substrates. It was found that the coatings' hydrophobicity, microstructure, surface morphology, and deposition efficiency were all determined by the metallic substrates underneath. More importantly, it was demonstrated that the near super-hydrophobicity of SHVOF sprayed CeO 2 coatings was achieved not only by the intrinsic hydrophobicity of REO but also their unique hierarchically structure. In addition, the coatings' surface hydrophobicity was sensitive to the O/Ce ratio, which could explain the 'delayed' hydrophobicity of REO coatings.

Low-cost silver capped polystyrene nanotube arrays as super-hydrophobic substrates for SERS applications.

PubMed

Lovera, Pierre; Creedon, Niamh; Alatawi, Hanan; Mitchell, Micki; Burke, Micheal; Quinn, Aidan J; O'Riordan, Alan

2014-05-02

In this paper, we describe the fabrication, simulation and characterization of dense arrays of freestanding silver capped polystyrene nanotubes, and demonstrate their suitability for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) applications. Substrates are fabricated in a rapid, low-cost and scalable way by melt wetting of polystyrene (PS) in an anodized alumina (AAO) template, followed by silver evaporation. Scanning electron microscopy reveals that substrates are composed of a dense array of freestanding polystyrene nanotubes topped by silver nanocaps. SERS characterization of the substrates, employing a monolayer of 4-aminothiophenol (4-ABT) as a model molecule, exhibits an enhancement factor of ∼1.6 × 10(6), in agreement with 3D finite difference time domain simulations. Contact angle measurements of the substrates revealed super-hydrophobic properties, allowing pre-concentration of target analyte into a small volume. These super-hydrophobic properties of the samples are taken advantage of for sensitive detection of the organic pollutant crystal violet, with detection down to ∼400 ppt in a 2 μl aliquot demonstrated.

Synthesis and characterization of catalysts based on mesoporous silica partially hydrophobized for technological applications.

PubMed

Martins, Amanda R; Salviano, Adriana B; Oliveira, Aline A S; Mambrini, Raquel V; Moura, Flávia C C

2017-03-01

In this work, mesoporous silica mobil composition of matter no. 41 (MCM-41) was synthesized by the sol-gel method. Two different surface modifications were made to transform this material into a very active adsorbent and catalyst support: (i) impregnation of iron nanoparticles and (ii) hydrophobization via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) with ethanol. The materials prepared with different iron contents, i.e., 2.5, 5, and 10 %, after hydrophobization, were characterized by several techniques. CHN analysis and Raman spectroscopy proved that approximately 15 % of carbon is deposited during CVD process mainly as organized carbonaceous structures. The specific surface area was determined by the BET method as up to 1080 m 2  g -1 , which explains the excellent results of the materials in the adsorption of model dyes methylene blue and indigo carmine. Mössbauer spectroscopy, thermogravimetric (TG)/DTG analysis, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed that the iron supported may be partially reduced during the CVD process to Fe 2+ species, which are stabilized by the carbon coating. This iron species plays an important role in the oxidation of different contaminants, such as quinoline and methylene blue. The results obtained in the catalytic tests showed to be very promising.

Binding interaction between rice glutelin and amylose: Hydrophobic interaction and conformational changes.

PubMed

Xu, Xingfeng; Liu, Wei; Zhong, Junzhen; Luo, Liping; Liu, Chengmei; Luo, Shunjing; Chen, Lin

2015-11-01

The interaction of rice glutelin (RG) with amylose was characterized by spectroscopic and molecular docking studies. The intrinsic fluorescence of RG increased upon the addition of amylose. The binding sites, binding constant and thermodynamic features indicated that binding process was spontaneous and the main driving force of the interaction was hydrophobic interaction. The surface hydrophobicity of RG decreased with increasing amount of amylose. Furthermore, synchronous fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectra provided data concerning conformational and micro-environmental changes of RG. With the concentration of amylose increasing, the polarity around the tyrosine residues increased while the hydrophobicity decreased. Alteration of protein conformation was observed with increasing of α-helix and reducing of β-sheet. Finally, a visual representation of two binding sites located in the amorphous area of RG was presented by molecular modeling studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of material flexibility on the thermodynamics and kinetics of hydrophobically induced evaporation of water.

PubMed

Altabet, Y Elia; Haji-Akbari, Amir; Debenedetti, Pablo G

2017-03-28

The evaporation of water induced by confinement between hydrophobic surfaces has received much attention due to its suggested functional role in numerous biophysical phenomena and its importance as a general mechanism of hydrophobic self-assembly. Although much progress has been made in understanding the basic physics of hydrophobically induced evaporation, a comprehensive understanding of the substrate material features (e.g., geometry, chemistry, and mechanical properties) that promote or inhibit such transitions remains lacking. In particular, comparatively little research has explored the relationship between water's phase behavior in hydrophobic confinement and the mechanical properties of the confining material. Here, we report the results of extensive molecular simulations characterizing the rates, free energy barriers, and mechanism of water evaporation when confined between model hydrophobic materials with tunable flexibility. A single-order-of-magnitude reduction in the material's modulus results in up to a nine-orders-of-magnitude increase in the evaporation rate, with the corresponding characteristic time decreasing from tens of seconds to tens of nanoseconds. Such a modulus reduction results in a 24-orders-of-magnitude decrease in the reverse rate of condensation, with time scales increasing from nanoseconds to tens of millions of years. Free energy calculations provide the barriers to evaporation and confirm our previous theoretical predictions that making the material more flexible stabilizes the confined vapor with respect to liquid. The mechanism of evaporation involves surface bubbles growing/coalescing to form a subcritical gap-spanning tube, which then must grow to cross the barrier.

Flower-Like CuO/ZnO Hybrid Hierarchical Nanostructures Grown on Copper Substrate: Glycothermal Synthesis, Characterization, Hydrophobic and Anticorrosion Properties

PubMed Central

Beshkar, Farshad; Khojasteh, Hossein; Salavati-Niasari, Masoud

2017-01-01

In this work we have demonstrated a facile formation of CuO nanostructures on copper substrates by the oxidation of copper foil in ethylene glycol (EG) at 80 °C. On immersing a prepared CuO film into a solution containing 0.1 g Zn(acac)2 in 20 mL EG for 8 h, ZnO flower-like microstructures composed of hierarchical three-dimensional (3D) aggregated nanoparticles and spherical architectures were spontaneously formed at 100 °C. The as-synthesized thin films and 3D microstructures were characterized using XRD, SEM, and EDS techniques. The effects of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 as surfactants and stabilizers on the morphology of the CuO and ZnO structures were discussed. Possible growth mechanisms for the controlled organization of primary building units into CuO nanostructures and 3D flower-like ZnO architectures were proposed. The hydrophobic property of the products was characterized by means of water contact angle measurement. After simple surface modification with stearic acid and PDMS, the resulting films showed hydrophobic and even superhydrophobic characteristics due to their special surface energy and nano-microstructure morphology. Importantly, stable superhydrophobicity with a contact angle of 153.5° was successfully observed for CuO-ZnO microflowers after modification with PDMS. The electrochemical impedance measurements proved that the anticorrosion efficiency for the CuO/ZnO/PDMS sample was about 99%. PMID:28773056

Flower-Like CuO/ZnO Hybrid Hierarchical Nanostructures Grown on Copper Substrate: Glycothermal Synthesis, Characterization, Hydrophobic and Anticorrosion Properties.

PubMed

Beshkar, Farshad; Khojasteh, Hossein; Salavati-Niasari, Masoud

2017-06-25

In this work we have demonstrated a facile formation of CuO nanostructures on copper substrates by the oxidation of copper foil in ethylene glycol (EG) at 80 °C. On immersing a prepared CuO film into a solution containing 0.1 g Zn(acac)₂ in 20 mL EG for 8 h, ZnO flower-like microstructures composed of hierarchical three-dimensional (3D) aggregated nanoparticles and spherical architectures were spontaneously formed at 100 °C. The as-synthesized thin films and 3D microstructures were characterized using XRD, SEM, and EDS techniques. The effects of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 as surfactants and stabilizers on the morphology of the CuO and ZnO structures were discussed. Possible growth mechanisms for the controlled organization of primary building units into CuO nanostructures and 3D flower-like ZnO architectures were proposed. The hydrophobic property of the products was characterized by means of water contact angle measurement. After simple surface modification with stearic acid and PDMS, the resulting films showed hydrophobic and even superhydrophobic characteristics due to their special surface energy and nano-microstructure morphology. Importantly, stable superhydrophobicity with a contact angle of 153.5° was successfully observed for CuO-ZnO microflowers after modification with PDMS. The electrochemical impedance measurements proved that the anticorrosion efficiency for the CuO/ZnO/PDMS sample was about 99%.

Adsorption and Desorption of Carbon Dioxide and Water Mixtures on Synthetic Hydrophobic Carbonaceous Adsorbents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Finn, John E.; Harper, Lynn D. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

Several synthetic carbonaceous adsorbents produced through pyrolysis of polymeric materials are available commercially. Some appear to have advantages over activated carbon for certain adsorption applications. In particular, they can have tailored hydrophobicities that are significantly greater than that of activated carbon, while moderately high surfaces areas are retained. These sorbents are being investigated for possible use in removing trace contaminants and excess carbon dioxide from air in closed habitats, plant growth chambers, and other applications involving purification of humid gas streams. We have analyzed the characteristics of a few of these adsorbents through adsorption and desorption experiments and standard characterization techniques. This paper presents pure and multicomponent adsorption data collected for carbon dioxide and water on two synthetic carbonaceous adsorbents having different hydrophobicities and capillary condensation characteristics. The observations are interpreted through consideration of the pore structure and surface chemistry of the solids and interactions between adsorbed carbon dioxide, water, and the solvent gas.

Phenylalanine containing hydrophobic nanospheres for antibody purification.

PubMed

Türkmen, Deniz; Denizli, Adil; Oztürk, Nevra; Akgöl, Sinan; Elkak, Assem

2008-01-01

In this study, novel hydrophobic nanospheres with an average size of 158 nm utilizing N-methacryloyl-(L)-phenylalanine methyl ester (MAPA) as a hydrophobic monomer were produced by surfactant free emulsion polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and MAPA conducted in an aqueous dispersion medium. MAPA was synthesized using methacryloyl chloride and L-phenylalanine methyl ester. Specific surface area of the nonporous nanospheres was found to be 1874 m2/g. Poly(HEMA-MAPA) nanospheres were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Average particle size, size distribution, and surface charge measurements were also performed. Elemental analysis of MAPA for nitrogen was estimated as 0.42 mmol/g polymer. Then, poly(HEMA-MAPA) nanospheres were used in the adsorption of immunoglobulin G (IgG) in batch system. Higher adsorption values (780 mg/g) were obtained when the poly (HEMA-MAPA) nanospheres were used from both aqueous solutions and human plasma. The adsorption phenomena appeared to follow a typical Langmuir isotherm. It was observed that IgG could be repeatedly adsorbed and desorbed without significant loss in adsorption amount. These findings show considerable promise for this material as a hydrophobic support in industrial processes.

Electrohydrodynamic behavior of water droplets on a horizontal super hydrophobic surface and its self-cleaning application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jian; Wei, Yuan; Huang, Zhengyong; Wang, Feipeng; Yan, Xinzhu; Wu, Zhuolin

2017-05-01

Moisture is a significant factor that affects the insulation performance of outdoor high-voltage insulators in power systems. Accumulation of water droplets on insulators causes severe problems such as flashover of insulators and power outage. In this study, we develop a method to fabricate a micro/nano hierarchical super hydrophobic surface. The as-prepared super hydrophobic surface exhibits a water contact angle (WCA) of 160.4 ± 2°, slide angle (SA) less than 1° and surface free energy (SFE) of 5.99 mJ/m2. We investigated the electrohydropdynamic behavior of water droplet on a horizontal super hydrophobic surface compared with hydrophobic RTV silicone rubber surface which was widely used as anti-pollution coating or shed material of composite insulator. Results show that water droplet tended to a self-propelled motion on the super hydrophobic surface while it tended to elongate and break up on the RTV surface. The micro/nano hierarchical surface structure and chemical components with low surface free energy of the super hydrophobic surface jointly contributed to the reduction of skin fraction drag and subsequently made it possible for the motion of water droplet driven by electric field. Furthermore, the self-propelled motion of water droplets could also sweep away contaminations along its moving trace, which provides super hydrophobic surface a promising anti-pollution prospect in power systems.

Relationship between Surface Properties and In Vitro Drug Release from Compressed Matrix Containing Polymeric Materials with Different Hydrophobicity Degrees

PubMed Central

Yarce, Cristhian J.; Echeverri, Juan D.; Palacio, Mario A.; Rivera, Carlos A.; Salamanca, Constain H.

2017-01-01

This work is the continuation of a study focused on establishing relations between surface thermodynamic properties and in vitro release mechanisms using a model drug (ampicillin trihydrate), besides analyzing the granulometric properties of new polymeric materials and thus establishing the potential to be used in the pharmaceutical field as modified delivery excipients. To do this, we used copolymeric materials derived from maleic anhydride with decreasing polarity corresponding to poly(isobutylene-alt-maleic acid) (hydrophilic), sodium salt of poly(maleic acid-alt-octadecene) (amphiphilic), poly(maleic anhydride-alt-octadecene) (hydrophobic) and the reference polymer hydroxyl-propyl-methyl-cellulose (HPMC). Each material alone and in blends underwent spectroscopic characterization by FTIR, thermal characterization by DSC and granulometric characterization using flow and compaction tests. Each tablet was prepared at different polymer ratios of 0%, 10%, 20%, 30% and 40%, and the surface properties were determined, including the roughness by micro-visualization, contact angle and water absorption rate by the sessile drop method and obtaining Wadh and surface free energy (SFE) using the semi-empirical models of Young–Dupré and  Owens-Wendt-Rabel-Käelbe (OWRK), respectively. Dissolution profiles were determined simulating physiological conditions in vitro, where the kinetic models of order-zero, order-one, Higuchi and Korsmeyer–Peppas were evaluated. The results showed a strong relationship between the proportion and nature of the polymer to the surface thermodynamic properties and kinetic release mechanism. PMID:28125020

Water structuring and collagen adsorption at hydrophilic and hydrophobic silicon surfaces.

PubMed

Cole, Daniel J; Payne, Mike C; Ciacchi, Lucio Colombi

2009-12-28

The adsorption of a collagen fragment on both a hydrophobic, hydrogen-terminated and a hydrophilic, natively oxidised Si surface is investigated using all-atom molecular dynamics. While favourable direct protein-surface interactions via localised contact points characterise adhesion to the hydrophilic surface, evenly spread surface/molecule contacts and stabilisation of the helical structure occurs upon adsorption on the hydrophobic surface. In the latter case, we find that adhesion is accompanied by a mutual fit between the hydrophilic/hydrophobic pattern within the protein and the layered water structure at the solid/liquid interface, which may provide an additional driving force to the classic hydrophobic effect.

Mapping Hydrophobicity on the Protein Molecular Surface at Atom-Level Resolution

PubMed Central

Nicolau Jr., Dan V.; Paszek, Ewa; Fulga, Florin; Nicolau, Dan V.

2014-01-01

A precise representation of the spatial distribution of hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity and charges on the molecular surface of proteins is critical for the understanding of the interaction with small molecules and larger systems. The representation of hydrophobicity is rarely done at atom-level, as this property is generally assigned to residues. A new methodology for the derivation of atomic hydrophobicity from any amino acid-based hydrophobicity scale was used to derive 8 sets of atomic hydrophobicities, one of which was used to generate the molecular surfaces for 35 proteins with convex structures, 5 of which, i.e., lysozyme, ribonuclease, hemoglobin, albumin and IgG, have been analyzed in more detail. Sets of the molecular surfaces of the model proteins have been constructed using spherical probes with increasingly large radii, from 1.4 to 20 Å, followed by the quantification of (i) the surface hydrophobicity; (ii) their respective molecular surface areas, i.e., total, hydrophilic and hydrophobic area; and (iii) their relative densities, i.e., divided by the total molecular area; or specific densities, i.e., divided by property-specific area. Compared with the amino acid-based formalism, the atom-level description reveals molecular surfaces which (i) present an approximately two times more hydrophilic areas; with (ii) less extended, but between 2 to 5 times more intense hydrophilic patches; and (iii) 3 to 20 times more extended hydrophobic areas. The hydrophobic areas are also approximately 2 times more hydrophobicity-intense. This, more pronounced “leopard skin”-like, design of the protein molecular surface has been confirmed by comparing the results for a restricted set of homologous proteins, i.e., hemoglobins diverging by only one residue (Trp37). These results suggest that the representation of hydrophobicity on the protein molecular surfaces at atom-level resolution, coupled with the probing of the molecular surface at different geometric resolutions, can capture processes that are otherwise obscured to the amino acid-based formalism. PMID:25462574

Apparent Activation Energies Associated with Protein Dynamics on Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Surfaces

PubMed Central

Langdon, Blake B.; Kastantin, Mark; Schwartz, Daniel K.

2012-01-01

With the use of single-molecule total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM), the dynamics of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human fibrinogen (Fg) at low concentrations were observed at the solid-aqueous interface as a function of temperature on hydrophobic trimethylsilane (TMS) and hydrophilic fused silica (FS) surfaces. Multiple dynamic modes and populations were observed and characterized by their surface residence times and squared-displacement distributions (surface diffusion). Characteristic desorption and diffusion rates for each population/mode were generally found to increase with temperature, and apparent activation energies were determined from Arrhenius analyses. The apparent activation energies of desorption and diffusion were typically higher on FS than on TMS surfaces, suggesting that protein desorption and mobility were hindered on hydrophilic surfaces due to favorable protein-surface and solvent-surface interactions. The diffusion of BSA on TMS appeared to be activationless for several populations, whereas diffusion on FS always exhibited an apparent activation energy. All activation energies were small in absolute terms (generally only a few kBT), suggesting that most adsorbed protein molecules are weakly bound and move and desorb readily under ambient conditions. PMID:22713578

FAS grafted superhydrophobic ceramic membrane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Jun; Yu, Yun; Zhou, Jianer; Song, Lixin; Hu, Xingfang; Larbot, Andre

2009-08-01

The hydrophobic properties of γ-Al 2O 3 membrane have been obtained by grafting fluoroalkylsilane (FAS) on the surface of the membrane. The following grafting parameters were studied: the eroding time of the original membrane, the grafting time, the concentration of FAS solution and the multiplicity of grafting. Hydrophobicity of the membranes was characterized by contact angle (CA) measurement. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was used to investigate the weight loss process (25-800 °C) of the fluoroalkylsilane grafted on Al 2O 3 powders under different grafting conditions. The morphologies of the membranes modified under different parameters were examined by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and the surface roughness (Ra) was measured using white light interferometers. A needle-like structure was observed on the membrane surface after modification, which causes the change of Ra. On the results above, we speculated a model to describe the reaction between FAS and γ-Al 2O 3 membrane surface as well as the formed surface morphology.

Surface Properties and Permeability of Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride)-Clays (PVDF/Clays) Composite Membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pramono, E.; Ahdiat, M.; Simamora, A.; Pratiwi, W.; Radiman, C. L.; Wahyuningrum, D.

2017-07-01

Surface properties are important factors that determine the performance of ultrafiltration membranes. This study aimed to investigate the effects of clay addition on the surface properties and membrane permeability of PVDF (poly-vinylidene fluoride) membranes. Three types of clay with different particle size were used in this study, namely montmorillonite-MMT, bentonite-BNT and cloisite 15A-CLS. The PVDF-clay composite membranes were prepared by phase inversion method using PEG as additive. The hydrophobicity of membrane surface was characterized by contact angle. The membrane permeability was determined by dead- end ultrafiltration with a trans-membrane pressure of 2 bars. In contact angle measurement, water contact angle of composite membranes is higher than PVDF membrane. The addition of clays decreased water flux but increased of Dextran rejection. The PVDF-BNT composite membranes reach highest Dextran rejection value of about 93%. The type and particle size of clay affected the hydrophobicity of membrane surface and determined the resulting membrane structure as well as the membrane performance.

Investigating How Contact Angle Effects the Interaction between Water and a Hydrophobic Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poynor, Adele; Neidig, Caitlyn

2012-02-01

By definition hydrophobic substances hate water. What happens when water is forced into contact with a hydrophobic surface? One theory is that an ultra-thin low-density region forms near the surface. Contact angle is a measure of how hydrophobic a surface is. We have employed an automated home-built Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) apparatus to investigate the effect of varying the contact angle on the depletion layer

Dynamic Defrosting on Scalable Superhydrophobic Surfaces

DOE PAGES

Murphy, Kevin R.; McClintic, William T.; Lester, Kevin C.; ...

2017-06-27

Recent studies have shown that frost can grow in a suspended Cassie state on nanostructured superhydrophobic surfaces. During defrosting, the melting sheet of Cassie frost spontaneously dewets into quasi-spherical slush droplets that are highly mobile. Promoting Cassie frost would therefore seem advantageous from a defrosting standpoint; however, nobody has systematically compared the efficiency of defrosting Cassie ice versus defrosting conventional surfaces. Here, we characterize the defrosting of an aluminum plate, one-half of which exhibits a superhydrophobic nanostructure while the other half is smooth and hydrophobic. For thick frost sheets (>1 mm), the superhydrophobic surface was able to dynamically shed themore » meltwater, even at very low tilt angles. In contrast, the hydrophobic surface was unable to shed any appreciable meltwater even at a 90° tilt angle. For thin frost layers (≲1 mm), not even the superhydrophobic surface could mobilize the meltwater. We attribute this to the large apparent contact angle of the meltwater, which for small amounts of frost serves to minimize coalescence events and prevent droplets from approaching the capillary length. Finally, we demonstrate a new mode of dynamic defrosting using an upside-down surface orientation, where the melting frost was able to uniformly detach from the superhydrophobic side and subsequently pull the frost from the hydrophobic side in a chain reaction. Treating surfaces to enable Cassie frost is therefore very desirable for enabling rapid and low-energy thermal defrosting, but only for frost sheets that are sufficiently thick.« less

Dynamic Defrosting on Scalable Superhydrophobic Surfaces.

PubMed

Murphy, Kevin R; McClintic, William T; Lester, Kevin C; Collier, C Patrick; Boreyko, Jonathan B

2017-07-19

Recent studies have shown that frost can grow in a suspended Cassie state on nanostructured superhydrophobic surfaces. During defrosting, the melting sheet of Cassie frost spontaneously dewets into quasi-spherical slush droplets that are highly mobile. Promoting Cassie frost would therefore seem advantageous from a defrosting standpoint; however, nobody has systematically compared the efficiency of defrosting Cassie ice versus defrosting conventional surfaces. Here, we characterize the defrosting of an aluminum plate, one-half of which exhibits a superhydrophobic nanostructure while the other half is smooth and hydrophobic. For thick frost sheets (>1 mm), the superhydrophobic surface was able to dynamically shed the meltwater, even at very low tilt angles. In contrast, the hydrophobic surface was unable to shed any appreciable meltwater even at a 90° tilt angle. For thin frost layers (≲1 mm), not even the superhydrophobic surface could mobilize the meltwater. We attribute this to the large apparent contact angle of the meltwater, which for small amounts of frost serves to minimize coalescence events and prevent droplets from approaching the capillary length. Finally, we demonstrate a new mode of dynamic defrosting using an upside-down surface orientation, where the melting frost was able to uniformly detach from the superhydrophobic side and subsequently pull the frost from the hydrophobic side in a chain reaction. Treating surfaces to enable Cassie frost is therefore very desirable for enabling rapid and low-energy thermal defrosting, but only for frost sheets that are sufficiently thick.

Dynamic Defrosting on Scalable Superhydrophobic Surfaces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Murphy, Kevin R.; McClintic, William T.; Lester, Kevin C.

Recent studies have shown that frost can grow in a suspended Cassie state on nanostructured superhydrophobic surfaces. During defrosting, the melting sheet of Cassie frost spontaneously dewets into quasi-spherical slush droplets that are highly mobile. Promoting Cassie frost would therefore seem advantageous from a defrosting standpoint; however, nobody has systematically compared the efficiency of defrosting Cassie ice versus defrosting conventional surfaces. Here, we characterize the defrosting of an aluminum plate, one-half of which exhibits a superhydrophobic nanostructure while the other half is smooth and hydrophobic. For thick frost sheets (>1 mm), the superhydrophobic surface was able to dynamically shed themore » meltwater, even at very low tilt angles. In contrast, the hydrophobic surface was unable to shed any appreciable meltwater even at a 90° tilt angle. For thin frost layers (≲1 mm), not even the superhydrophobic surface could mobilize the meltwater. We attribute this to the large apparent contact angle of the meltwater, which for small amounts of frost serves to minimize coalescence events and prevent droplets from approaching the capillary length. Finally, we demonstrate a new mode of dynamic defrosting using an upside-down surface orientation, where the melting frost was able to uniformly detach from the superhydrophobic side and subsequently pull the frost from the hydrophobic side in a chain reaction. Treating surfaces to enable Cassie frost is therefore very desirable for enabling rapid and low-energy thermal defrosting, but only for frost sheets that are sufficiently thick.« less

Surface Characteristics of Silicon Nanowires/Nanowalls Subjected to Octadecyltrichlorosilane Deposition and n-octadecane Coating

PubMed Central

Yilbas, Bekir Sami; Salhi, Billel; Yousaf, Muhammad Rizwan; Al-Sulaiman, Fahad; Ali, Haider; Al-Aqeeli, Nasser

2016-01-01

In this study, nanowires/nanowalls were generated on a silicon wafer through a chemical etching method. Octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) was deposited onto the nanowire/nanowall surfaces to alter their hydrophobicity. The hydrophobic characteristics of the surfaces were further modified via a 1.5-μm-thick layer of n-octadecane coating on the OTS-deposited surface. The hydrophobic characteristics of the resulting surfaces were assessed using the sessile water droplet method. Scratch and ultraviolet (UV)-visible reflectivity tests were conducted to measure the friction coefficient and reflectivity of the surfaces. The nanowires formed were normal to the surface and uniformly extended 10.5 μm to the wafer surface. The OTS coating enhanced the hydrophobic state of the surface, and the water contact angle increased from 27° to 165°. The n-octadecane coating formed on the OTS-deposited nanowires/nanowalls altered the hydrophobic state of the surface. This study provides the first demonstration that the surface wetting characteristics change from hydrophobic to hydrophilic after melting of the n-octadecane coating. In addition, this change is reversible; i.e., the hydrophilic surface becomes hydrophobic after the n-octadecane coating solidifies at the surface, and the process again occurs in the opposite direction after the n-octadecane coating melts. PMID:27934970

Spectroscopic and electrochemical characterization of interfacial biomimetic assemblies on electrochemically generated gold oxide surfaces.

PubMed

Krysiński, Paweł; Blanchard, G J

2005-04-01

We report on the formation of a gold oxide layer and the reaction of this oxide with an acid chloride to form a stable, relatively complete monolayer bound through an ester-like bond to the gold oxide surface. We have used cyclic voltammetry, FTIR and optical ellipsometry to characterize this novel monolayer structure. The exposed functional groups of this monolayer can participate in subsequent surface reactions, opening the door to the use of oxide-based surface attachment chemistry on metallic substrates. This chemistry will allow for the formation of films tailored to contain both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions, stacked at predetermined distances from the substrate that may serve as biomembrane mimetic assemblies.

Some properties of the walls of metaxylem vessels of maize roots, including tests of the wettability of their lumenal wall surfaces

PubMed Central

McCully, Margaret; Canny, Martin; Baker, Adam; Miller, Celia

2014-01-01

Background and Aims Since the proposal of the cohesion theory there has been a paradox that the lumenal surface of vessels is rich in hydrophobic lignin, while tension in the rising sap requires adhesion to a hydrophilic surface. This study sought to characterize the strength of that adhesion in maize (Zea mays), the wettability of the vessel surface, and to reconcile this with its histochemical and physical nature. Methods Wettability was assessed by emptying the maize root vessels of sap, perfusing them with either water or oil, and examining the adhesion (as revealed by contact angles) of the two liquids to vessel walls by cryo-scanning electron microscopy. The phobicity of the lumenal surface was also assessed histochemically with hydrophilic and hydrophobic probes. Key Results Pit borders in the lumen-facing vessel wall surface were wetted by both sap/water and oil. The attraction for oil was weaker: water could replace oil but not vice versa. Pit apertures repelled oil and were strongly stained by hydrophilic probes. Pit chambers were probably hydrophilic. Oil never entered the pits. When vessels were emptied and cryo-fixed immediately, pit chambers facing away from the vessels were always sap-filled. Pit chambers facing vessel lumens were either sap- or gas-filled. Sap from adjoining tracheary elements entering empty vessels accumulated on the lumenal surface in hemispherical drops, which spread out with decreasing contact angles to fill the lumen. Conclusions The vessel lumenal surface has a dual nature, namely a mosaic of hydrophilic and hydrophobic patches at the micrometre scale, with hydrophilic predominating. A key role is shown, for the first time, of overarching borders of pits in determining the dual nature of the surface. In gas-filled (embolized) vessels they are hydrophobic. When wetted by sap (vessels refilling or full) they are hydrophilic. A hypothesis is proposed to explain the switch between the two states. PMID:24709790

Stereolithography of perfluoropolyethers for the microfabrication of robust omniphobic surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Credi, Caterina; Levi, Marinella; Turri, Stefano; Simeone, Giovanni

2017-05-01

In this work, we provide a simple and straightforward method for the fabrication of stable highly hydrophobic and oleophobic surfaces by applying stereolithography (SL) to perfluoropolyethers (PFPEs). Inspired by the liquid repellency widely shown in nature, our approach enables to easily mimic the interplay between the chemistry and physics by microtexturing low surface tension PFPEs. To this end, UV-curable resins suitable for SL-processing were formulated by blending multifunctional (meth-)acrylates PFPEs oligomers with photoinitiator and visible dyes whose content was tuned to tailor resin SL sensitivities. Photocalorimetric studies were also performed to investigate the curing behavior of the different formulations upon SL light exposure. Being the first example of stereolithography applied to PFPEs, stereolithographic processability of new developed PFPEs photopolymer was compared with a standard photoresist taken as benchmark (DL260®). Optimized formulations were characterized by reduced laser penetration depth (<75 μm) and small critical energies thus enabling for fast printing of micrometric structures. Arrays of cylindrical pillars (85 μm diameter, 400 μm height) characterized by varied pillars spacing (200 ÷ 350 μm) were rapidly printed with high fidelity as attested by SEM examination. Contact angle measurements in static and dynamic conditions were performed to investigate the surface properties of textured samples using water and oil as the probing liquids. PFPEs liquid repellent performances were compared with those from DL260® textured surfaces arrayed by SL. High water contact angles coupled with low hysteresis asserted that high hydrophobic surfaces were successfully obtained and best-performing textured surfaces were also characterized by high oil repellency. Finally, this study demonstrated that omniphobic surfaces can be easily realized via a single-step, cost-effective, and time-saving process.

Characterisation of nanomaterial hydrophobicity using engineered surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desmet, Cloé; Valsesia, Andrea; Oddo, Arianna; Ceccone, Giacomo; Spampinato, Valentina; Rossi, François; Colpo, Pascal

2017-03-01

Characterisation of engineered nanomaterials (NMs) is of outmost importance for the assessment of the potential risks arising from their extensive use. NMs display indeed a large variety of physico-chemical properties that drastically affect their interaction with biological systems. Among them, hydrophobicity is an important property that is nevertheless only slightly covered by the current physico-chemical characterisation techniques. In this work, we developed a method for the direct characterisation of NM hydrophobicity. The determination of the nanomaterial hydrophobic character is carried out by the direct measurement of the affinity of the NMs for different collectors. Each collector is an engineered surface designed in order to present specific surface charge and hydrophobicity degrees. Being thus characterised by a combination of surface energy components, the collectors enable the NM immobilisation with surface coverage in relation to their hydrophobicity. The experimental results are explained by using the extended DLVO theory, which takes into account the hydrophobic forces acting between NMs and collectors.

Continuous Droplet Removal upon Dropwise Condensation of Humid Air on a Hydrophobic Micropatterned Surface

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Combination of two physical phenomena, capillary pressure gradient and wettability gradient, allows a simple two-step fabrication process that yields a reliable hydrophobic self-cleaning condenser surface. The surface is fabricated with specific microscopic topography and further treatment with a chemically inert low-surface-energy material. This process does not require growth of nanofeatures (nanotubes) or hydrophilic–hydrophobic patterning of the surface. Trapezoidal geometry of the microfeatures facilitates droplet transfer from the Wenzel to the Cassie state and reduces droplet critical diameter. The geometry of the micropatterns enhances local coalescence and directional movement for droplets with diameter much smaller than the radial length of the micropatterns. The hydrophobic self-cleaning micropatterned condenser surface prevents liquid film formation and promotes continuous dropwise condensation cycle. Upon dropwise condensation, droplets follow a designed wettability gradient created with micropatterns from the most hydrophobic to the least hydrophobic end of the surface. The surface has higher condensation efficiency, due to its directional self-cleaning property, than a plain hydrophobic surface. We explain the self-actuated droplet collection mechanism on the condenser surface and demonstrate experimentally the creation of an effective wettability gradient over a 6 mm radial distance. In spite of its fabrication simplicity, the fabricated surface demonstrates self-cleaning property, enhanced condensation performance, and reliability over time. Our work enables creation of a hydrophobic condenser surface with the directional self-cleaning property that can be used for collection of biological (chemical, environmental) aerosol samples or for condensation enhancement. PMID:25073014

Continuous droplet removal upon dropwise condensation of humid air on a hydrophobic micropatterned surface.

PubMed

Zamuruyev, Konstantin O; Bardaweel, Hamzeh K; Carron, Christopher J; Kenyon, Nicholas J; Brand, Oliver; Delplanque, Jean-Pierre; Davis, Cristina E

2014-08-26

Combination of two physical phenomena, capillary pressure gradient and wettability gradient, allows a simple two-step fabrication process that yields a reliable hydrophobic self-cleaning condenser surface. The surface is fabricated with specific microscopic topography and further treatment with a chemically inert low-surface-energy material. This process does not require growth of nanofeatures (nanotubes) or hydrophilic-hydrophobic patterning of the surface. Trapezoidal geometry of the microfeatures facilitates droplet transfer from the Wenzel to the Cassie state and reduces droplet critical diameter. The geometry of the micropatterns enhances local coalescence and directional movement for droplets with diameter much smaller than the radial length of the micropatterns. The hydrophobic self-cleaning micropatterned condenser surface prevents liquid film formation and promotes continuous dropwise condensation cycle. Upon dropwise condensation, droplets follow a designed wettability gradient created with micropatterns from the most hydrophobic to the least hydrophobic end of the surface. The surface has higher condensation efficiency, due to its directional self-cleaning property, than a plain hydrophobic surface. We explain the self-actuated droplet collection mechanism on the condenser surface and demonstrate experimentally the creation of an effective wettability gradient over a 6 mm radial distance. In spite of its fabrication simplicity, the fabricated surface demonstrates self-cleaning property, enhanced condensation performance, and reliability over time. Our work enables creation of a hydrophobic condenser surface with the directional self-cleaning property that can be used for collection of biological (chemical, environmental) aerosol samples or for condensation enhancement.

Bacterial migration along solid surfaces.

PubMed Central

Harkes, G; Dankert, J; Feijen, J

1992-01-01

An in vitro system was developed to study the migration of uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains. In this system an aqueous agar gel is placed against a solid surface, allowing the bacteria to migrate along the gel/solid surface interface. Bacterial strains as well as solid surfaces were characterized by means of water contact angle and zeta potential measurements. When glass was used as the solid surface, significantly different migration times for the strains investigated were observed. Relationships among the observed migration times of six strains, their contact angles, and their zeta potentials were found. Relatively hydrophobic strains exhibited migration times shorter than those of hydrophilic strains. For highly negatively charged strains shorter migration times were found than were found for less negatively charged strains. When the fastest-migrating strain with respect to glass was allowed to migrate along solid surfaces differing in hydrophobicity and charge, no differences in migration times were found. Our findings indicate that strategies to prevent catheter-associated bacteriuria should be based on inhibition of bacterial growth rather than on modifying the physicochemical character of the catheter surface. PMID:1622217

Atomization of Impinging Droplets on Superheated Superhydrophobic Surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emerson, Preston; Crockett, Julie; Maynes, Daniel

2017-11-01

Water droplets impinging smooth superheated surfaces may be characterized by dynamic vapor bubbles rising to the surface, popping, and causing a spray of tiny droplets to erupt from the droplet. This spray is called secondary atomization. Here, atomization is quantified experimentally for water droplets impinging superheated superhydrophobic surfaces. Smooth hydrophobic and superhydrophobic surfaces with varying rib and post microstructuring were explored. Each surface was placed on an aluminum heating block, and impingement events were captured with a high speed camera at 3000 fps. For consistency among tests, all events were normalized by the maximum atomization found over a range of temperatures on a smooth hydrophobic surface. An estimate of the level of atomization during an impingement event was created by quantifying the volume of fluid present in the atomization spray. Droplet diameter and Weber number were held constant, and atomization was found for a range of temperatures through the lifetime of the impinging droplet. The Leidenfrost temperature was also determined and defined to be the lowest temperature at which atomization ceases to occur. Both atomization and Leidenfrost temperature increase with decreasing pitch (distance between microstructures).

Preparation and characterization of soy protein films with a durable water resistance-adjustable and antimicrobial surface.

PubMed

Li, Shuzhao; Donner, Elizabeth; Xiao, Huining; Thompson, Michael; Zhang, Yachuan; Rempel, Curtis; Liu, Qiang

2016-12-01

A water resistant surface was first obtained by immobilizing hydrophobic copolymers, poly (styrene-co-glycidyl methacrylate) (PSG), with functional groups on soy protein isolate (SPI) films. XPS and AFM results showed that PSG copolymers were immobilized on the film by chemical bonding, and formed a rough surface with some bumps because of the segregation of two different phases on PSG copolymers. Water resistance of the modified films could be adjusted dramatically by further immobilizing different amounts of guanidine-based antimicrobial polymers, poly (hexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride) (PHMG) on the resulting hydrophobic surface. The introduction of hydrophilic PHMG on the resulting surface generated many micropores, which potentially increased the water uptake of the modified films. Furthermore, the modified SPI films showed higher thermostability compared to native SPI film and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity by contact killing, attributed to the presence of PHMG on the surface. The modified SPI film with a multi-functional surface showed potential for applications in the packaging and medical fields. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Separation and characterization of effective demulsifying substances from surface of Alcaligenes sp. S-XJ-1 and its application in water-in-kerosene emulsion.

PubMed

Huang, Xiangfeng; Peng, Kaiming; Feng, Yi; Liu, Jia; Lu, Lijun

2013-07-01

The main goal of this work was to analyze the effect of surface substances on demulsifying capability of the demulsifying strain Alcaligenes sp. S-XJ-1. The demulsifying substances were successfully separated from the cell surface with dichloromethane-alkali treatment, and exhibited 67.5% of the demulsification ratio for water-in-kerosene emulsions at a dosage of 356mg/L. FT-IR, TLC and ESI-MS analysis confirmed the presence of a carbohydrate-protein-lipid complex in the demulsifying substances with the major molecular ions from mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) 165 to 814. After the substances separated, the cell morphology changed from aggregated to dispersed, and the concentration of cell surface functional groups decreased. Cell surface hydrophobicity and the ability of cell adhesion to hydrophobic surface of the treated cells was also reduced compared with original cell. It was proved that the demulsifying substances had a significant effect on cell surface properties and accordingly with demulsifying capability of Alcaligenes sp. S-XJ-1. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Condensation Dynamics on Mimicked Metal Matrix Hydrophobic Nanoparticle-Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damle, Viraj; Sun, Xiaoda; Rykaczewski, Konrad

2014-11-01

Use of hydrophobic surfaces promotes condensation in the dropwise mode, which is significantly more efficient than the common filmwise mode. However, limited longevity of hydrophobic surface modifiers has prevented their wide spread use in industry. Recently, metal matrix composites (MMCs) having microscale hydrophobic heterogeneities dispersed in hydrophilic metal matrix have been proposed as durable and self-healing alternative to hydrophobic surface coatings interacting with deposited water droplets. While dispersion of hydrophobic microparticles in MMC is likely to lead to surface flooding during condensation, the effect of dispersion of hydrophobic nanoparticles (HNPs) with size comparable to water nuclei critical radii and spacing is not obvious. To this end, we fabricated highly ordered arrays of Teflon nanospheres on silicon substrates that mimic the top surface of the MMCs with dispersed HNPs. We used light and electron microscopy to observe breath figures resulting from condensation on these surfaces at varied degrees of subcooling. Here, we discuss the relation between the droplet size distribution, Teflon nanosphere diameter and spacing, and condensation mode. KR acknowledges startup funding from ASU.

Super-hydrophobic surfaces of SiO₂-coated SiC nanowires: fabrication, mechanism and ultraviolet-durable super-hydrophobicity.

PubMed

Zhao, Jian; Li, Zhenjiang; Zhang, Meng; Meng, Alan

2015-04-15

The interest in highly water-repellent surfaces of SiO2-coated SiC nanowires has grown in recent years due to the desire for self-cleaning and anticorrosive surfaces. It is imperative that a simple chemical treatment with fluoroalkylsilane (FAS, CF3(CF2)7CH2CH2Si(OC2H5)3) in ethanol solution at room temperature resulted in super-hydrophobic surfaces of SiO2-coated SiC nanowires. The static water contact angle of SiO2-coated SiC nanowires surfaces was changed from 0° to 153° and the morphology, microstructure and crystal phase of the products were almost no transformation before and after super-hydrophobic treatment. Moreover, a mechanism was expounded reasonably, which could elucidate the reasons for their super-hydrophobic behavior. It is important that the super-hydrophobic surfaces of SiO2-coated SiC nanowires possessed ultraviolet-durable (UV-durable) super-hydrophobicity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improvement of Uveal and Capsular Biocompatibility of Hydrophobic Acrylic Intraocular Lens by Surface Grafting with 2-Methacryloyloxyethyl Phosphorylcholine-Methacrylic Acid Copolymer

PubMed Central

Tan, Xuhua; Zhan, Jiezhao; Zhu, Yi; Cao, Ji; Wang, Lin; Liu, Sa; Wang, Yingjun; Liu, Zhenzhen; Qin, Yingyan; Wu, Mingxing; Liu, Yizhi; Ren, Li

2017-01-01

Biocompatibility of intraocular lens (IOL) is critical to vision reconstruction after cataract surgery. Foldable hydrophobic acrylic IOL is vulnerable to the adhesion of extracellular matrix proteins and cells, leading to increased incidence of postoperative inflammation and capsule opacification. To increase IOL biocompatibility, we synthesized a hydrophilic copolymer P(MPC-MAA) and grafted the copolymer onto the surface of IOL through air plasma treatment. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and static water contact angle were used to characterize chemical changes, topography and hydrophilicity of the IOL surface, respectively. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) showed that P(MPC-MAA) modified IOLs were resistant to protein adsorption. Moreover, P(MPC-MAA) modification inhibited adhesion and proliferation of lens epithelial cells (LECs) in vitro. To analyze uveal and capsular biocompatibility in vivo, we implanted the P(MPC-MAA) modified IOLs into rabbits after phacoemulsification. P(MPC-MAA) modification significantly reduced postoperative inflammation and anterior capsule opacification (ACO), and did not affect posterior capsule opacification (PCO). Collectively, our study suggests that surface modification by P(MPC-MAA) can significantly improve uveal and capsular biocompatibility of hydrophobic acrylic IOL, which could potentially benefit patients with blood-aqueous barrier damage. PMID:28084469

Synthesis and properties evaluation of sulfobetaine surfactant with double hydroxyl

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Ming; Luo, Gang; Zhang, Ze; Li, Sisi; Wang, Chengwen

2017-09-01

A series of sulfobetaine surfactants {N-[(3-alkoxy-2-hydroxyl)propoxy] ethyl-N,N-dimethyl-N-(2-hydroxyl)propyl sulfonate} ammonium chloride were synthesized with raw materials containing linear saturated alcohol, N,N-dimethylethanolamine, sodium 3-chloro-2-hydroxyl propane sulfonic acid and epichlorohydrin. The molecule structures of sulfobetaine surfactants were characterized by FTIR, 1HNMR and elemental analysis. Surface tension measurements can provide us information about the surface tension at the CMC (γCMC), pC20, Γmax and Amin. The pC20 values of sulfobetaine surfactants increase with the hydrophobic chain length increasing. Amin values of the surfactants decrease with increasing hydrophobic chain length from 10 to 14. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) and surface tension (γCMC) values of the sulfobetaine surfactants decrease with increasing hydrophobic chain length from 10 to 16. The lipophilicity of surfactant was enhanced with the increase of the carbon chain, however, the ability of anti-hard water was weakened. The minimum oil/water interfacial tension of four kinds of sulfobetaine surfactants is 10-2-10-3 mN/m magnitude, which indicates that the synthesized bis-hydroxy sulfobetaine surfactants have a great ability to reduce interfacial tension in the surfactant flooding system. The surface tension (γCMC) values of synthesized surfactants were lower compared with conventional anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfonate.

Enhancement on the Surface Hydrophobicity and Oleophobicity of an Organosilicon Film by Conformity Deposition and Surface Fluorination Etching.

PubMed

Xu, Zheng-Wen; Zhang, Yu-Kai; Chen, Tai-Hong; Chang, Jin-How; Lee, Tsung-Hsin; Li, Pei-Yu; Liu, Day-Shan

2018-06-26

In this work, the surface morphology of a hydrophobic organosilicon film was modified as it was deposited onto a silver seed layer with nanoparticles. The surface hydrophobicity evaluated by the water contact angle was significantly increased from 100° to 128° originating from the surface of the organosilicon film becoming roughened, and was deeply relevant to the Ag seed layer conform deposition. In addition, the organosilicon film became surface oleophobic and the surface hydrophobicity was improved due to the formation of the inactive C-F chemical on the surface after the carbon tetrafluoride glow discharge etching. The surface hydrophobicity and oleophobicity of the organosilicon film could be further optimized with water and oleic contact angles of about 138° and 61°, respectively, after an adequate fluorination etching.

Moulding technique demonstrates the contribution of surface geometry to the super-hydrophobic properties of the surface of a water strider.

PubMed

Goodwyn, Pablo Perez; De Souza, Emerson; Fujisaki, Kenji; Gorb, Stanislav

2008-05-01

Water striders (Insecta, Heteroptera, Gerridae) have a complex three-dimensional waterproof hairy cover which renders them super-hydrophobic. This paper experimentally demonstrates for the first time the mechanism of the super-hydrophobicity of the cuticle of water striders. The complex two-level microstructure of the surface, including the smallest microtrichia (200-300 nm wide, 7-9 microm long), was successfully replicated using a two-step moulding technique. The mould surface exhibited super-hydrophobic properties similar to the original insect surface. The average water contact angle (CA) of the mould was 164.7 degrees , whereas the CA of the flat polymer was about 92 degrees . These results show that (i) in water striders, the topography of the surface plays a dominant role in super-hydrophobicity, (ii) very low surface energy bulk material (typically smaller than 0.020 N m(-1)) is not necessary to achieve super-hydrophobicity; and (3) the two-step moulding technique may be used to mimic quite complex biological functional surfaces.

Superhydrophobicity enhancement through substrate flexibility.

PubMed

Vasileiou, Thomas; Gerber, Julia; Prautzsch, Jana; Schutzius, Thomas M; Poulikakos, Dimos

2016-11-22

Inspired by manifestations in nature, microengineering and nanoengineering of synthetic materials to achieve superhydrophobicity has been the focus of much work. Generally, hydrophobicity is enhanced through the combined effects of surface texturing and chemistry; being durable, rigid materials are the norm. However, many natural and technical surfaces are flexible, and the resulting effect on hydrophobicity has been largely ignored. Here, we show that the rational tuning of flexibility can work synergistically with the surface microtexture or nanotexture to enhance liquid repellency performance, characterized by impalement and breakup resistance, contact time reduction, and restitution coefficient increase. Reduction in substrate areal density and stiffness imparts immediate acceleration and intrinsic responsiveness to impacting droplets (∼350 × g), mitigating the collision and lowering the impalement probability by ∼60% without the need for active actuation. Furthermore, we exemplify the above discoveries with materials ranging from man-made (thin steel or polymer sheets) to nature-made (butterfly wings).

Hydrophobicity of silver surfaces with microparticle geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macko, Ján; Oriňaková, Renáta; Oriňak, Andrej; Kovaľ, Karol; Kupková, Miriam; Erdélyi, Branislav; Kostecká, Zuzana; Smith, Roger M.

2016-11-01

The effect of the duration of the current deposition cycle and the number of current pulses on the geometry of silver microstructured surfaces and on the free surface energy, polarizability, hydrophobicity and thus adhesion force of the silver surfaces has been investigated. The changes in surface hydrophobicity were entirely dependent on the size and density of the microparticles on the surface. The results showed that formation of the silver microparticles was related to number of current pulses, while the duration of one current pulse played only a minor effect on the final surface microparticle geometry and thus on the surface tension and hydrophobicity. The conventional geometry of the silver particles has been transformed to the fractal dimension D. The surface hydrophobicity depended predominantly on the length of the dendrites not on their width. The highest silver surface hydrophobicity was observed on a surface prepared by 30 current pulses with a pulse duration of 1 s, the lowest one when deposition was performed by 10 current pulses with a duration of 0.1 s. The partial surface tension coefficients γDS and polarizability kS of the silver surfaces were calculated. Both parameters can be applied in future applications in living cells adhesion prediction and spectral method selection. Silver films with microparticle geometry showed a lower variability in final surface hydrophobicity when compared to nanostructured surfaces. The comparisons could be used to modify surfaces and to modulate human cells and bacterial adhesion on body implants, surgery instruments and clean surfaces.

Engineering tunable bio-inspired polymeric coatings for amphiphobic fibrous materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oyola-Reynoso, Stephanie

Chemical grafting has been widely used to modify the surface properties of materials, especially surface energy for controlled wetting, because of the resilience of such coatings/modifications. Reagents with multiple reactive sites have been used with the expectation that a monolayer will form. The step-growth polymerization mechanism, however, suggests the possibility of gel formation for hydrolysable moieties in the presence of physisorbed water. In the following chapters, we demonstrate that using alkyltrichlorosilanes (trivalent [3 reactive sites]) in the surface modification of a cellulosic material (paper) does not yield a monolayer but rather gives surface-bound polymeric particles. We infer that the presence of physisorbed (surface-bound) water allows for polymerization (or oligomerization) of the silane, prior to its attachment on the surface. Surface energy mismatch between the hydrophobic tails of the growing polymer and any unreacted bound water leads to the assembly of the polymerizing material into spherical particles to minimize surface tension. By varying paper grammage (16.2-201.4 g/m2), we varied the accessible surface area and thus the amount of surface-adsorbed water, allowing us to control the ratio of the silane to the bound water. Using this approach, polymeric particles were formed on the surface of cellulose fibers ranging from 70 nm to a film. The hydrophobicity of the surface, as determined by water contact angles, correlates with particle sizes (p < 0.001, Student t-test), and, hence, the hydrophobicity can be tuned (contact angle between 94° and 149°). Using a model structure of a house, we demonstrated that as a result of this modification, cardboard houses can be rendered self-cleaning or tolerant to surface running water. Each of the chapters below supports the mechanism via a series of applications, material characterization, and/or, smart engineering.

A role for surface hydrophobicity in protein-protein recognition.

PubMed Central

Young, L.; Jernigan, R. L.; Covell, D. G.

1994-01-01

The role of hydrophobicity as a determinant of protein-protein interactions is examined. Surfaces of apo-protein targets comprising 9 classes of enzymes, 7 antibody fragments, hirudin, growth hormone, and retinol-binding protein, and their associated ligands with available X-ray structures for their complexed forms, are scanned to determine clusters of surface-accessible amino acids. Clusters of surface residues are ranked on the basis of the hydrophobicity of their constituent amino acids. The results indicate that the location of the co-crystallized ligand is commonly found to correspond with one of the strongest hydrophobic clusters on the surface of the target molecule. In 25 of 38 cases, the correspondence is exact, with the position of the most hydrophobic cluster coinciding with more than one-third of the surface buried by the bound ligand. The remaining 13 cases demonstrate this correspondence within the top 6 hydrophobic clusters. These results suggest that surface hydrophobicity can be used to identify regions of a protein's surface most likely to interact with a binding ligand. This fast and simple procedure may be useful for identifying small sets of well-defined loci for possible ligand attachment. PMID:8061602

Conjugation of arginine-glycine-aspartic acid peptides to poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(epsilon-caprolactone) micelles for enhanced intracellular drug delivery to metastatic tumor cells.

PubMed

Xiong, Xiao-Bing; Mahmud, Abdullah; Uludağ, Hasan; Lavasanifar, Afsaneh

2007-03-01

An arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) containing model peptide was conjugated to the surface of poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PEO-b-PCL) micelles as a ligand that can recognize adhesion molecules overexpressed on the surface of metastatic cancer cells, that is, integrins, and that can enhance the micellar delivery of encapsulated hydrophobic drug into a tumor cell. Toward this goal, PEO-b-PCL copolymers bearing acetal groups on the PEO end were synthesized, characterized, and assembled to polymeric micelles. The acetal group on the surface of the PEO-b-PCL micelles was converted to reactive aldehyde under acidic condition at room temperature. An RGD-containing linear peptide, GRGDS, was conjugated on the surface of the aldehyde-decorated PEO-b-PCL micelles by incubation at room temperature. A hydrophobic fluorescent probe, that is, DiI, was physically loaded in prepared polymeric micelles to imitate hydrophobic drugs loaded in micellar carrier. The cellular uptake of DiI loaded GRGDS-modified micelles by melanoma B16-F10 cells was investigated at 4 and 37 degrees C by fluorescent spectroscopy and confocal microscopy techniques and was compared to the uptake of DiI loaded valine-PEO-b-PCL micelles (as the irrelevant ligand decorated micelles) and free DiI. GRGDS conjugation to polymeric micelles significantly facilitated the cellular uptake of encapsulated hydrophobic DiI most probably by intergrin-mediated cell attachment and endocytosis. The results indicate that acetal-terminated PEO-b-PCL micelles are amenable for introducing targeting moieties on the surface of polymeric micelles and that RGD-peptide conjugated PEO-b-PCL micelles are promising ligand-targeted carriers for enhanced drug delivery to metastatic tumor cells.

The effect of heterogeneity and surface roughness on soil hydrophobicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hallin, I.; Bryant, R.; Doerr, S. H.; Douglas, P.

2010-05-01

Soil water repellency, or hydrophobicity, can develop under both natural and anthropogenic conditions. Forest fires, vegetation decomposition, microbial activity and oil spills can all promote hydrophobic behaviour in surrounding soils. Hydrophobicity can stabilize soil organic matter pools and decrease evapotranspiration, but there are many negative impacts of hydrophobicity as well: increased erosion of topsoil, an increasingly scarce resource; increased runoff, which can lead to flooding; and decreased infiltration, which directly affects plant health. The degree of hydrophobicity expressed by soil can vary greatly within a small area, depending partly on the type and severity of the disturbance as well as on temporal factors such as water content and microbial activity. To date, many laboratory investigations into soil hydrophobicity have focused on smooth particle surfaces. As a result, our understanding of how hydrophobicity develops on rough surfaces of macro, micro and nano-particulates is limited; we are unable to predict with certainty how these soil particles will behave on contact with water. Surface chemistry is the main consideration when predicting hydrophobic behaviour of smooth solids, but for particles with rough surfaces, hydrophobicity is believed to develop as a combination of surface chemistry and topography. Topography may reflect both the arrangement (aggregation) of soil particles and the distribution of materials adsorbed on particulate surfaces. Patch-wise or complete coverage of rough soil particles by hydrophobic material may result in solid/water contact angles ≥150° , at which point the soil may be classified as super-hydrophobic. Here we present a critical review of the research to date on the effects of heterogeneity and surface roughness on soil hydrophobicity in which we discuss recent advances, current trends, and future research areas. References: Callies, M., Y. Chen, F. Marty, A. Pépin and D. Quéré. 2005. Microfabricated textured surfaces for super-hydrophobicity investigations. Microelectronic Engineering. 78-79:100-105. Doerr, S.H. C.J. Ritsema, L.W. Dekker, D.F. Scott and D. Carter. 2007. Water repellence of soils: new insights and emerging research needs. Hydrological Processes. 21:2223-2228. Doerr, S.H., R.A. Shakesby and R.P.D. Walsh. 2000. Soil water repellency: its causes, characteristics and hydro-geomorphological significance. Earth-Science Reviews. 51:33-65. McHale, G. N.J. Shirtcliffe, M.I. Newton, F.B. Pyatt and S.H. Doerr. 2007. Self-organization of hydrophobic soil and granular surfaces. Applied Physics Letters. 90. 054110.

Effect of material flexibility on the thermodynamics and kinetics of hydrophobically induced evaporation of water

PubMed Central

Altabet, Y. Elia; Haji-Akbari, Amir; Debenedetti, Pablo G.

2017-01-01

The evaporation of water induced by confinement between hydrophobic surfaces has received much attention due to its suggested functional role in numerous biophysical phenomena and its importance as a general mechanism of hydrophobic self-assembly. Although much progress has been made in understanding the basic physics of hydrophobically induced evaporation, a comprehensive understanding of the substrate material features (e.g., geometry, chemistry, and mechanical properties) that promote or inhibit such transitions remains lacking. In particular, comparatively little research has explored the relationship between water’s phase behavior in hydrophobic confinement and the mechanical properties of the confining material. Here, we report the results of extensive molecular simulations characterizing the rates, free energy barriers, and mechanism of water evaporation when confined between model hydrophobic materials with tunable flexibility. A single-order-of-magnitude reduction in the material’s modulus results in up to a nine-orders-of-magnitude increase in the evaporation rate, with the corresponding characteristic time decreasing from tens of seconds to tens of nanoseconds. Such a modulus reduction results in a 24-orders-of-magnitude decrease in the reverse rate of condensation, with time scales increasing from nanoseconds to tens of millions of years. Free energy calculations provide the barriers to evaporation and confirm our previous theoretical predictions that making the material more flexible stabilizes the confined vapor with respect to liquid. The mechanism of evaporation involves surface bubbles growing/coalescing to form a subcritical gap-spanning tube, which then must grow to cross the barrier. PMID:28289194

Fabrication and functionalization of single asymmetric nanochannels for electrostatic/hydrophobic association of protein molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Mubarak; Bayer, Veronika; Schiedt, Birgitta; Neumann, Reinhard; Ensinger, Wolfgang

2008-12-01

We have developed a facile and reproducible method for surfactant-controlled track-etching and chemical functionalization of single asymmetric nanochannels in PET (polyethylene terephthalate) membranes. Carboxyl groups present on the channel surface were converted into pentafluorophenyl esters using EDC/PFP (N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride/pentafluorophenol) coupling chemistry. The resulting amine-reactive esters were further covalently coupled with ethylenediamine or propylamine in order to manipulate the charge polarity and hydrophilicity of the nanochannels, respectively. Characterization of the modified channels was done by measuring their current-voltage (I-V) curves as well as their permselectivity before and after the chemical modification. The electrostatic/hydrophobic association of bovine serum albumin on the channel surface was observed through the change in rectification behaviour upon the variation of pH values.

Hydrophobic interactions between dissimilar surfaces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yoon, R.H.; Flinn, D.H.; Rabinovich, Y.I.

1997-01-15

An atomic force microscope (AFM) was used to measure surface forces between a glass sphere and a silica plate. When the measurements were conducted between untreated surfaces, a short-range hydration force with decay lengths of 0.4 and 3.0 nm was observed. When the surfaces were hydrophobized with octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS), on the other hand, long-range hydrophobic forces with decay lengths in the range of 2--32 nm were observed. The force measurements were conducted between surfaces having similar and dissimilar hydrophobicities so that the results may be used for deriving an empirical combining rule. It was found that the power law forcemore » constants for asymmetric interactions are close to the geometric means of those for symmetric interactions. Thus, hydrophobic force constants can be combined in the same manner as the Hamaker constants. A plot of the power law force constants versus water contact angles suggests that the hydrophobic force is uniquely determined by contact angle. These results will be useful in predicting hydrophobic forces for asymmetric interactions and in estimating hydrophobic forces from contact angles.« less

Tailoring the surface chemical bond states of the NbN films by doping Ag: Achieving hard hydrophobic surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Ping; Zhang, Kan; Du, Suxuan; Meng, Qingnan; He, Xin; Wang, Shuo; Wen, Mao; Zheng, Weitao

2017-06-01

Robust hydrophobic surfaces based on ceramics capable of withstanding harsh conditions such as abrasion, erosion and high temperature, are required in a broad range of applications. The metal cations with coordinative saturation or low electronegativity are commonly chosen to achieve the intrinsically hydrophobic ceramic by reducing Lewis acidity, and thus the ceramic systems are limited. In this work, we present a different picture that robust hydrophobic surface with high hardness (≥20 GPa) can be fabricated through doping Ag atoms into intrinsically hydrophilic ceramic film NbN by reactive co-sputtering. The transition of wettability from hydrophilic to hydrophobic of Nb-Ag-N films induced by Ag doping results from the appearance of Ag2O groups on the films surfaces through self-oxidation, because Ag cations (Ag+) in Ag2O are the filled-shell (4d105S0) electronic structure with coordinative saturation that have no tendency to interact with water. The results show that surface Ag2O benefited for hydrophobicity comes from the solute Ag atoms rather than precipitate metal Ag, in which the more Ag atoms incorporated into Nb-sublattice are able to further improve the hydrophobicity, whereas the precipitation of Ag nanoclusters would worsen it. The present work opens a window for fabricating robust hydrophobic surface through tailoring surface chemical bond states by doping Ag into transition metal nitrides.

Peptide adsorption on the hydrophobic surface: A free energy perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheng, Yuebiao; Wang, Wei; Chen, P.

2011-05-01

Protein adsorption is a very attractive topic which relates to many novel applications in biomaterials, biotechnology and nanotechnology. Ionic complementary peptides are a group of novel nano-biomaterials with many biomedical applications. In this work, molecular dynamics simulations of the ionic-complementary peptide EAK16-II on a hydrophobic graphite surface were performed under neutral, acidic and basic solution conditions. Adsorption free energy contour maps were obtained by analyzing the dynamical trajectories. Hydrophobic interactions were found to govern the adsorption of the first peptide molecule, and both hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions contributed to the adsorption of the second peptide molecule. Especially under acidic and basic solution conditions, interplay existed among chain-chain hydrophobic, chain-surface hydrophobic and chain-chain electrostatic interactions during the adsorption of the second peptide molecule. Non-charged residues were found to lie on the graphite surface, while charged residue side-chains oriented towards the solution after the peptide deposited on the surface. These results provide a basis for understanding peptide adsorption on the hydrophobic surface under different solution conditions, which is useful for novel applications such as bioactive implant devices and drug delivery material design.

Visible light-induced insulin aggregation on surfaces via photoexcitation of bound thioflavin T.

PubMed

Chouchane, Karim; Pignot-Paintrand, Isabelle; Bruckert, Franz; Weidenhaupt, Marianne

2018-04-01

Insulin is known to form amyloid aggregates when agitated in a hydrophobic container. Amyloid aggregation is routinely measured by the fluorescence of the conformational dye thioflavin T, which, when incorporated into amyloid fibers, fluoresces at 480 nm. The kinetics of amyloid aggregation in general is characterized by an initial lag-phase, during which aggregative nuclei form on the hydrophobic surface. These nuclei then lead to the formation of fibrils presenting a rapid growth during the elongation phase. Here we describe a novel mechanism of insulin amyloid aggregation which is surprisingly devoid of a lag-time for nucleation. The excitation of thioflavin T by visible light at 440 nm induces the aggregation of thioflavin T-positive insulin fibrils on hydrophobic surfaces in the presence of strong agitation and at physiological pH. This process is material surface-induced and depends on the fact that surface-adsorbed insulin can bind thioflavin T. Light-induced insulin aggregation kinetics is thioflavin T-mediated and is based on an energy transfer from visible light to the protein via thioflavin T. It relies on a constant supply of thioflavin T and insulin from the solution to the aggregate. The growth rate increases with the irradiance and with the concentration of thioflavin T. The supply of insulin seems to be the limiting factor of aggregate growth. This light-induced aggregation process allows the formation of local surface-bound aggregation patterns. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Wetting, adhesion and friction of superhydrophobic and hydrophilic leaves and fabricated micro/nanopatterned surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhushan, Bharat; Jung, Yong Chae

2008-06-01

Superhydrophobic surfaces have considerable technological potential for various applications due to their extreme water-repellent properties. When two hydrophilic bodies are brought into contact, any liquid present at the interface forms menisci, which increases adhesion/friction and the magnitude is dependent upon the contact angle. Certain plant leaves are known to be superhydrophobic in nature due to their roughness and the presence of a thin wax film on the leaf surface. Various leaf surfaces on the microscale and nanoscale have been characterized in order to separate out the effects of the microbumps and nanobumps and the wax on the hydrophobicity. The next logical step in realizing superhydrophobic surfaces that can be produced is to design surfaces based on understanding of the leaves. The effect of micropatterning and nanopatterning on the hydrophobicity was investigated for two different polymers with micropatterns and nanopatterns. Scale dependence on adhesion was also studied using atomic force microscope tips of various radii. Studies on silicon surfaces patterned with pillars of varying diameter, height and pitch values and deposited with a hydrophobic coating were performed to demonstrate how the contact angles vary with the pitch. The effect of droplet size on contact angle was studied by droplet evaporation and a transition criterion was developed to predict when air pockets cease to exist. Finally, an environmental scanning electron microscope study on the effect of droplet size of about 20 µm radius on the contact angle of patterned surfaces is presented. The importance of hierarchical roughness structure on destabilization of air pockets is discussed.

Relationship between the mobility of phosphocholine headgroups of liposomes and the hydrophobicity at the membrane interface: a characterization with spectrophotometric measurements.

PubMed

Shimanouchi, Toshinori; Sasaki, Masashi; Hiroiwa, Azusa; Yoshimoto, Noriko; Miyagawa, Kazuya; Umakoshi, Hiroshi; Kuboi, Ryoichi

2011-11-01

In this study, we investigated the dynamics of a membrane interface of liposomes prepared by eight zwitterionic phosphatidylcholines in terms of their headgroup mobility, with spectroscopic methods such as dielectric dispersion analysis (DDA), fluorescence spectroscopy. The DDA measurement is based on the response of the permanent dipole moment to a driving electric field and could give the information on the axial rotational Brownian motion of a headgroup with the permanent dipole moment. This motion depended on kinds of phospholipids, the diameter of the liposomes, and the temperature. The activation energy required to overcome the intermolecular force between headgroups of phospholipids depended on the strength of the interaction between headgroups such as hydrogen bonds and/or dipole-dipole interaction. Hydration at the phosphorous group of phospholipid and the molecular order of lipid membrane impaired the interaction between headgroups. Furthermore, the hydrophobicity of membrane surface increased parallel to the increase in headgroup mobility. It is, therefore, concluded that hydration of headgroup promoted its mobility to make the membrane surface hydrophobic. The lipid membrane in liquid crystalline phase or the lipid membrane with the larger curvature was more hydrophobic. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Flame retardant and hydrophobic properties of novel sol-gel derived phytic acid/silica hybrid organic-inorganic coatings for silk fabric

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Xian-Wei; Liang, Cheng-Xi; Guan, Jin-Ping; Yang, Xu-Hong; Tang, Ren-Cheng

2018-01-01

In this work, a novel phosphorus-rich hybrid organic-inorganic silica coating for improving the flame retardancy of silk fabric was prepared using naturally occurring phytic acid as phosphorus precursor and catalyst for the hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane. In addition, three silane coupling agents, namely 3-aminopropyldimethoxymethylsilane, 3-chloropropyltrimethoxysilane and 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, were added in the hybrid sol as cross-linkers with the aim of developing hydrophobic coatings and improving the washing durability of the treated silk fabric. The condensation degree of the hybrid sol was characterized by solid-state 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The flammability and thermal degradation properties of the treated silk fabrics were determined in terms of limiting oxygen index, vertical burning, pyrolysis combustion flow calorimetry and thermogravimetric analyses. The surface morphology and hydrophobicity of the treated silk fabrics were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and water contact angle tests. The flammability tests revealed that the silicon sol could endow silk fabric with excellent flame retardancy when doped with phytic acid, and the treated silk fabrics self-extinguished immediately when the ignition source was removed. The silk fabrics treated with the modified hybrid sols exhibited hydrophobic surface and also better durability to washing.

Hydration structure of the α-chymotrypsin substrate binding pocket: the impact of constrained geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carey, Christina; Cheng, Yuen-Kit; Rossky, Peter J.

2000-08-01

The concave substrate binding pocket of α-chymotrypsin binds specifically hydrophobic side chains. In order to understand the hydration structure present in the absence of substrate, and elucidate the character of the solvent displaced on binding, molecular dynamics computer simulation of the solvent in a fully hydrated protein has been carried out and analyzed. The pocket is found to be characterized in terms of a mixed polar and apolar macromolecular surface. It is shown that the simulated solvent structure within it is spatially consistent with that seen via crystallography. The solvent structure is energetically characterized by large losses in hydrogen bonding among solvent molecules except at the mouth of the pocket where exposure to bulk-like solvent is possible. The loss in hydrogen bonding is attributed to the highly constrained geometry available to the solvent, preventing formation of a hydrogen bonding network, with only partial compensation by interactions with the macromolecular surface. The solvent displacement concomitant with substrate binding will therefore be associated with a large enthalpic driving force. This result is at the extreme of a continuum of variable cases of "hydrophobic" hydration, which differ most basically in surface curvature. These range from convex solute surfaces, inducing clathrate-like structures, with negligible hydrogen bond loss, to flat surfaces with significant interfacial loss, to the present concave case with hydrogen bonding losses exceeding 50%.

Biodegradation and surfactant-mediated biodegradation of diesel fuel by 218 microbial consortia are not correlated to cell surface hydrophobicity.

PubMed

Owsianiak, Mikołaj; Szulc, Alicja; Chrzanowski, Łukasz; Cyplik, Paweł; Bogacki, Mariusz; Olejnik-Schmidt, Agnieszka K; Heipieper, Hermann J

2009-09-01

In this study, we elucidated the role of cell surface hydrophobicity (microbial adhesion to hydrocarbons method, MATH) and the effect of anionic rhamnolipids and nonionic Triton X-100 surfactants on biodegradation of diesel fuel employing 218 microbial consortia isolated from petroleum-contaminated soils. Applied enrichment procedure with floating diesel fuel as a sole carbon source in liquid cultures resulted in consortia of varying biodegradation potential and diametrically different cell surface properties, suggesting that cell surface hydrophobicity is a conserved parameter. Surprisingly, no correlations between cell surface hydrophobicity and biodegradation of diesel fuel were found. Nevertheless, both surfactants altered cell surface hydrophobicity of the consortia in similar manner: increased for the hydrophilic and decreased for the hydrophobic cultures. In addition to this, the surfactants exhibited similar influence on diesel fuel biodegradation: Increase was observed for initially slow-degrading cultures and the opposite for fast degraders. This indicates that in the surfactant-mediated biodegradation, effectiveness of surfactants depends on the specification of microorganisms and not on the type of surfactant. In contrary to what was previously reported for pure strains, cell surface hydrophobicity, as determined by MATH, is not a good descriptor of biodegrading potential for mixed cultures.

Surface hydrophobicity of slippery zones in the pitchers of two Nepenthes species and a hybrid

PubMed Central

Wang, Lixin; Zhou, Qiang

2016-01-01

To investigate the hydrophobicity of slippery zones, static contact angle measurement and microstructure observation of slippery surfaces from two Nepenthes species and a hybrid were conducted. Marginally different static contact angles were observed, as the smallest (133.83°) and greatest (143.63°) values were recorded for the N. alata and N. miranda respectively, and the median value (140.40°) was presented for the N. khasiana. The slippery zones under investigation exhibited rather similar surface morphologies, but different structural dimensions. These findings probably suggest that the geometrical dimensions of surface architecture exert primary effects on differences in the hydrophobicity of the slippery zone. Based on the Wenzel and Cassie-Baxter equations, models were proposed to analyze the manner in which geometrical dimensions affect the hydrophobicity of the slippery surfaces. The results of our analysis demonstrated that the different structural dimensions of lunate cells and wax platelets make the slippery zones present different real area of the rough surface and thereby generate somewhat distinguishable hydrophobicity. The results support a supplementary interpretation of surface hydrophobicity in plant leaves, and provide a theoretical foundation for developing bioinspired materials with hydrophobic properties and self-cleaning abilities. PMID:26813707

Low proliferation and high apoptosis of osteoblastic cells on hydrophobic surface are associated with defective Ras signaling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chang, Eun-Ju; Kim, Hong-Hee; Huh, Jung-Eun

2005-02-01

The hydrophobic (HPB) nature of most polymeric biomaterials has been a major obstacle in using those materials in vivo due to low compatibility with cells. However, there is little knowledge of the molecular detail to explain how surface hydrophobicity affects cell responses. In this study, we compared the proliferation and apoptosis of human osteoblastic MG63 cells adhered to hydrophilic (HPL) and hydrophobic surfaces. On the hydrophobic surface, less formation of focal contacts and actin stress fibers, a delay in cell cycle progression, and an increase in apoptosis were observed. By using fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1) as a model growthmore » factor, we also investigated intracellular signaling pathways on hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces. The activation of Ras, Akt, and ERK by FGF1 was impaired in MG63 cells on the hydrophobic surface. The overexpression of constitutively active form of Ras and Akt rescued those cells from apoptosis and recovered cell cycle progression. Furthermore, their overexpression also restored the actin cytoskeletal organization on the hydrophobic surface. Finally, the proliferative, antiapoptotic, and cytoskeletal effects of constitutively active Ras in MG63 cells on the hydrophobic surface were blocked by wortmannin and PD98059 that inhibit Akt and ERK activation, respectively. Therefore, our results suggest that the activation of Ras and its downstream molecules Akt and ERK to an appropriate level is one of crucial elements in the determination of osteoblast cell responses. The Ras pathway may represent a cell biological target that should be considered for successful surface modification of biomaterials to induce adequate cell responses in the bone tissue.« less

Loss of superhydrophobicity of hydrophobic micro/nano structures during condensation.

PubMed

Jo, HangJin; Hwang, Kyung Won; Kim, DongHyun; Kiyofumi, Moriyama; Park, Hyun Sun; Kim, Moo Hwan; Ahn, Ho Seon

2015-04-23

Condensed liquid behavior on hydrophobic micro/nano-structured surfaces is a subject with multiple practical applications, but remains poorly understood. In particular, the loss of superhydrophobicity of hydrophobic micro/nanostructures during condensation, even when the same surface shows water-repellant characteristics when exposed to air, requires intensive investigation to improve and apply our understanding of the fundamental physics of condensation. Here, we postulate the criterion required for condensation to form from inside the surface structures by examining the grand potentials of a condensation system, including the properties of the condensed liquid and the conditions required for condensation. The results imply that the same hydrophobic micro/nano-structured surface could exhibit different liquid droplet behavior depending on the conditions. Our findings are supported by the observed phenomena: the initiation of a condensed droplet from inside a hydrophobic cavity, the apparent wetted state changes, and the presence of sticky condensed droplets on the hydrophobic micro/nano-structured surface.

Fe3O4/PS magnetic nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization and their application as sorbents of oil from waste water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Liuhua; Hao, Gazi; Gu, Junjun; Zhou, Shuai; Zhang, Ning; Jiang, Wei

2015-11-01

In this work, Fe3O4/PS composites with a rough surface and different coating rates were successfully designed and synthesized by emulsion polymerization. We carried out some comparative experiments to compare magnetic properties and oil absorption properties of the nano-magnetic materials. It had been found that several prepared groups of magnetic nanocomposites have a core-shell structure and good coating rates. These nanoparticles combined with unsinked, highly hydrophobic and superoleophilic properties. The absorption capacity of Fe3O4/PS composites for organic solvents and the composites could absorb diesel oil up to 2.492 times of its own weight. It is more important that the oil could be readily removed from the surfaces of nanoparticles by a simple ultrasonic treatment whereas the nanocomposites particles still kept highly hydrophobic and superoleophilic characteristics. With a combination of simple synthesis process, low density, magnetic responsibility and excellent hydrophobicity, Fe3O4/PS nanocomposites as a promising absorbent have great potential in the application of spilled oil recovery and environmental protection.

Porous Organic Nanolayers for Coating of Solid-state Devices

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Highly hydrophobic surfaces can have very low surface energy and such low surface energy biological interfaces can be obtained using fluorinated coatings on surfaces. Deposition of biocompatible organic films on solid-state surfaces is attained with techniques like plasma polymerization, biomineralization and chemical vapor deposition. All these require special equipment or harsh chemicals. This paper presents a simple vapor-phase approach to directly coat solid-state surfaces with biocompatible films without any harsh chemical or plasma treatment. Hydrophilic and hydrophobic monomers were used for reaction and deposition of nanolayer films. The monomers were characterized and showed a very consistent coating of 3D micropore structures. Results The coating showed nano-textured surface morphology which can aid cell growth and provide rich molecular functionalization. The surface properties of the obtained film were regulated by varying monomer concentrations, reaction time and the vacuum pressure in a simple reaction chamber. Films were characterized by contact angle analysis for surface energy and with profilometer to measure the thickness. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis revealed the chemical composition of the coated films. Variations in the FTIR results with respect to different concentrations of monomers showed the chemical composition of the resulting films. Conclusion The presented approach of vapor-phase coating of solid-state structures is important and applicable in many areas of bio-nano interface development. The exposure of coatings to the solutions of different pH showed the stability of the coatings in chemical surroundings. The organic nanocoating of films can be used in bio-implants and many medical devices. PMID:21569579

Deconvoluting the effects of surface chemistry and nanoscale topography: Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm nucleation on Si-based substrates.

PubMed

Zhang, Jing; Huang, Jinglin; Say, Carmen; Dorit, Robert L; Queeney, K T

2018-06-01

The nucleation of biofilms is known to be affected by both the chemistry and topography of the underlying substrate, particularly when topography includes nanoscale (<100 nm) features. However, determining the role of topography vs. chemistry is complicated by concomitant variation in both as a result of typical surface modification techniques. Analyzing the behavior of biofilm-forming bacteria exposed to surfaces with systematic, independent variation of both topography and surface chemistry should allow differentiation of the two effects. Silicon surfaces with reproducible nanotopography were created by anisotropic etching in deoxygenated water. Surface chemistry was varied independently to create hydrophilic (OH-terminated) and hydrophobic (alkyl-terminated) surfaces. The attachment and proliferation of Psuedomonas aeruginosa to these surfaces was characterized over a period of 12 h using fluorescence and confocal microscopy. The number of attached bacteria as well as the structural characteristics of the nucleating biofilm were influenced by both surface nanotopography and surface chemistry. In general terms, the presence of both nanoscale features and hydrophobic surface chemistry enhance bacterial attachment and colonization. However, the structural details of the resulting biofilms suggest that surface chemistry and topography interact differently on each of the four surface types we studied. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Composite, nanostructured, super-hydrophobic material

DOEpatents

D'Urso, Brian R [Clinton, TN; Simpson, John T [Clinton, TN

2007-08-21

A hydrophobic disordered composite material having a protrusive surface feature includes a recessive phase and a protrusive phase, the recessive phase having a higher susceptibility to a preselected etchant than the protrusive phase, the composite material having an etched surface wherein the protrusive phase protrudes from the surface to form a protrusive surface feature, the protrusive feature being hydrophobic.

A Multifunctional Surface That Simultaneously Balances Hydrophilic Enzyme Catalysis and Hydrophobic Water Repellency.

PubMed

Lawton, Timothy J; Uzarski, Joshua R; Filocamo, Shaun F

2016-08-16

The compatibility of multiple functions at a single interface is difficult to achieve, but is even more challenging when the functions directly counteract one another. This study provides insight into the creation of a simultaneously multifunctional surface formed by balancing two orthogonal functions; water repellency and enzyme catalysis. A partially fluorinated thiol is used to impart bulk hydrophobicity on the surface, and an N-hydroxysuccinimide ester-terminated thiol provides a specific anchoring sites for the covalent enzyme attachment. Different ratios of the two thiols are mixed together to form amphiphilic self-assembled monolayers, which are characterized with polarization-modulation infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy and contact angle goniometry. The enzyme activity is measured by a fluorescence assay. With the results collected here, specific surface compositions are identified at which the orthogonal functions of water repellency and enzyme catalysis are balanced and exist simultaneously. An understanding of how to effectively balance orthogonal functions at surfaces can be extended to a number of higher-scale applications. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Dual Effect of (LK)nL Peptides on the Onset of Insulin Amyloid Fiber Formation at Hydrophobic Surfaces.

PubMed

Chouchane, Karim; Vendrely, Charlotte; Amari, Myriam; Moreaux, Katie; Bruckert, Franz; Weidenhaupt, Marianne

2015-08-20

Soluble proteins are constantly in contact with material or cellular surfaces, which can trigger their aggregation and therefore have a serious impact on the development of stable therapeutic proteins. In contact with hydrophobic material surfaces, human insulin aggregates readily into amyloid fibers. The kinetics of this aggregation can be accelerated by small peptides, forming stable beta-sheets on hydrophobic surfaces. Using a series of (LK)nL peptides with varying length, we show that these peptides, at low, substoichiometric concentrations, have a positive, cooperative effect on insulin aggregation. This effect is based on a cooperative adsorption of (LK)nL peptides at hydrophobic surfaces, where they form complexes that help the formation of aggregation nuclei. At higher concentrations, they interfere with the formation of an aggregative nucleus. These effects are strictly dependent on the their adsorption on hydrophobic material surfaces and highlight the importance of the impact of materials on protein stability. (LK)nL peptides prove to be valuable tools to investigate the mechanism of HI aggregation nuclei formation on hydrophobic surfaces.

Wetting properties of phospholipid dispersion on tunable hydrophobic SiO2-glass plates.

PubMed

Alexandrova, Lidia; Karakashev, Stoyan I; Grigorov, L; Phan, Chi M; Smoukov, Stoyan K

2015-06-01

We study the wetting properties of very small droplets of salty aqueous suspensions of unilamellar liposomes of DMPC (dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine), situated on SiO2-glass surfaces with different levels of hydrophobicity. We evaluated two different measures of hydrophobicity of solid surfaces - receding contact angles and the thickness of wetting films trapped between an air bubble and the solid surface at different levels of hydrophobicity. We established a good correlation between methods which differ significantly in measurement difficulty and experimental setup. We also reveal details of the mechanism of wetting of different surfaces by the DMPC liposome suspension. Hydrophilic surfaces with water contact angles in the range of 0° to 35° are readily hydrophobized by the liposomes and only showed corresponding contact angles in the range 27°-43°. For same range of surface hydrophobicities, there was a clear reduction of the thickness of the wetting films between the surface and a bubble, reaching a minimum in the 35°-40° range. At higher levels of hydrophobicity both pure water and the liposome suspension show similar contact angles, and the thickness of wetting films between a bubble and those surfaces increases in parallel. Our analysis showed that the only force able to stabilize the film under these experimental conditions is steric repulsion. The latter suggests that nanobubbles adsorbed on hydrophobic parts of the surface, and coated with a DMPC layer, may be the cause of the 40-70 nm thickness of wetting films we observe. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stable biomimetic super-hydrophobic engineering materials.

PubMed

Guo, Zhiguang; Zhou, Feng; Hao, Jingcheng; Liu, Weimin

2005-11-16

We describe a simple and inexpensive method to produce super-hydrophobic surfaces on aluminum and its alloy by oxidation and chemical modification. Water or aqueous solutions (pH = 1-14) have contact angles of 168 +/- 2 and 161 +/- 2 degrees on the treated surfaces of Al and Al alloy, respectively. The super-hydrophobic surfaces are produced by the cooperation of binary structures at micro- and nanometer scales, thus reducing the energies of the surfaces. Such super-hydrophobic properties will greatly extend the applications of aluminum and its alloy as lubricating materials.

Role of gravity in the formation of bacterial colonies with a hydrophobic surface layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puzyr, A. P.; Tirranen, L. K.; Krylova, T. Y.; Borodina, E. V.

A simple technique for determining hydrophobic-hydrophilic properties of bacterial colonies surface, which involves putting a drop of liquid with known properties (e.g. water, oil) on their surface, has been described. This technique allows quick estimate of wettability of bacterial colony surface, i.e. its hydrophobic-hydrophilic properties. The behaviour of water drops on colonies of bacteria Bacillus five strains (of different types) has been studied. It was revealed that 1) orientation in the Earth gravity field during bacterial growth can define the form of colonies with hydrophobic surface; 2) the form and size of the colony are dependent on the extention ability, most probably, of the hydrophobic layer; 3) the Earth gravity field (gravity) serves as a 'pump' providing and keeping water within the colony. We suppose that at growing colonies on agar media the inflow of water-soluble nutrient materials takes place both due to diffusion processes and directed water current produced by the gravity. The revealed effect probably should be taken into consideration while constructing the models of colonies growing on dense nutrient media. The easily determined hydrophobic properties of colonies surface can become a systematic feature after collecting more extensive data on the surface hydrophobic-hydrophilic properties of microorganism colonies of other types and species.

Formation of a hydrophobic and corrosion resistant coating on magnesium alloy via a one-step hydrothermal method.

PubMed

Zheng, Tianxu; Hu, Yaobo; Zhang, Yuxin; Pan, Fusheng

2017-11-01

A hydrophobic coating was fabricated on the surface of magnesium alloy using a simple one-step hydrothermal method with the use of environmentally friendly agent. Scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and contact angle test were used to characterize the surfaces. Corrosion behavior in a 3.5wt.% NaCl solution was evaluated using OCP time curves test, potentiodynamic polarization test and EIS analysis. The findings show that the substrate is covered by the coating of magnesium hydroxide and magnesium stearate, reaching a contact angle of around 146°. Corrosion behavior show huge improvement, the progress with increase of treatment time could be related to the increased growth rate of coating. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hydrophobic modification of jute fiber used for composite reinforcement via laccase-mediated grafting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Aixue; Yu, Yuanyuan; Yuan, Jiugang; Wang, Qiang; Fan, Xuerong

2014-05-01

Jute fiber is a lignocellulosic material which could be utilized for reinforcement of composites. To improve the compatibility of hydrophilic jute fiber with hydrophobic resin, surface hydrophobization of the fiber is often needed. In this study, the feasibility of laccase-mediated grafting dodecyl gallate (DG) on the jute fiber was investigated. First, the grafting products were characterized by FT-IR, XPS, SEM and AFM. And then the grafting percentage (Gp) and the DG content of the modified jute were determined in terms of weighting and saponification, respectively. The parameters of the enzymatic grafting process were optimized to the target application. Lastly, the hydrophobicity of the jute fabrics was estimated by means of contact angle and wetting time. The mechanical properties and the fracture section of the jute fabric/polypropylene (PP) composites were studied. The results revealed covalently coupling of DG to the jute substrates mediated by laccase. The enzymatic process reached the maximum grafting rate of 4.16% when the jute fabric was incubated in the 80/20 (v/v, %) pH 3 0.2 M acetate buffer/ethanol medium with 1.0 U/mL laccase and 5 mM DG at 50 °C for 4 h. The jute fabric modified with laccase and DG showed increased contact angle of 111.49° and wetting time of at least 30 min, indicating that the surface hydrophobicity of the jute fabric was increased after the enzymatic graft modification with hydrophobic DG. The breaking strength of the modified jute fiber/PP composite was also increased and the fracture section became neat and regular due to the laccase-assisted grafting with DG.

Studies on polyurethane adhesives and surface modification of hydrophobic substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishnamoorthy, Jayaraman

This thesis work deals with (a) Curing of reactive, hot-melt polyurethane adhesives and (b) Adsorption studies using different interactions. Research on polyurethanes involves characterization of polyurethane prepolymers and a novel mechanism to cure isocyanate-terminated polyurethane prepolymer by a "trigger" mechanism. Curing of isocyanate-terminated polyurethane prepolymers has been shown to be influenced by morphology and environmental conditions such as temperature and relative humidity. Although the initial composition, final morphology and curing kinetics are known, information regarding the intermediate prepolymer mixture is yet to be established. Polyurethane prepolymers prepared by the reaction of diisocyanates with the primary hydroxyls of polyester diol (PHMA) and secondary hydroxyls of polyether diol (PPG) were characterized. The morphology and crystallization kinetics of a polyurethane prepolymer was compared with a blend of PPG prepolymer (the product obtained by the reaction of PPG with diisocyanate) and a PHMA prepolymer (the product obtained by the reaction of PHMA with diisocyanate) to study the effect of copolymer formed in the polyurethane prepolymer on the above-mentioned properties. Although the morphology of the polyurethane prepolymer is determined in the first few minutes of application, the chemical curing of isocyanate-terminated prepolymer occurs over hours to days. In the literature, different techniques are described to follow the curing kinetics. But there is no established technique to control the curing of polyurethane prepolymer. To make the curing process independent of environmental factors, a novel approach using a trigger mechanism was designed and implemented by using ammonium salts as curing agents. Ammonium salts that are stable at room temperature but decompose on heating to yield active hydrogen-containing compounds, NH3 and H2O, were used as 'Trojan horses' to cure the prepolymer chemically. Research on adsorption studies involved making functionalized, thickness-controlled, wettability-controlled multilayers on hydrophobic substrates and the adsorption of carboxylic acid-terminated poly(styrene-b-isoprene) on alumina/silica substrates. Poly(vinyl alcohol) has been shown to adsorb onto hydrophobic surfaces irreversibly due to hydrophobic interactions. This thin semicrystalline coating is chemically modified using acid chlorides, butyl isocyanate and butanal to form thicker and hydrophobic coatings. The products of the modification reactions allow adsorption of a subsequent layer of poly(vinyl alcohol) that could subsequently be hydrophobized. This 2-step (adsorption/chemical modification) allows layer-by-layer deposition to prepare coatings with thickness, chemical structure and wettability control on any hydrophobic surface. Research on adsorption characteristics of carboxylic acid-terminated poly(styrene-b-isoprene) involved syntheses of block copolymers with the functional group present at specific ends. Comparative adsorption studies for carboxylic acid-terminated and hydrogen-terminated block copolymers was carried out on alumina and silica substrates.

Remediation of hydrocarbons polluted water by hydrophobic functionalized cellulose.

PubMed

Tursi, Antonio; Beneduci, Amerigo; Chidichimo, Francesco; De Vietro, Nicoletta; Chidichimo, Giuseppe

2018-06-01

Remediation of water bodies from petroleum hydrocarbons is of the utmost importance due to health risks related to the high toxicity, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of the hydrocarbons components that may enter into the food chain. Though several methods were proposed to face up this challenge, they are generally not easily feasible at a contaminated site and quite costly. Here we propose a green, cost-effective technology based on hydrophobized Spanish Broom (SB) cellulose fiber. The natural cellulose fiber was extracted by alkaline digestion of the raw vegetable. The hydrophilic cellulose surface was transformed into a hydrophobic one by the reaction with 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) forming a very stable urethane linkage with the hydroxyl groups of cellulose emerging from the fibers surface. Chemical functionalization was performed with a novel solvent-free technology based on a home-made still reactor were the fiber was kept under vortex stirring and the MDI reactant then spread onto the fiber surface by nebulizing it in form of micrometer-sized droplets. The functionalized fiber, characterized by means of WCA measurements, XPS and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, shows fast adsorption kinetics adsorption capacity as high as 220 mg/g, among the highest ever reported so far in the literature for cellulosic materials. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of silica particles modified with γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Jun; Wang, Wang; Shen, Haiying; Wang, Jiamin; Cao, Jinzhen

2017-03-01

The surface of hydrophilic silica particles was modified with different concentrations (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10%) of γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTS). The hydrophobicity and hygroscopicity of unmodified and modified silica were investigated through water contact angle (WCA) tests and dynamic vapor sorption (DVS) method, respectively. The results showed that the surface properties of silica were closely related with the MPTS concentration. Within the range of MPTS concentration applied, 8% MPTS modified silica showed the least aggregation. With the increasing MPTS concentration, the WCAs on modified silica film increased correspondingly, and finally exceeded 90° at 6% and 8% concentrations. The equilibrium moisture contents (EMCs) of modified silica also decreased with the increasing MPTS concentration. The improvement on hydrophobicity can be correlated with the reduction of residual hydroxyl groups (-OH) on modified silica. The self-condensation of MPTS began to occur at concentrations higher than 4%, especially at 8%. Owing to this effect, the modified silica with 8% MPTS showed a slightly higher EMC than 6% MPTS within low relative humidity (RH) range up to 40%. At a higher RH ranging from 40 to 90%, 8% group showed the lowest EMCs because of its highest hydrophobicity and low specific surface area. A mechanism concerning the MPTS modification of silica was also proposed in this study based on the research results.

Micellization Behavior of Long-Chain Substituted Alkylguanidinium Surfactants

PubMed Central

Bouchal, Roza; Hamel, Abdellah; Hesemann, Peter; In, Martin; Prelot, Bénédicte; Zajac, Jerzy

2016-01-01

Surface activity and micelle formation of alkylguanidinium chlorides containing 10, 12, 14 and 16 carbon atoms in the hydrophobic tail were studied by combining conductivity and surface tension measurements with isothermal titration calorimetry. The purity of the resulting surfactants, their temperatures of Cr→LC and LC→I transitions, as well as their propensity of forming birefringent phases, were assessed based on the results of 1H and 13C NMR, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and polarizing microscopy studies. Whenever possible, the resulting values of Krafft temperature (TK), critical micelle concentration (CMC), minimum surface tension above the CMC, chloride counter-ion binding to the micelle, and the standard enthalpy of micelle formation per mole of surfactant (ΔmicH°) were compared to those characterizing alkyltrimethylammonium chlorides or bromides with the same tail lengths. The value of TK ranged between 292 and 314 K and increased strongly with the increase in the chain length of the hydrophobic tail. Micellization was described as both entropy and enthalpy-driven. Based on the direct calorimetry measurements, the general trends in the CMC with the temperature, hydrophobic tail length, and NaCl addition were found to be similar to those of other types of cationic surfactants. The particularly exothermic character of micellization was ascribed to the hydrogen-binding capacity of the guanidinium head-group. PMID:26861309

Fabrication of hydrophobic compressed oil palm trunk surface by sol-gel process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muzakir, Syafiqah; Salim, Nurjannah; Huda Abu Bakar, Nurul; Roslan, Rasidi; Sin, Lim Wan; Hashim, Rokiah

2018-04-01

Improvement of the robustness of hydrophobic surfaces is crucial to achieving commercial applications of these surfaces in such various areas as self-cleaning, water repellency and corrosion resistance. Compressed oil palm trunk (OPT) panel is one of potential product which can be used as panelling and indoor furniture application. By adding hydrophobic properties to compressed oil palm trunk panel might increase the application of compressed oil palm trunk especially for outdoor application. In this study, fabrication is using the sol-gel technique. Sol-gel was prepared by adding ethanol with Hexadecyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide (CTAB) solution with Tetraethyl Orthosilicate (TEOS) with surface modification of chlorotrimethylsilane (CTMS). The surface with hydrophobic coating was undergone surface analysis with contact angle machine with the aid of software SCA 20 and the determined of the morphology of surface with scanning electron microscope (SEM). The produced compressed oil palm trunk surfaces exhibited promising hydrophobic properties with a contact angle of 104° and the relatively better mechanical robustness.

Wear resistance of hydrophobic surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez, MA; Abenojar, J.; Pantoja, M.; López de Armentia, S.

2017-05-01

Nature has been an inspiration source to develop artificial hydrophobic surfaces. During the latest years the development of hydrophobic surfaces has been widely researched due to their numerous ranges of industrial applications. Industrially the use of hydrophobic surfaces is being highly demanded. This is why many companies develop hydrophobic products to repel water, in order to be used as coatings. Moreover, these coating should have the appropriated mechanical properties and wear resistance. In this work wear study of a hydrophobic coating on glass is carried out. Hydrophobic product used was Sika Crystal Dry by Sika S.A.U. (Alcobendas, Spain). This product is currently used on car windshield. To calculate wear resistance, pin-on-disk tests were carried out in dry and water conditions. The test parameters were rate, load and sliding distance, which were fixed to 60 rpm, 5 N and 1000 m respectively. A chamois was used as pin. It allows to simulate a real use. The friction coefficient and loss weight were compared to determinate coating resistance

BODIPY-Based Fluorescent Probes for Sensing Protein Surface-Hydrophobicity.

PubMed

Dorh, Nethaniah; Zhu, Shilei; Dhungana, Kamal B; Pati, Ranjit; Luo, Fen-Tair; Liu, Haiying; Tiwari, Ashutosh

2015-12-18

Mapping surface hydrophobic interactions in proteins is key to understanding molecular recognition, biological functions, and is central to many protein misfolding diseases. Herein, we report synthesis and application of new BODIPY-based hydrophobic sensors (HPsensors) that are stable and highly fluorescent for pH values ranging from 7.0 to 9.0. Surface hydrophobic measurements of proteins (BSA, apomyoglobin, and myoglobin) by these HPsensors display much stronger signal compared to 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulfonic acid (ANS), a commonly used hydrophobic probe; HPsensors show a 10- to 60-fold increase in signal strength for the BSA protein with affinity in the nanomolar range. This suggests that these HPsensors can be used as a sensitive indicator of protein surface hydrophobicity. A first principle approach is used to identify the molecular level mechanism for the substantial increase in the fluorescence signal strength. Our results show that conformational change and increased molecular rigidity of the dye due to its hydrophobic interaction with protein lead to fluorescence enhancement.

High throughput laser texturing of super-hydrophobic surfaces on steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gemini, Laura; Faucon, Marc; Romoli, Luca; Kling, Rainer

2017-03-01

Super-hydrophobic surfaces are nowadays of primary interest in several application fields, as for de-icing devices in the automotive and aerospace industries. In this context, laser surface texturing has widely demonstrated to be an easy one-step method to produce super-hydrophobic surfaces on several materials. In this work, a high average power (up to 40W), high repetition-rate (up to 1MHz), femtosecond infrared laser was employed to produce super-hydrophobic surfaces on 316L steel. The set of process and laser parameters for which the super-hydrophobic behavior is optimized, was obtained by varying the laser energy and repetition rate. The morphology of the textured surfaces was firstly analyzed by SEM and confocal microscope analyses. The contact angle was measured over time in order to investigate the effect of air environment on the hydrophobic properties and define the period of time necessary for the super-hydrophobic properties to stabilize. An investigation on the effect of after-processing cleaning solvents on the CA evolution was carried to assess the influence of the after-processing sample handling on the CA evaluation. Results show that the highest values of contact angle, that is the best hydrophobic behavior, are obtained at high repetition rate and low energy, this way opening up a promising scenario in terms of upscaling for reducing the overall process takt-time.

Effect of Surface Properties on Colloid Retention on Natural and Surrogate Produce Surfaces.

PubMed

Lazouskaya, Volha; Sun, Taozhu; Liu, Li; Wang, Gang; Jin, Yan

2016-12-01

Bacterial contamination of fresh produce is a growing concern in food industry. Pathogenic bacteria can attach to and colonize the surfaces of fresh produce and cause disease outbreaks among consumers. Surface properties of both bacteria and produce affect bacterial contamination; however, the effects of produce roughness, topography, and hydrophobicity on bacterial retention are still poorly understood. In this work, we used spherical polystyrene colloids as bacterial surrogates to investigate colloid retention on and removal (by rinsing) from fresh produce surfaces including tomato, orange, apple, lettuce, spinach, and cantaloupe, and from surrogate produce surface Sharklet (a micro-patterned polymer). All investigated surfaces were characterized in terms of surface roughness and hydrophobicity (including contact angle and water retention area measurements). The results showed that there was no single parameter that dominated colloid retention on fresh produce, yet strong connection was found between colloid retention and water retention and distribution on all the surfaces investigated except apple. Rinsing was generally not efficient in removing colloids from produce surfaces, which suggests the need to modify current cleaning procedures and to develop novel contamination prevention strategies. This work offers a physicochemical approach to a food safety problem and improves understanding of mechanisms leading to produce contamination. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Chlamydia trachomatis-host cell interactions: role of the chlamydial major outer membrane protein as an adhesin.

PubMed Central

Su, H; Watkins, N G; Zhang, Y X; Caldwell, H D

1990-01-01

The major outer membrane protein (MOMP) of Chlamydia trachomatis is characterized by four symmetrically spaced variable domains (VDs I to IV) whose sequences vary among serotypes. The surface-exposed portions of these VDs contain contiguous sequences that are both serotyping determinants and in vivo target sites for neutralizing antibodies. Previous studies using surface proteolysis of C. trachomatis B implicated VDs II and IV of the MOMP of this serotype in the attachment of chlamydiae to host cells. In this study, we used monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific to antigenic determinants located in VDs II and IV of the MOMP of serotype B to further investigate the role of the MOMP in the attachment of chlamydiae to host cells. MABs specific to serotype- and subspecies-specific epitopes located in exposed VDs II and IV, respectively, neutralized chlamydial infectivity for hamster kidney cells by blocking chlamydial attachment. We radioiodinated these MAbs and used them to determine the number and topology of the surface-exposed VDs II and IV epitopes on chlamydial elementary bodies. VDs II and IV each comprised approximately 2.86 x 10(4) negatively charged sites and were in proximity on the chlamydial cell surface. These studies suggest that the MAbs blocked chlamydial attachment by inhibiting electrostatic interactions with host cells. We examined the effects of thermal inactivation on both chlamydial attachment and conformation of the MOMP. Heat-inactivated chlamydiae failed to attach to host cells and exhibited a conformational change in an inaccessible invariant hydrophobic nonapeptide sequence located within VD IV of the MOMPs of C. trachomatis serotypes. These findings suggest that in addition to electrostatic interactions, a common hydrophobic component of the MOMP also contributes to the binding of chlamydiae to host cells. Thus, we propose that the MOMP functions as a chlamydial adhesin by promoting nonspecific (electrostatic and hydrophobic) interactions with host cells. Surface-accessible negatively charged VDs appear to be important in electrostatic binding, while the invariant region of VD IV may provide a subsurface hydrophobic depression which further promotes binding of chlamydiae to host cells through hydrophobic interactions. Images PMID:2318528

Hydroglyphics: Demonstration of Selective Wetting on Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Surfaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Philseok; Alvarenga, Jack; Aizenberg, Joanna; Sleeper, Raymond S.

2013-01-01

A visual demonstration of the difference between hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces has been developed. It involves placing a shadow mask on an optically clear hydrophobic plastic dish, corona treating the surface with a modified Tesla coil, removing the shadow mask, and visualizing the otherwise invisible message or pattern by applying water,…

Phenomenological Model of Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menshikov, L. I.; Menshikov, P. L.; Fedichev, P. O.

2017-12-01

Hydration forces acting between macroscopic bodies at distances L ≤ 3 nm in pure water are calculated based on the phenomenological model of polar liquids. It is shown that depending on the properties of the bodies, the interacting surfaces polarize the liquid differently, and wetting properties of the surfaces are completely characterized by two parameters. If the surfaces are hydrophilic, liquid molecules are polarized at right angles to the surfaces, and the interaction is the short-range repulsion (the forces of interaction decrease exponentially over the characteristic length λ ≈ 0.2 nm). The interaction between the hydrophobic surfaces is more diversified and has been studied less. For L ≤ 3 nm, the interaction exhibits universal properties, while for L ≤ 3 nm, it considerably depends on the properties of the surfaces and on the distances between them, as well as on the composition of the polar liquid. In full agreement with the available experimental results we find that if the interfaces are mostly hydrophobic, then the interaction is attractive and long-range (the interaction forces diminish exponentially with decay length 1.2 nm). In this case, the resultant polarization of water molecules is parallel to the surface. It is shown that hydration forces are determined by nonlinear effects of polarization of the liquid in the bulk or by analogous nonlinearity of the interaction of water with a submerged body. This means that the forces of interaction cannot be calculated correctly in the linear response approximation. The forces acting between hydrophobic or hydrophilic surfaces are of the entropy type or electrostatic, respectively. It is shown that hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces for L ≤ 3 nm repel each other. The calculated intensity of their interaction is in agreement with experimental data. We predict the existence of an intermediate regime in which a body cannot order liquid molecules, which results in a much weaker attraction that decreases in inverse proportion to the squared distance between the surfaces of bodies. The difference between the microscopic structures of liquids confined in nanovolumes from liquids in large volumes is considered. The proposed model is applicable for a quantitative description of the properties of water at temperatures T satisfying the condition 0 < ( T-T c )/ T c ≪ 1, where T c ≈ 230 K is the temperature of the ferroelectric phase transition observed in supercooled water. Under standard conditions, the model can be used for obtaining qualitative estimates.

Enhancement of Water Evaporation on Solid Surfaces with Nanoscale Hydrophobic-Hydrophilic Patterns.

PubMed

Wan, Rongzheng; Wang, Chunlei; Lei, Xiaoling; Zhou, Guoquan; Fang, Haiping

2015-11-06

Using molecular dynamics simulations, we show that the evaporation of nanoscale water on hydrophobic-hydrophilic patterned surfaces is unexpectedly faster than that on any surfaces with uniform wettability. The key to this phenomenon is that, on the patterned surface, the evaporation rate from the hydrophilic region only slightly decreases due to the correspondingly increased water thickness; meanwhile, a considerable number of water molecules evaporate from the hydrophobic region despite the lack of water film. Most of the evaporated water from the hydrophobic region originates from the hydrophilic region by diffusing across the contact lines. Further analysis shows that the evaporation rate from the hydrophobic region is approximately proportional to the total length of the contact lines.

Dewetting and Hydrophobic Interaction in Physical and Biological Systems

PubMed Central

Berne, Bruce J.; Weeks, John D.; Zhou, Ruhong

2013-01-01

Hydrophobicity manifests itself differently on large and small length scales. This review focuses on large length scale hydrophobicity, particularly on dewetting at single hydrophobic surfaces and drying in regions bounded on two or more sides by hydrophobic surfaces. We review applicable theories, simulations and experiments pertaining to large scale hydrophobicity in physical and biomoleclar systems and clarify some of the critical issues pertaining to this subject. Given space constraints, we could not review all of the significant and interesting work in this very active field. PMID:18928403

Contribution of Spores to the Ability of Clostridium difficile To Adhere to Surfaces

PubMed Central

Joshi, Lovleen Tina; Phillips, Daniel S.; Williams, Catrin F.; Alyousef, Abdullah

2012-01-01

Clostridium difficile is the commonest cause of hospital-acquired infection in the United Kingdom. We characterized the abilities of 21 clinical isolates to form spores; to adhere to inorganic and organic surfaces, including stainless steel and human adenocarcinoma cells; and to germinate. The composition of culture media had a significant effect on spore formation, as significantly more spores were produced in brain heart infusion broth (Student's t test; P = 0.018). The spore surface relative hydrophobicity (RH) varied markedly (14 to 77%) and was correlated with the ability to adhere to stainless steel. We observed no correlation between the ribotype and the ability to adhere to steel. When the binding of hydrophobic (DS1813; ribotype 027; RH, 77%) and hydrophilic (DS1748; ribotype 002; RH, 14%) spores to human gut epithelial cells at different stages of cell development was examined, DS1813 spores adhered more strongly, suggesting the presence of surface properties that aid attachment to human cells. Electron microscopy studies revealed the presence of an exosporium surrounding DS1813 spores that was absent from spores of DS1748. Finally, the ability of spores to germinate was found to be strain and medium dependent. While the significance of these findings to the disease process has yet to be determined, this study has highlighted the importance of analyzing multiple isolates when attempting to characterize the behavior of a bacterial species. PMID:22923404

Improving Hydrophobicity of Glass Surface Using Dielectric Barrier Discharge Treatment in Atmospheric Air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Zhi; Qiu, Yuchang; Wang, Hui; E, Kuffel

2007-10-01

Non-thermal plasmas under atmospheric pressure are of great interest in industrial applications, especially in material surface treatment. In this paper, the treatment of a glass surface for improving hydrophobicity using the non-thermal plasma generated by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) at atmospheric pressure in ambient air is conducted, and the surface properties of the glass before and after the DBD treatment are studied by using contact angle measurement, surface resistance measurement and wet flashover voltage tests. The effects of the applied voltage and time duration of DBD on the surface modification are studied, and the optimal conditions for the treatment are obtained. It is found that a layer of hydrophobic coating is formed on the glass surface after spraying a thin layer of silicone oil and undergoing the DBD treatment, and the improvement of hydrophobicity depends on DBD voltage and treating time. It seems that there exists an optimum treating time for a certain applied voltage of DBD during the surface treatment. The test results of thermal aging and chemical aging show that the hydrophobic layer has quite stable characteristics. The interaction mechanism between the DBD plasma and the glass surface is discussed. It is concluded that CH3 and large molecule radicals can react with the radicals in the glass surface to replace OH, and the hydrophobicity of the glass surface is improved accordingly.

Surfactant Facilitated Spreading of Aqueous Drops on Hydrophobic Surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kumar, Nitin; Couzis, Alex; Maldarelli, Charles; Singh, Bhim S. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Microgravity technologies often require aqueous phases to spread over nonwetting hydrophobic solid/surfaces. At a hydrophobic surface, the air/hydrophobic solid tension is low, and the solid/aqueous tension is high. A large contact angle forms as the aqueous/air tension acts together with the solid/air tension to balance the large solid/aqueous tension. The aqueous phase, instead of spreading, is held in a meniscus by the large angle. Surfactants facilitate the wetting of water on hydrophobic surfaces by adsorbing on the water/air and hydrophobic solid/water interfaces and lowering the surface tensions of these interfaces. The tension reductions decrease the contact angle, which increases the equilibrium wetted area. Hydrocarbon surfactants (i.e. amphiphiles with a hydrophobic chain of methylene groups attached to a large polar group to give aqueous solubility) do not reduce significantly the contact angles of the very hydrophobic surfaces such as parafilm or polyethylene. Trisiloxane surfactants (amphiphiles with a hydrophobe consisting of methyl groups linked to a trisiloxane backbone in the form of a disk ((CH3)3-Si-O-Si-O-Si(CH3)3)) and an extended ethoxylate (-(OCH2CH2)n-) polar group in the form of a chain with seven or eight units) can significantly reduce the contact angle of water on a very hydrophobic surface and cause rapid and complete (or nearly complete) spreading (lermed superspreading). The overall goal of the research described in this proposal is to establish and verify a theory for how trisiloxanes cause superspreading, and then use this knowledge as a guide to developing more general hydrocarbon based surfactant systems which superspread and can be used in microgravity. We propose that the trisiloxane surfactants superspread when the siloxane adsorbs, the hydrophobic disk parts of the molecule adsorb onto the surface removing the surface water. Since the cross sectional area of the disk is larger than that of the extended ethoxylate chain, the disks can form a space filling mat on the surface which removes a significant amount of the surface water. The water adjacent to the hydrophobic solid surface is of high energy due to incomplete hydrogen bonding; its removal significantly lowers the tension and reduces the contact angle. Hydrocarbon surfactants cannot remove as much surface water because their large polar groups prevent the chains from cohering lengthwise. In our report last year we presented a poster describing the preparation of model very hydrophobic surfaces which are homogeneous and atomically smooth using self assembled monolayers of octadecyl trichlorosilane (OTS). In this poster we will use these surfaces as test substrates in developing hydrocarbon based surfactant systems which superspread. We studied a binary hydrocarbon surfactant systems consisting of a very soluble large polar group polyethylene oxide surfactant (C12E6 (CH3(CH2)11(OCH2CH2)6OH) and a long chain alcohol dodecanol. By mixing the alcohol with this soluble surfactant we have found that the contact angle of the mixed system on our test hydrophobic surfaces is very low. We hypothesize that the alcohol fills in the gaps between adjacent adsorbed chains of the large polar group surfactant. This filling in removes the surface water and effects the decrease in contact angle. We confirm this hypothesis by demonstrating that at the air/water interface the mixed layer forms condensed phases while the soluble large polar group surfactant by itself does not. We present drop impact experiments which demonstrate that the dodecanol/C12E6 mixture is effective in causing impacting drops to spread on the very hydrophobic model OTS surfaces.

Characterization of the disassembly and reassembly of the HBV glycoprotein surface antigen, a pliable nanoparticle vaccine platform

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gallagher, John R.; Torian, Udana; McCraw, Dustin

While nanoparticle vaccine technology is gaining interest due to the success of vaccines like those for the human papillomavirus that is based on viral capsid nanoparticles, little information is available on the disassembly and reassembly of viral surface glycoprotein-based nanoparticles. One such particle is the hepatitis B virus surface antigen (sAg) that exists as nanoparticles. Here we show, using biochemical analysis coupled with electron microscopy, that sAg nanoparticle disassembly requires both reducing agent to disrupt intermolecular disulfide bonds, and detergent to disrupt hydrophobic interactions that stabilize the nanoparticle. Particles were otherwise resistant to salt and urea, suggesting the driving mechanismmore » of particle formation involves hydrophobic interactions. We reassembled isolated sAg protein into nanoparticles by detergent removal and reassembly resulted in a wider distribution of particle diameters. Knowledge of these driving forces of nanoparticle assembly and stability should facilitate construction of epitope-displaying nanoparticles that can be used as immunogens in vaccines.« less

Effects of bulk and free surface shear flows on amyloid fibril formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Posada, David; Sorci, Mirco; Belfort, Georges; Hirsa, Amir

2008-11-01

Amyloid diseases such as Alzheimer's and Huntington's, among others, are characterized by the conversion of monomers to oligomers (precursors) and then to amyloid fibrils. Besides factors such as concentration, pH, and ionic strength, evidence exists that shearing flow strongly influences amyloid formation in vitro. Also, during fibrillation in the presence of either gas or solid surfaces, both the polarity and roughness of the surfaces play a significant role in the kinetics of the fibrillation process. By studying the nucleation and growth of a model system (insulin fibrils) in a well-defined flow field, we can identify the flow and interfacial conditions that impact protein aggregation kinetics. The present flow system consists of an annular region, bounded by stationary inner and outer cylinders and driven by rotation of the floor, with either a hydrophobic (air) or hydrophilic (solid) interface. We show both the combined and separated effects of shear and interfacial hydrophobicity on the fibrillation process, and the use of interfacial shear viscosity as a parameter for quantifying the oligomerization process.

Characterization of the disassembly and reassembly of the HBV glycoprotein surface antigen, a pliable nanoparticle vaccine platform.

PubMed

Gallagher, John R; Torian, Udana; McCraw, Dustin M; Harris, Audray K

2017-02-01

While nanoparticle vaccine technology is gaining interest due to the success of vaccines like those for the human papillomavirus that is based on viral capsid nanoparticles, little information is available on the disassembly and reassembly of viral surface glycoprotein-based nanoparticles. One such particle is the hepatitis B virus surface antigen (sAg) that exists as nanoparticles. Here we show, using biochemical analysis coupled with electron microscopy, that sAg nanoparticle disassembly requires both reducing agent to disrupt intermolecular disulfide bonds, and detergent to disrupt hydrophobic interactions that stabilize the nanoparticle. Particles were otherwise resistant to salt and urea, suggesting the driving mechanism of particle formation involves hydrophobic interactions. We reassembled isolated sAg protein into nanoparticles by detergent removal and reassembly resulted in a wider distribution of particle diameters. Knowledge of these driving forces of nanoparticle assembly and stability should facilitate construction of epitope-displaying nanoparticles that can be used as immunogens in vaccines. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Effect of polyethyleneimine modified graphene on the mechanical and water vapor barrier properties of methyl cellulose composite films.

PubMed

Liu, Hongyu; Liu, Cuiyun; Peng, Shuge; Pan, Bingli; Lu, Chang

2018-02-15

A series of novel methyl cellulose (MC) composite films were prepared using polyethyleneimine reduced graphene oxide (PEI-RGO) as an effective filler for water vapor barrier application. The as-prepared PEI-RGO/MC composites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, tensile test and scanning electron microscopy. The experimental and theoretical results exhibited that PEI-RGO was uniformly dispersed in the MC matrix without aggregation and formed an aligned dispersion. The addition of PEI-RGO resulted in an enhanced surface hydrophobicity and a tortuous diffusion pathway for water molecules. Water vapor permeability of PEI-RGO/MC with loading of 3.0% of surface modified graphene was as low as 5.98×10 -11 gmm -2 s -1 Pa -1 . The synergistic effects of enhanced surface hydrophobicity and tortuous diffusion pathway were accounted for the improved water vapor barrier performance of the PEI-RGO/MC composite films. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Crystal structure of human proteasome assembly chaperone PAC4 involved in proteasome formation.

PubMed

Kurimoto, Eiji; Satoh, Tadashi; Ito, Yuri; Ishihara, Eri; Okamoto, Kenta; Yagi-Utsumi, Maho; Tanaka, Keiji; Kato, Koichi

2017-05-01

The 26S proteasome is a large protein complex, responsible for degradation of ubiquinated proteins in eukaryotic cells. Eukaryotic proteasome formation is a highly ordered process that is assisted by several assembly chaperones. The assembly of its catalytic 20S core particle depends on at least five proteasome-specific chaperones, i.e., proteasome-assembling chaperons 1-4 (PAC1-4) and proteasome maturation protein (POMP). The orthologues of yeast assembly chaperones have been structurally characterized, whereas most mammalian assembly chaperones are not. In the present study, we determined a crystal structure of human PAC4 at 1.90-Å resolution. Our crystallographic data identify a hydrophobic surface that is surrounded by charged residues. The hydrophobic surface is complementary to that of its binding partner, PAC3. The surface also exhibits charge complementarity with the proteasomal α4-5 subunits. This will provide insights into human proteasome-assembling chaperones as potential anticancer drug targets. © 2017 The Protein Society.

Hydrophobic folding units derived from dissimilar monomer structures and their interactions.

PubMed

Tsai, C J; Nussinov, R

1997-01-01

We have designed an automated procedure to cut a protein into compact hydrophobic folding units. The hydrophobic units are large enough to contain tertiary non-local interactions, reflecting potential nucleation sites during protein folding. The quality of a hydrophobic folding unit is evaluated by four criteria. The first two correspond to visual characterization of a structural domain, namely, compactness and extent of isolation. We use the definition of Zehfus and Rose (Zehfus MH, Rose GD, 1986, Biochemistry 25:35-340) to calculate the compactness of a cut protein unit. The isolation of a unit is based on the solvent accessible surface area (ASA) originally buried in the interior and exposed to the solvent after cutting. The third quantity is the hydrophobicity, equivalent to the fraction of the buried non-polar ASA with respect to the total non-polar ASA. The last criterion in the evaluation of a folding unit is the number of segments it includes. To conform with the rationale of obtaining hydrophobic units, which may relate to early folding events, the hydrophobic interactions are implicitly and explicitly applied in their generation and assessment. We follow Holm and Sander (Holm L, Sander C, 1994, Proteins 19:256-268) to reduce the multiple cutting-point problem to a one-dimensional search for all reasonable trial cuts. However, as here we focus on the hydrophobic cores, the contact matrix used to obtain the first non-trivial eigenvector contains only hydrophobic contracts, rather than all, hydrophobic and hydrophilic, interactions. This dataset of hydrophobic folding units, derived from structurally dissimilar single chain monomers, is particularly useful for investigations of the mechanism of protein folding. For cases where there are kinetic data, the one or more hydrophobic folding units generated for a protein correlate with the two or with the three-state folding process observed. We carry out extensive amino acid sequence order independent structural comparisons to generate a structurally non-redundant set of hydrophobic folding units for fold recognition and for statistical purposes.

Role of Viscous Dissipative Processes on the Wetting of Textured Surfaces

PubMed Central

Grewal, H. S.; Nam Kim, Hong; Cho, Il-Joo; Yoon, Eui-Sung

2015-01-01

We investigate the role of viscous forces on the wetting of hydrophobic, semi-hydrophobic, and hydrophilic textured surfaces as second-order effects. We show that during the initial contact, the transition from inertia- to viscous-dominant regime occurs regardless of their surface topography and chemistry. Furthermore, we demonstrate the effect of viscosity on the apparent contact angle under quasi-static conditions by modulating the ratio of a water/glycerol mixture and show the effect of viscosity, especially on the semi-hydrophobic and hydrophobic textured substrates. The reason why the viscous force does not affect the apparent contact angle of the hydrophilic surface is explained based on the relationship between the disjoining pressure and surface chemistry. We further propose a wetting model that can predict the apparent contact angle of a liquid drop on a textured substrate by incorporating a viscous force component in the force balance equation. This model can predict apparent contact angles on semi-hydrophobic and hydrophobic textured surfaces exhibiting Wenzel state more accurately than the Wenzel model, indicating the importance of viscous forces in determining the apparent contact angle. The modified model can be applied for estimating the wetting properties of arbitrary engineered surfaces. PMID:26390958

The estimation of dynamic contact angle of ultra-hydrophobic surfaces using inclined surface and impinging droplet methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jasikova, Darina; Kotek, Michal

2014-03-01

The development of industrial technology also brings with optimized surface quality, particularly where there is contact with food. Application ultra-hydrophobic surface significantly reduces the growth of bacteria and facilitates cleaning processes. Testing and evaluation of surface quality are used two methods: impinging droplet and inclined surface method optimized with high speed shadowgraphy, which give information about dynamic contact angle. This article presents the results of research into new methods of measuring ultra-hydrophobic patented technology.

In-line gas chromatographic apparatus for measuring the hydrophobic micropore volume (HMV) and contaminant transformation in mineral micropores.

PubMed

Cheng, Hefa; Reinhard, Martin

2010-07-15

Desorption of hydrophobic organic compounds from micropores is characteristically slow compared to surface adsorption and partitioning. The slow-desorbing mass of a hydrophobic probe molecule can be used to calculate the hydrophobic micropore volume (HMV) of microporous solids. A gas chromatographic apparatus is described that allows characterization of the sorbed mass with respect to the desorption rate. The method is demonstrated using a dealuminated zeolite and an aquifer sand as the model and reference sorbents, respectively, and trichloroethylene (TCE) as the probe molecule. A glass column packed with the microporous sorbent is coupled directly to a gas chromatograph that is equipped with flame ionization and electron capture detectors. Sorption and desorption of TCE on the sorbent was measured by sampling the influent and effluent of the column using a combination of switching and injection valves. For geosorbents, the HMV is quantified based on Gurvitsch's rule from the mass of TCE desorbed at a rate that is characteristic for micropores. Instrumental requirements, design considerations, hardware details, detector calibration, performance, and data analysis are discussed along with applications. The method is novel and complements traditional vacuum gravimetric and piezometric techniques, which quantify the total pore volume under vacuum conditions. The HMV is more relevant than the total micropore volume for predicting the fate and transport of organic contaminants in the subsurface. Sorption in hydrophobic micropores strongly impacts the mobility of organic contaminants, and their chemical and biological transformations. The apparatus can serve as a tool for characterizing microporous solids and investigating contaminant-solid interactions. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Surface-bubble-modulated liquid chromatography: a new approach for manipulation of chromatographic retention and investigation of solute distribution at water/hydrophobic interfaces.

PubMed

Nakamura, Keisuke; Nakamura, Hiroki; Saito, Shingo; Shibukawa, Masami

2015-01-20

In this paper, we present a new chromatographic method termed surface-bubble-modulated liquid chromatography (SBMLC), that has a hybrid separation medium incorporated with surface nanobubbles. Nanobubbles or nanoscale gas phases can be fixed at the interface between water and a hydrophobic material by delivering water into a dry column packed with a nanoporous material. The incorporation of a gas phase at the hydrophobic surface leads to the formation of the hybrid separation system consisting of the gas phase, hydrophobic moieties, and the water/hydrophobic interface or the interfacial water. One can change the volume of the gas phase by pressure applied to the column, which in turn alters the area of water/hydrophobic interface or the volume of the interfacial water, while the amount of the hydrophobic moiety remains constant. Therefore, this strategy provides a novel technique not only for manipulating the separation selectivity by pressure but also for elucidating the mechanism of accumulation or retention of solute compounds in aqueous solutions by a hydrophobic material. We evaluate the contributions of the interfacial water at the surface of an octadecyl bonded silica and the bonded layer itself to the retention of various solute compounds in aqueous solutions on the column packed with the material by SBMLC. The results show that the interfacial water formed at the hydrophobic surface has a key role in retention even though its volume is rather small. The manipulation of the separation selectivity of SBMLC for some organic compounds by pressure is demonstrated.

Flexible conformable hydrophobized surfaces for turbulent flow drag reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brennan, Joseph C.; Geraldi, Nicasio R.; Morris, Robert H.; Fairhurst, David J.; McHale, Glen; Newton, Michael I.

2015-05-01

In recent years extensive work has been focused onto using superhydrophobic surfaces for drag reduction applications. Superhydrophobic surfaces retain a gas layer, called a plastron, when submerged underwater in the Cassie-Baxter state with water in contact with the tops of surface roughness features. In this state the plastron allows slip to occur across the surface which results in a drag reduction. In this work we report flexible and relatively large area superhydrophobic surfaces produced using two different methods: Large roughness features were created by electrodeposition on copper meshes; Small roughness features were created by embedding carbon nanoparticles (soot) into Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Both samples were made into cylinders with a diameter under 12 mm. To characterize the samples, scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and confocal microscope images were taken. The confocal microscope images were taken with each sample submerged in water to show the extent of the plastron. The hydrophobized electrodeposited copper mesh cylinders showed drag reductions of up to 32% when comparing the superhydrophobic state with a wetted out state. The soot covered cylinders achieved a 30% drag reduction when comparing the superhydrophobic state to a plain cylinder. These results were obtained for turbulent flows with Reynolds numbers 10,000 to 32,500.

Derivatizing weak polyelectrolytes--solution properties, self-aggregation, and association with anionic surfaces of hydrophobically modified poly(ethylene imine).

PubMed

Griffiths, Peter C; Paul, Alison; Fallis, Ian A; Wellappili, Champa; Murphy, Damien M; Jenkins, Robert; Waters, Sarah J; Nilmini, Renuka; Heenan, Richard K; King, Stephen M

2007-10-15

The physical properties of weak polyelectrolytes may be tailored via hydrophobic modification to exhibit useful properties under appropriate pH and ionic strength conditions as a consequence of the often inherently competing effects of electrostatics and hydrophobicity. Pulsed-gradient spin-echo NMR (PGSE-NMR), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) surface tension, fluorescence, and pH titration have been used to examine the solution conformation and aggregation behavior of a series of hydrophobically modified hyperbranched poly(ethylene imine) (PEI) polymers in aqueous solution, and their interaction with sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS). PGSE-NMR gave a particularly insightful picture of the apparent molecular weight distribution. The presence of the hydrophobes led to a lower effective charge on the polymer at any given pH, compared to the (parent) nonmodified samples. Analysis of the SANS data showed that the propensity to form highly elliptical or rod-like aggregates at higher pHs, reflecting both the changes in protonation behavior induced by the hydrophobic modification and an hydrophobic interaction, but that these structures were disrupted with decreasing pH (increasing charge). The parent samples were not surface active yet the hydrophobically modified samples show pronounced surface activity and the presence of small hydrophobic domains. The surface activity increased with an increase in the degree of modification. On addition of SDS, the onset of the formation of polymer/surfactant complexes was insensitive to the degree of modification with the resultant PEI/SDS complexes resembling the size and shape of simple SDS micelles. Indeed, the presence of the SDS effectively nullifies the effects of the hydrophobe. Hydrophobic modification is therefore a viable option to tailor pH dependent properties, whose effects may be removed by the presence of surfactant.

Inhibitory effect of super-hydrophobicity on silver release and antibacterial properties of super-hydrophobic Ag/TiO2 nanotubes.

PubMed

Zhang, Licheng; Zhang, Lihai; Yang, Yun; Zhang, Wei; Lv, Houchen; Yang, Fei; Lin, Changjian; Tang, Peifu

2016-07-01

The antibacterial properties of super-hydrophobic silver (Ag) on implant surface have not yet to be fully illuminated. In our study, we investigate the protective effects of super-hydrophobic coating of silver/titanium dioxide (Ag/TiO2 ) nanotubes against bacterial pathogens, as well as its pattern of Ag release. Ag/TiO2 nanotubes are prepared by a combination of electrochemical anodization and pulse electrodeposition. The super-hydrophobic coating is prepared by modifying the surface of Ag/TiO2 nanotubes with 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctyl-triethoxysilane (PTES). Surface features and Ag release are examined by SEM, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, contact-angle measurement, and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The antibacterial activity of super-hydrophobic coating Ag/TiO2 nanotubes is investigated both in vitro and in vivo. Consequently, the super-hydrophobic coating on Ag/TiO2 nanotubes shows a regularly arranged structure; and nano-Ag particles (10-30 nm) are evenly distributed on the surface or inside the nanotubes. The contact angles of water on the super-hydrophobic coating Ag/TiO2 nanotubes are all above 150°. In addition, the super-hydrophobic character displays a certain conserved effect that contributes to the sustained release of Ag. The super-hydrophobic Ag/TiO2 nanotubes are also effective in inhibiting bacterial adhesion, killing the adhering bacteria and preventing postoperative infection in rabbits. Therefore, it is expected that the super-hydrophobic Ag/TiO2 nanotubes which can contain the release of Ag, leading to stable release, may show a consistent surface antibacterial capability. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 104B: 1004-1012, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Fast self-assembly of silver nanoparticle monolayer in hydrophobic environment and its application as SERS substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leiterer, Christian; Zopf, David; Seise, Barbara; Jahn, Franka; Weber, Karina; Popp, Jürgen; Cialla-May, Dana; Fritzsche, Wolfgang

2014-09-01

We present a method which allows the straightforward wet-chemical synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), hydrophobic coating assembling into monolayer, and their utilization as substrates for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). In order to fabricate the SERS-active substrates, AgNPs were synthesized in water by chemical reduction of Ag+, coated with a hydrophobic shell (dodecanethiol), transferred to a non-polar solvent, and finally assembled through precipitation into a SERS-active self-assembled monolayer (SAM). Simple approaches for concentration and purification of the coated AgNPs are shown. The synthesized particles and SAMs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, optical imaging, and spectroscopic measurements. This manuscript can be used as a do-it-yourself (DIY) tutorial which allows making SAMs from coated AgNPs (<15 nm) in every laboratory within less than 1 h and their utilization as potential low-cost SERS substrates (movie 1-4).

Biomimetic oligosaccharide and peptide surfactant polymers designed for cardiovascular biomaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruegsegger, Mark Andrew

A common problem associated with cardiovascular devices is surface induced thrombosis initiated by the rapid, non-specific adsorption of plasma proteins onto the biomaterial surface. Control of the initial protein adsorption is crucial to achieve the desired longevity of the implanted biomaterial. The cell membrane glycocalyx acts as a non-thrombogenic interface through passive (dense oligosaccharide structures) and active (ligand/receptor interactions) mechanisms. This thesis is designed to investigate biomimicry of the cell glycocalyx to minimize non-specific protein adsorption and promote specific ligand/receptor interactions. Biomimetic macromolecules were designed through the molecular-scale engineering of polymer surfactants, utilizing a poly(vinyl amine) (PVAm) backbone to which hydrophilic (dextran, maltose, peptide) and hydrophobic alkyl (hexanoyl or hexanal) chains are simultaneously attached. The structure was controlled through the molar feed ratio of hydrophobic-to-hydrophilic groups, which also provided control of the solution and surface-active properties. To mimic passive properties, a series of oligomaltose surfactants were synthesized with increasing saccharide length (n = 2, 7, 15 where n is number of glucose units) to investigate the effect of coating height on protein adsorption. The surfactants were characterized by infra red (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies for structural properties and atomic force microscopy (AFM) and contact angle goniometry for surface activity. Protein adsorption under dynamic flow (5 dyn/cm2) was reduced by 85%--95% over the bare hydrophobic substrate; platelet adhesion dropped by ˜80% compared to glass. Peptide ligands were incorporated into the oligosaccharide surfactant to promote functional activity of the passive coating. The surfactants were synthesized to contain 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% peptide ligand density and were stable on hydrophobic surfaces. The peptide surface density was calculated to be 0.86 ligands/nm2 for PVAm(Pep)(100%), as determined by total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) spectroscopy. Similar cell growth was observed on the 100% peptide surfactant as for the fibronectin control, and no cell growth was seen on the 0% peptide. Increasing cell viability was observed for the surfaces with increasing peptide density. These results indicate much promise for surfactant polymers in surface modification and the capability to mimic the passive and active properties of the cell glycocalyx.

Effect of Surfaces on Amyloid Fibril Formation

PubMed Central

Moores, Bradley; Drolle, Elizabeth; Attwood, Simon J.; Simons, Janet; Leonenko, Zoya

2011-01-01

Using atomic force microscopy (AFM) we investigated the interaction of amyloid beta (Aβ) (1–42) peptide with chemically modified surfaces in order to better understand the mechanism of amyloid toxicity, which involves interaction of amyloid with cell membrane surfaces. We compared the structure and density of Aβ fibrils on positively and negatively charged as well as hydrophobic chemically-modified surfaces at physiologically relevant conditions. We report that due to the complex distribution of charge and hydrophobicity amyloid oligomers bind to all types of surfaces investigated (CH3, COOH, and NH2) although the charge and hydrophobicity of surfaces affected the structure and size of amyloid deposits as well as surface coverage. Hydrophobic surfaces promote formation of spherical amorphous clusters, while charged surfaces promote protofibril formation. We used the nonlinear Poisson-Boltzmann equation (PBE) approach to analyze the electrostatic interactions of amyloid monomers and oligomers with modified surfaces to complement our AFM data. PMID:22016789

Synthesis and self-assembly of amphiphilic polymeric microparticles.

PubMed

Dendukuri, Dhananjay; Hatton, T Alan; Doyle, Patrick S

2007-04-10

We report the synthesis and self-assembly of amphiphilic, nonspherical, polymeric microparticles. Wedge-shaped particles bearing segregated hydrophilic and hydrophobic sections were synthesized in a microfludic channel by polymerizing across laminar coflowing streams of hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers using continuous flow lithography (CFL). Particle monodispersity was characterized by measuring both the size of the particles formed and the extent of amphiphilicity. The coefficient of variation (COV) was found to be less than 2.5% in all measured dimensions. Particle structure was further characterized by measuring the curvature of the interface between the sections and the extent of cross-linking using FTIR spectroscopy. The amphiphilic particles were allowed to self-assemble in water or at water-oil interfaces. In water, the geometry of the particles enabled the formation of micelle-like structures, while in emulsions, the particles migrated to the oil-water interface and oriented themselves to minimize their surface energy.

Characterization of a Polyamine Microsphere and Its Adsorption for Protein

PubMed Central

Wang, Feng; Liu, Pei; Nie, Tingting; Wei, Huixian; Cui, Zhenggang

2013-01-01

A novel polyamine microsphere, prepared from the water-in-oil emulsion of polyethylenimine, was characterized. The investigation of scanning electron microscopy showed that the polyamine microsphere is a regular ball with a smooth surface. The diameter distribution of the microsphere is 0.37–4.29 μm. The isoelectric point of the microsphere is 10.6. The microsphere can adsorb proteins through the co-effect of electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. Among the proteins tested, the highest value of adsorption of microsphere, 127.8 mg·g−1 microsphere, was obtained with lipase. In comparison with other proteins, the hydrophobic force is more important in promoting the adsorption of lipase. The microsphere can preferentially adsorb lipase from an even mixture of proteins. The optimum temperature and pH for the selective adsorption of lipase by the microsphere was 35 °C and pH 7.0. PMID:23344018

Novel electrospun gas diffusion layers for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells: Part I. Fabrication, morphological characterization, and in situ performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chevalier, S.; Lavielle, N.; Hatton, B. D.; Bazylak, A.

2017-06-01

In this first of a series of two papers, we report an in-depth analysis of the impact of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) structure on the polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell performance through the use of custom GDLs fabricated in-house. Hydrophobic electrospun nanofibrous gas diffusion layers (eGDLs) are fabricated with controlled fibre diameter and alignment. The eGDLs are rendered hydrophobic through direct surface functionalization, and this molecular grafting is achieved in the absence of structural alteration. The fibre diameter, chemical composition, and electrical conductivity of the eGDL are characterized, and the impact of eGDL structure on fuel cell performance is analysed. We observe that the eGDL facilitates higher fuel cell power densities compared to a commercial GDL (Toray TGP-H-60) at highly humidified operating conditions. The ohmic resistance of the fuel cell is found to significantly increase with increasing inter-fiber distance. It is also observed that the addition of a hydrophobic treatment enhances membrane hydration, and fibres perpendicularly aligned to the channel direction may enhance the contact area between the catalyst layer and the GDL.

Method of making a membrane having hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces for adhering cells or antibodies by using atomic oxygen or hydroxyl radicals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koontz, Steven L. (Inventor); Spaulding, Glenn F. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

A portion of an organic polymer article such as a membrane is made hydrophilic by exposing a hydrophobic surface of the article to a depth of about 50 to about 5000 angstroms to atomic oxygen or hydroxyl radicals at a temperature below 100C., preferably below 40 C, to form a hydrophilic uniform surface layer of hydrophilic hydroxyl groups. The atomic oxygen and hydroxyl radicals are generated by a flowing afterglow microwave discharge, and the surface is outside of a plasma produced by the discharge. A membrane having both hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces can be used in an immunoassay by adhering antibodies to the hydrophobic surface. In another embodiment, the membrane is used in cell culturing where cells adhere to the hydrophilic surface. Prior to adhering cells, the hydrophilic surface may be grafted with a compatibilizing compound. A plurality of hydrophilic regions bounded by adjacent hydrophobic regions can be produced such that a maximum of one cell per each hydrophilic region adheres.

Influence of hydrophobicity on ice accumulation process under sleet and wind conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Ke; Hu, Jianlin; Shu, Lichun; Jiang, Xingliang; Huang, Zhengyong

2018-03-01

Glaze, the most dangerous ice type in natural environment, forms during sleet weather, which is usually accompanied with wind. The icing performance of hydrophobic coatings under the impact of wind needs further research. This paper studies the influence of hydrophobicity on ice accumulation process under sleet and wind conditions by computer simulations and icing tests. The results indicate that the heat dissipation process of droplets on samples with various hydrophobicity will be accelerated by wind significantly and that a higher hydrophobicity cannot reduce the cooling rate effectively. However, on different hydrophobic surfaces, the ice accumulation process has different characteristics. On a hydrophilic surface, the falling droplets form continuously water film, which will be cooled fast. On superhydrophobic surface, the frozen droplets form ice bulges, which can shield from wind and slow down the heat dissipation process. These ice accumulation characteristics lead to the difference in ice morphology and make a higher hydrophobic surface to have a lower ice mass growth rate in long period icing tests. As a conclusion, superhydrophobic coating remain icephobic under wind and sleet conditions.

Fabrication and hydrophobic characteristics of micro / nanostructures on polydimethylsiloxane surface prepared by picosecond laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bin, Wang; Dong, Shiyun; Yan, Shixing; Gang, Xiao; Xie, Zhiwei

2018-03-01

Picosecond laser has ultrashort pulse width and ultrastrong peak power, which makes it widely used in the field of micro-nanoscale fabrication. polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is a typical silicone elastomer with good hydrophobicity. In order to further improve the hydrophobicity of PDMS, the picosecond laser was used to fabricate a grid-like microstructure on the surface of PDMS, and the relationship between hydrophobicity of PDMS with surface microstructure and laser processing parameters, such as processing times and cell spacing was studied. The results show that: compared with the unprocessed PDMS, the presence of surface microstructure significantly improved the hydrophobicity of PDMS. When the number of processing is constant, the hydrophobicity of PDMS decreases with the increase of cell spacing. However, when the cell spacing is fixed, the hydrophobicity of PDMS first increases and then decreases with the increase of processing times. In particular, when the times of laser processing is 6 and the cell spacing is 50μm, the contact angle of PDMS increased from 113° to 154°, which reached the level of superhydrophobic.

[Changes in Cell Surface Properties and Biofilm Formation Efficiency in Azospirillum brasilense Sp245 Mutants in the Putative Genes of Lipid Metabolism mmsB1 and fabG1].

PubMed

Shumilova, E; Shelud'ko, A V; Filip'echeva, Yu A; Evstigneeva, S S; Ponomareva, E G; Petrova, L P; Katsy, E I

2016-01-01

The previously obtained insertion mutants ofAzospirillum brasilense Sp245 in the genes mmsBl and fabG1 (strains SK039 and Sp245.1610, respectively) were characterized by impaired flagellation and motility. The putative products of expression of these genes are 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase and 3-oxoacyl-[acyl-carrier protein] reductase, respectively. In the present work, A. brasilense- Sp245 strains SK039 and Sp245.1610 were found to have differences in the content of 3-hydroxyhexadecanoic, hexadecanoic, 3-hydroxytetradecanoic, hexadecenoic, octadecenoic, and nonadecanoic acids in their lipopolysaccharide prepa- rations, as well as in cell hydrophobicity and hemagglutination activity and dynamics of cell aggregation, in biomass amount, and in the relative content of lipopolysaccharide antigens in mature biofilms formed on hydrophilic or hydrophobic surfaces.

Preparation of composite micro/nano structure on the silicon surface by reactive ion etching: Enhanced anti-reflective and hydrophobic properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Yu; Fan, Xiaoli; Chen, Jiajia; He, Siyu; Yi, Zao; Ye, Xin; Yi, Yougen

2018-05-01

A silicon substrate with micro-pyramid structure (black silicon) is prepared by wet chemical etching and then subjected to reactive ion etching (RIE) in the mixed gas condition of SF6, CHF3 and He. We systematically study the impacts of flow rates of SF6, CHF3 and He, the etching pressure and the etching time on the surface morphology and reflectivity through various characterizations. Meanwhile, we explore and obtain the optimal combination of parameters for the preparation of composite structure that match the RIE process based on the basis of micro-pyramid silicon substrate. The composite sample prepared under the optimum parameters exhibits excellent anti-reflective performance, hydrophobic, self-cleaning and anti-corrosive properties. Based on the above characteristics, the composite micro/nano structure can be applied to solar cells, photodetectors, LEDs, outdoor devices and other important fields.

Direct and Efficient Dehydrogenation of Tetrahydroquinolines and Primary Amines Using Corona Discharge Generated on Ambient Hydrophobic Paper Substrate.

PubMed

Davis, Kathryn M; Badu-Tawiah, Abraham K

2017-04-01

The exposure of an aqueous-based liquid drop containing amines and graphite particles to plasma generated by a corona discharge results in heterogeneous aerobic dehydrogenation reactions. This green oxidation reaction occurring in ambient air afforded the corresponding quinolines and nitriles from tetrahydroquinolines and primary amines, respectively, at >96% yields in less than 2 min of reaction time. The accelerated dehydrogenation reactions occurred on the surface of a low energy hydrophobic paper, which served both as container for holding the reacting liquid drop and as a medium for achieving paper spray ionization of reaction products for subsequent characterization by ambient mass spectrometry. Control experiments indicate superoxide anions (O 2 •- ) are the main reactive species; the presence of graphite particles introduced heterogeneous surface effects, and enabled the efficient sampling of the plasma into the grounded analyte droplet solution. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Direct and Efficient Dehydrogenation of Tetrahydroquinolines and Primary Amines Using Corona Discharge Generated on Ambient Hydrophobic Paper Substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Kathryn M.; Badu-Tawiah, Abraham K.

2017-04-01

The exposure of an aqueous-based liquid drop containing amines and graphite particles to plasma generated by a corona discharge results in heterogeneous aerobic dehydrogenation reactions. This green oxidation reaction occurring in ambient air afforded the corresponding quinolines and nitriles from tetrahydroquinolines and primary amines, respectively, at >96% yields in less than 2 min of reaction time. The accelerated dehydrogenation reactions occurred on the surface of a low energy hydrophobic paper, which served both as container for holding the reacting liquid drop and as a medium for achieving paper spray ionization of reaction products for subsequent characterization by ambient mass spectrometry. Control experiments indicate superoxide anions (O2 •-) are the main reactive species; the presence of graphite particles introduced heterogeneous surface effects, and enabled the efficient sampling of the plasma into the grounded analyte droplet solution.

Scalable and reusable micro-bubble removal method to flatten large-area 2D materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pham, Phi H. Q.; Quach, Nhi V.; Li, Jinfeng; Burke, Peter J.

2018-04-01

Bubbles generated during electro-delamination and chemical etch during large-area two-dimensional (2D) material transfer has been shown to cause rippling, and consequently, results in tears and wrinkles in the transferred film. Here, we demonstrate a scalable and reusable method to remove surface adhered micro-bubbles by using hydrophobic surfaces modified by self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). Bubble removal allows the 2D film to flatten out and prevents the formation of defects. Electrical characterization was used to verify improved transfer quality and was confirmed by increased field-effect mobility and decreased sheet resistance. Raman spectroscopy was also used to validate enhanced electrical quality following transfer. The bubble removal method can be applied to an assortment of 2D materials using diverse hydrophobic SAM variants. Our studies can be integrated into large scale applications and will lead to improved large-area 2D electronics in general.

Effect of NaCl addition during diafiltration on the solubility, hydrophobicity, and disulfide bonds of 80% milk protein concentrate powder.

PubMed

Mao, X Y; Tong, P S; Gualco, S; Vink, S

2012-07-01

We investigated the surface hydrophobicity index based on different fluorescence probes [1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonic acid (ANS) and 6-propionyl-2-(N,N-dimethylamino)-naphthalene (PRODAN)], free sulfhydryl and disulfide bond contents, and particle size of 80% milk protein concentrate (MPC80) powders prepared by adding various amounts of NaCl (0, 50, 100, and 150 mM) during the diafiltration process. The solubility of MPC80 powder was not strictly related to surface hydrophobicity. The MPC80 powder obtained by addition of 150 mM NaCl during diafiltration had the highest solubility but also the highest ANS-based surface hydrophobicity, the lowest PRODAN-based surface hydrophobicity, and the least aggregate formation. Intermolecular disulfide bonds caused by sulfhydryl-disulfide interchange reactions and hydrophobic interactions may be responsible for the lower solubility of the control MPC80 powder. The enhanced solubility of MPC80 powder with addition of NaCl during diafiltration may result from the modified surface hydrophobicity, the reduced intermolecular disulfide bonds, and the associated decrease in mean particle size. Addition of NaCl during the diafiltration process can modify the strength of hydrophobic interactions and sulfhydryl-disulfide interchange reactions and thereby affect protein aggregation and the solubility of MPC powders. Copyright © 2012 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Temporal changes in extracellular polymeric substances on hydrophobic and hydrophilic membrane surfaces in a submerged membrane bioreactor.

PubMed

Matar, Gerald; Gonzalez-Gil, Graciela; Maab, Husnul; Nunes, Suzana; Le-Clech, Pierre; Vrouwenvelder, Johannes; Saikaly, Pascal E

2016-05-15

Membrane surface hydrophilic modification has always been considered to mitigating biofouling in membrane bioreactors (MBRs). Four hollow-fiber ultrafiltration membranes (pore sizes ∼0.1 μm) differing only in hydrophobic or hydrophilic surface characteristics were operated at a permeate flux of 10 L/m(2) h in the same lab-scale MBR fed with synthetic wastewater. In addition, identical membrane modules without permeate production (0 L/m(2) h) were operated in the same lab-scale MBR. Membrane modules were autopsied after 1, 10, 20 and 30 days of MBR operation, and total extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) accumulated on the membranes were extracted and characterized in detail using several analytical tools, including conventional colorimetric tests (Lowry and Dubois), liquid chromatography with organic carbon detection (LC-OCD), fluorescence excitation - emission matrices (FEEM), fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). The transmembrane pressure (TMP) quickly stabilized with higher values for the hydrophobic membranes than hydrophilic ones. The sulfonated polysulfone (SPSU) membrane had the highest negatively charged membrane surface, accumulated the least amount of foulants and displayed the lowest TMP. The same type of organic foulants developed with time on the four membranes and the composition of biopolymers shifted from protein dominance at early stages of filtration (day 1) towards polysaccharides dominance during later stages of MBR filtration. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling of LC-OCD data showed that biofilm samples clustered according to the sampling event (time) regardless of the membrane surface chemistry (hydrophobic or hydrophilic) or operating mode (with or without permeate flux). These results suggest that EPS composition may not be the dominant parameter for evaluating membrane performance and possibly other parameters such as biofilm thickness, porosity, compactness and structure should be considered in future studies for evaluating the development and impact of biofouling on membrane performance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Grafting polycaprolactone diol onto cellulose nanocrystals via click chemistry: Enhancing thermal stability and hydrophobic property.

PubMed

Zhou, Ling; He, Hui; Li, Mei-Chun; Huang, Siwei; Mei, Changtong; Wu, Qinglin

2018-06-01

Hydrophobic and thermally-stable cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were synthesized by polycarpolactone diol (PCL diol) grafting via click chemistry strategy. The synthesis was designed as a three-step procedure containing azide-modification of CNCs, alkyne-modification of PCL diol and sequent copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction. The structure of azide-modified CNCs and alkyne-modified PCL diol, the structure, hydrophobic ability and thermal stability of click products CNC-PCL were characterized. FTIR, XPS and H 1 NMR results indicated a successful grafting of the N 3 groups onto the CNCs, synthesis of PCL diol-CCH, and formation of the CNC-PCL material. CNC-PCL had enhanced dispersion in the non-polar solvent chloroform owing to the well-maintained microscale size and PCL-induced hydrophobic surface. The thermal stability of CNC-PCL was largely increased due to the grafting of thermally-stable PCL. This work demonstrates that click chemistry is an attractive modification strategy to graft CNCs with polyester chains for further potential application in polymer composites. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Method for producing hydrophobic aerogels

DOEpatents

Hrubesh, Lawrence W.; Poco, John F.; Coronado, Paul R.

1999-01-01

A method for treating a dried monolithic aerogel containing non-dispersed particles, with an organometallic surface modifying agent to produce hydrophobic aerogels. The dried, porous hydrophobic aerogels contain a protective layer of alkyl groups, such as methyl groups, on the modified surfaces of the pores of the aerogel. The alkyl groups at the aerogel surface typically contain at least one carbon-metal bond per group.

Investigation of energy transfer between semiconducting polymer dot donors and hydrophilic and hydrophobic Cy5 acceptors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lix, Kelsi; Algar, W. Russ

2016-09-01

Semiconducting polymer dots (Pdots) are rapidly emerging fluorescent probes for bioanalysis. Pdots have extraordinarily strong absorption and bright emission compared to other commonly used fluorescent probes, making them very attractive for applications involving Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). Here, we investigated two FRET systems with green-emitting poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-alt-benzothiadiazole) (F8BT) Pdots as donors and two different Cyanine 5 (Cy5) dyes as acceptors. A hydrophilic sulfo-Cy5 dye was directly conjugated to the Pdot surface using carbodiimide chemistry, and a hydrophobic Cy5 dye was observed to spontaneously partition into the core of the Pdot. FRET was observed to depend on the acceptor dye concentration with both systems, and was characterized using a combination of fluorescence emission spectra, excitation spectra, and lifetime measurements. Much stronger quenching of Pdot emission and FRET-sensitized acceptor dye emission were observed for the hydrophobic Cy5 system, and these trends were attributed to reduced donor-acceptor distances in comparison to the hydrophilic sulfo-Cy5 system. Current limitations in the experimental format are discussed. The results show that Pdots are effective FRET donors for acceptor dyes located both within and at the surface of Pdots.

The effect of changes in surface wettability on two-phase saturated flow in horizontal replicas of single natural fractures.

PubMed

Bergslien, Elisa; Fountain, John

2006-12-15

By using translucent epoxy replicas of natural single fractures, it is possible to optically measure aperture distribution and directly observe NAPL flow. However, detailed characterization of epoxy reveals that it is not a sufficiently good analogue to natural rock for many two-phase flow studies. The surface properties of epoxy, which is hydrophobic, are quite unlike those of natural rock, which is generally assumed to be hydrophilic. Different surface wettabilities result in dramatically different two-phase flow behavior and residual distributions. In hydrophobic replicas, the NAPL flows in well-developed channels, displacing water and filling all of the pore space. In hydrophilic replicas, the invading NAPL is confined to the largest aperture pathways and flow frequently occurs in pulses, with no limited or no stable channel development, resulting in isolated blobs with limited accessible surface area. The pulsing and channel abandonment behaviors described are significantly different from the piston-flow frequently assumed in current modeling practice. In addition, NAPL never achieved total saturation in hydrophilic models, indicating that significantly more than a monolayer of water was bound to the model surface. Despite typically only 60-80% NAPL saturation, there was generally good agreement between theoretically calculated Young-Laplace aperture invasion boundaries and the observed minimum apertures invaded. The key to determining whether surface wettability is negligible, or not, lies in accurate characterization of the contaminant-geologic media system under study. As long as the triple-point contact angle of the system is low (<20 degrees), the assumption of perfect water wettability is not a bad one.

Rescuing Those Left Behind: Recovering and Characterizing Underdigested Membrane and Hydrophobic Proteins To Enhance Proteome Measurement Depth

DOE PAGES

Giannone, Richard J.; Wurch, Louie L.; Podar, Mircea; ...

2015-06-25

The marine archaeon Nanoarchaeum equitans is dependent on direct physical contact with its host, the hyperthermophile Ignicoccus hospitalis. It is thought that this interaction is membrane-associated, involving a myriad of membrane-anchored proteins; proteomic efforts to better characterize this difficult to analyze interface are paramount to uncovering the mechanism of their association. By extending multienzyme digestion strategies that use sample filtration to recover underdigested proteins for reprocessing/consecutive proteolytic digestion, we applied chymotrypsin to redigest the proteinaceous material left over after initial proteolysis with trypsin of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-extracted I. hospitalis-N. equitansproteins. We show that proteins with increased hydrophobic character, includingmore » membrane proteins with multiple transmembrane helices, are enriched and recovered in the underdigested fraction. Chymotryptic reprocessing provided significant sequence coverage gains in both soluble and hydrophobic proteins alike, with the latter benefiting more so in terms of membrane protein representation. Moreover, these gains were despite a large proportion of high-quality peptide spectra remaining unassigned in the underdigested fraction suggesting high levels of protein modification on these often surface-exposed proteins. Importantly, these gains were achieved without applying extensive fractionation strategies usually required for thorough characterization of membrane-associated proteins and were facilitated by the generation of a distinct, complementary set of peptides that aid in both the identification and quantitation of this important, under-represented class of proteins.« less

Rescuing Those Left Behind: Recovering and Characterizing Underdigested Membrane and Hydrophobic Proteins To Enhance Proteome Measurement Depth.

PubMed

Giannone, Richard J; Wurch, Louie L; Podar, Mircea; Hettich, Robert L

2015-08-04

The marine archaeon Nanoarchaeum equitans is dependent on direct physical contact with its host, the hyperthermophile Ignicoccus hospitalis. As this interaction is thought to be membrane-associated, involving a myriad of membrane-anchored proteins, proteomic efforts to better characterize this difficult to analyze interface are paramount to uncovering the mechanism of their association. By extending multienzyme digestion strategies that use sample filtration to recover underdigested proteins for reprocessing/consecutive proteolytic digestion, we applied chymotrypsin to redigest the proteinaceous material left over after initial proteolysis with trypsin of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-extracted I. hospitalis-N. equitans proteins. Using this method, we show that proteins with increased hydrophobic character, including membrane proteins with multiple transmembrane helices, are enriched and recovered in the underdigested fraction. Chymotryptic reprocessing provided significant sequence coverage gains in both soluble and hydrophobic proteins alike, with the latter benefiting more so in terms of membrane protein representation. These gains were despite a large proportion of high-quality peptide spectra remaining unassigned in the underdigested fraction suggesting high levels of protein modification on these often surface-exposed proteins. Importantly, these gains were achieved without applying extensive fractionation strategies usually required for thorough characterization of membrane-associated proteins and were facilitated by the generation of a distinct, complementary set of peptides that aid in both the identification and quantitation of this important, under-represented class of proteins.

Binding Preferences, Surface Attachment, Diffusivity, and Orientation of a Family 1 Carbohydrate-binding Module on Cellulose*

PubMed Central

Nimlos, Mark R.; Beckham, Gregg T.; Matthews, James F.; Bu, Lintao; Himmel, Michael E.; Crowley, Michael F.

2012-01-01

Cellulase enzymes often contain carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs) for binding to cellulose. The mechanisms by which CBMs recognize specific surfaces of cellulose and aid in deconstruction are essential to understand cellulase action. The Family 1 CBM from the Trichoderma reesei Family 7 cellobiohydrolase, Cel7A, is known to selectively bind to hydrophobic surfaces of native cellulose. It is most commonly suggested that three aromatic residues identify the planar binding face of this CBM, but several recent studies have challenged this hypothesis. Here, we use molecular simulation to study the CBM binding orientation and affinity on hydrophilic and hydrophobic cellulose surfaces. Roughly 43 μs of molecular dynamics simulations were conducted, which enables statistically significant observations. We quantify the fractions of the CBMs that detach from crystal surfaces or diffuse to other surfaces, the diffusivity along the hydrophobic surface, and the overall orientation of the CBM on both hydrophobic and hydrophilic faces. The simulations demonstrate that there is a thermodynamic driving force for the Cel7A CBM to bind preferentially to the hydrophobic surface of cellulose relative to hydrophilic surfaces. In addition, the simulations demonstrate that the CBM can diffuse from hydrophilic surfaces to the hydrophobic surface, whereas the reverse transition is not observed. Lastly, our simulations suggest that the flat faces of Family 1 CBMs are the preferred binding surfaces. These results enhance our understanding of how Family 1 CBMs interact with and recognize specific cellulose surfaces and provide insights into the initial events of cellulase adsorption and diffusion on cellulose. PMID:22496371

Adsorption of benzyldimethylhexadecylammonium chloride at the hydrophobic silica-water interface studied by total internal reflection Raman spectroscopy: effects of silica surface properties and metal salt addition.

PubMed

Grenoble, Zlata; Baldelli, Steven

2013-08-29

The adsorption of the cationic surfactant benzyldimethylhexadecylammonium (BDMHA(+)) chloride was studied at an octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS)-monolayer-modified silica-water interface by Raman spectroscopy in total internal reflection (TIR) geometry. The present study demonstrates the capabilities of this spectroscopic technique to evaluate thermodynamic and kinetic BDMHA(+)Cl(-) adsorption properties at the hydrophobic silica surface. The surface coverage of BDMHA(+) decreased by 50% at the hydrophobic OTS-silica surface relative to the surface coverage on bare silica; the dominating driving mechanisms for surfactant adsorption were identified as hydrophobic effects and head group charge screening by the electrolyte counterions. Addition of magnesium metal salt (MgCl2) to the aqueous solution (∼ neutral pH) lowered the surface coverage and moderately increased the Langmuir adsorption constants relative to those of the pure surfactant. These trends were previously observed at the hydrophilic, negatively charged silica surface but with a smaller change in the Gibbs free energy of adsorption at the hydrophobic silica surface. The hydrophobic OTS-silica surface properties resulted in shorter times for the surfactant to reach steady-state adsorption conditions compared to the slow adsorption kinetics previously seen with the surfactant at the hydrophilic surface. Adsorption isotherms, based on Raman signal intensities from spectral analysis, were developed according to the Langmuir adsorption model for the pure surfactant at the OTS-silica-water interface; the modified Langmuir model was applied to the surfactant adsorption in the presence of 5, 10, 50, and 100 mM magnesium chloride. Spectral analysis of the Raman scattering intensities and geometric considerations suggests a hemimicelle-type surface aggregate as the most likely surfactant structure at the OTS-silica surface. The different kinetics observed at the hydrophilic versus the hydrophobic silica surface further indicate that the surface charge and potential influence the surfactant diffusion and kinetic rates of adsorption at the silica-water interface.

Morphology and FT-IR analysis of anti-pollution flashover coatings with adding nano SiO2 particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Kai; Du, Yishu; Wu, Yaping; Mi, Xuchun; Li, Xingeng; Chen, Suhong

2017-12-01

By adding nano SiO2 particles, an enhanced K-PRTV anti-pollution flashover coating had been prepared. Optical profile meter (GT-K), atomic force microscopy (AFM), infrared spectrometer (FT-IR) and EDS characterization were carried out on the coating surface analysis. Those results has been use to optimize the further design and platform of the enhanced K-PRTV pollution flash coating experiment. It is also to improve the plan formulation, formulation optimization and preparation of the hydrophobic modified K-PRTV which is based on anti-pollution coating experiment. More importantly, the anti-pollution flashover K-PRTV coating with super hydrophobic modified is the great significance for K-PRTV coating.

Formation of hydrophobic coating on glass surface using atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma in ambient air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Z.; Qiu, Y.; Kuffel, E.

2004-08-01

Non-thermal plasmas under atmospheric pressure are of great interest in material surface processing because of their convenience, effectiveness and low cost. In this paper, the treatment of a glass surface for improving hydrophobicity using a non-thermal plasma generated by a dielectric barrier corona discharge (DBCD) with a needle array-to-plane electrode arrangement in atmospheric air is conducted, and the surface properties of the glass before and after the DBCD treatment are studied using contact angle measurement, surface resistance measurement and the wet flashover voltage test. The effects of the plasma dose (the product of average discharge power and treatment time) of DBCD on the surface modification are studied, and the mechanism of interaction between the plasma and glass surface is discussed. It is found that a layer of hydrophobic coating is formed on the glass surface through DBCD treatment, and the improvement of hydrophobicity depends on the plasma dose of the DBCD. It seems that there is an optimum plasma dose for the surface treatment. The test results of thermal ageing and chemical ageing show that the hydrophobic layer has quite stable characteristics.

Synthesis and Characterization of Superhydrophobic, Self-cleaning NIR-reflective Silica Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sriramulu, Deepa; Reed, Ella Louise; Annamalai, Meenakshi; Venkatesan, Thirumalai Venky; Valiyaveettil, Suresh

2016-11-01

Multifunctional coatings offer many advantages towards protecting various surfaces. Here we apply aggregation induced segregation of perylene diimide (PDI) to control the surface morphology and properties of silica nanoparticles. Differentially functionalized PDI was incorporated on the surface of silica nanoparticles through Si-O-Si bonds. The absorption and emission spectra of the resultant functionalised nanoparticles showed monomeric or excimeric peaks based on the amounts of perylene molecules present on the surface of silica nanoparticles. Contact angle measurements on thin films prepared from nanoparticles showed that unfunctionalised nanoparticles were superhydrophilic with a contact angle (CA) of 0°, whereas perylene functionalised silica particles were hydrophobic (CA > 130°) and nanoparticles functionalised with PDI and trimethoxy(octadecyl)silane (TMODS) in an equimolar ratio were superhydrophobic with static CA > 150° and sliding angle (SA) < 10°. In addition, the near infrared (NIR) reflectance properties of PDI incorporated silica nanoparticles can be used to protect various heat sensitive substrates. The concept developed in this paper offers a unique combination of super hydrophobicity, interesting optical properties and NIR reflectance in nanosilica, which could be used for interesting applications such as surface coatings with self-cleaning and NIR reflection properties.

Characterization of Polyethylene-Graft-Sulfonated Polyarylsulfone Proton Exchange Membranes for Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Applications.

PubMed

Kim, Hyung Kyu; Zhang, Gang; Nam, Changwoo; Chung, T C Mike

2015-12-04

This paper examines polymer film morphology and several important properties of polyethylene-graft-sulfonated polyarylene ether sulfone (PE-g-s-PAES) proton exchange membranes (PEMs) for direct methanol fuel cell applications. Due to the extreme surface energy differences between a semi-crystalline and hydrophobic PE backbone and several amorphous and hydrophilic s-PAES side chains, the PE-g-s-PAES membrane self-assembles into a unique morphology, with many proton conductive s-PAES channels embedded in the stable and tough PE matrix and a thin hydrophobic PE layer spontaneously formed on the membrane surfaces. In the bulk, these membranes show good mechanical properties (tensile strength >30 MPa, Young's modulus >1400 MPa) and low water swelling (λ < 15) even with high IEC >3 mmol/g in the s-PAES domains. On the surface, the thin hydrophobic and semi-crystalline PE layer shows some unusual barrier (protective) properties. In addition to exhibiting higher through-plane conductivity (up to 160 mS/cm) than in-plane conductivity, the PE surface layer minimizes methanol cross-over from anode to cathode with reduced fuel loss, and stops the HO• and HO₂• radicals, originally formed at the anode, entering into PEM matrix. Evidently, the thin PE surface layer provides a highly desirable protecting layer for PEMs to reduce fuel loss and increase chemical stability. Overall, the newly developed PE-g-s-PAES membranes offer a desirable set of PEM properties, including conductivity, selectivity, mechanical strength, stability, and cost-effectiveness for direct methanol fuel cell applications.

Dual functional nisin-multi-walled carbon nanotubes coated filters for bacterial capture and inactivation.

PubMed

Dong, Xiuli; Yang, Liju

2015-01-01

Removal of pathogens from water is one way to prevent waterborne illness. In this paper, we developed dual functional carbon nanotube (CNT) modified filters for bacterial capture and inactivation, utilizing multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs) to coat on commercially available filters and making use of the exceptional adsorption property of CNTs to adsorb a natural antimicrobial peptide-nisin on it. Two types of MWCNTs with different outer layer diameters were used (MWCNTs1: <8 nm in diameter; MWCNTs2: 10-20 nm in diameter). The thickness of MWCNT layers, surface morphology, and surface hydrophobicity of both types of MWCNT coated filters were characterized. The MWCNT coating on filters significantly increased the surface hydrophobicity. The absorption of nisin and the capture of bacterial pathogens were correlated with increased surface hydrophobicity. The MWCNTs1 and MWCNTs2 filters with 1.5 mg MWCNTs loading captured 2.44 and 3.88 log of cells, respectively, from aqueous solutions containing a total of ~10(6) CFU/mL cells. Nisin deposit at the amount of 0.5 mg on the surfaces of MWCNT filters significantly reduced the viability of captured B. anthracis cells by 95.71-97.19 %, and inhibited the metabolic activities of the captured cells by approximately 98.3 %. The results demonstrated that the MWCNT-nisin filters achieved dual functions in bacterial pathogen capture and inhibition in one single filtration step, which is potentially applicable in removing undesired microorganisms from water sources and inhibiting captured Gram positive bacteria activities.

Characterization of Polyethylene-Graft-Sulfonated Polyarylsulfone Proton Exchange Membranes for Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Applications

PubMed Central

Kim, Hyung Kyu; Zhang, Gang; Nam, Changwoo; Chung, T.C. Mike

2015-01-01

This paper examines polymer film morphology and several important properties of polyethylene-graft-sulfonated polyarylene ether sulfone (PE-g-s-PAES) proton exchange membranes (PEMs) for direct methanol fuel cell applications. Due to the extreme surface energy differences between a semi-crystalline and hydrophobic PE backbone and several amorphous and hydrophilic s-PAES side chains, the PE-g-s-PAES membrane self-assembles into a unique morphology, with many proton conductive s-PAES channels embedded in the stable and tough PE matrix and a thin hydrophobic PE layer spontaneously formed on the membrane surfaces. In the bulk, these membranes show good mechanical properties (tensile strength >30 MPa, Young’s modulus >1400 MPa) and low water swelling (λ < 15) even with high IEC >3 mmol/g in the s-PAES domains. On the surface, the thin hydrophobic and semi-crystalline PE layer shows some unusual barrier (protective) properties. In addition to exhibiting higher through-plane conductivity (up to 160 mS/cm) than in-plane conductivity, the PE surface layer minimizes methanol cross-over from anode to cathode with reduced fuel loss, and stops the HO• and HO2• radicals, originally formed at the anode, entering into PEM matrix. Evidently, the thin PE surface layer provides a highly desirable protecting layer for PEMs to reduce fuel loss and increase chemical stability. Overall, the newly developed PE-g-s-PAES membranes offer a desirable set of PEM properties, including conductivity, selectivity, mechanical strength, stability, and cost-effectiveness for direct methanol fuel cell applications. PMID:26690232

Molecular Grafting of Fluorinated and Nonfluorinated Alkylsiloxanes on Various Ceramic Membrane Surfaces for the Removal of Volatile Organic Compounds Applying Vacuum Membrane Distillation.

PubMed

Kujawa, Joanna; Al-Gharabli, Samer; Kujawski, Wojciech; Knozowska, Katarzyna

2017-02-22

Four main tasks were presented: (i) ceramic membrane functionalization (TiO 2 5 kDa and 300 kDa), (ii) extended material characterization (physicochemistry and tribology) of pristine and modified ceramic samples, (iii) evaluation of chemical and mechanical stability, and finally (iv) assessment of membrane efficiency in vacuum membrane distillation applied for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) removal from water. Highly efficient molecular grafting with four types of perfluoroalkylsilanes and one nonfluorinated agent was developed. Materials with controllable tribological and physicochemical properties were achieved. The most meaningful finding is associated with the applicability of fluorinated and nonfluorinated grafting agents. The results of contact angle, hysteresis of contact angle, sliding angle, and critical surface tension as well as Young's modulus, nanohardness, and adhesion force for grafting by these two modifiers are comparable. This provides insight into the potential applicability of environmental friendly hydrophobic and superhydrophobic surfaces. The achieved hydrophobic membranes were very effective in the removal of VOCs (butanol, methyl-tert-butyl ether, and ethyl acetate) from binary aqueous solutions in vacuum membrane distillation. The correlation between membrane effectiveness and separated solvent polarity was compared in terms of material properties and resistance to the wetting (kinetics of wetting and in-depth liquid penetration). Material properties were interpreted considering Zisman theory and using Kao diagram. The significant influence of surface chemistry on the membrane performance was noticed (5 kDa, influence of hydrophobic nanolayer and separation controlled by solution-diffusion model; 300 kDa, no impact of surface chemistry and separation controlled by liquid-vapor equilibrium).

Superhydrophobic surface prepared by micro-milling and WEDM on aluminum alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanling, Wan; Jian, Yang; Huadong, Yu

2018-06-01

To simulate the hydrophobic microstructure of rice leaf surface, high-speed precision micro-milling machine was used to fabricate micro groove array structure on the surface of aluminum alloy. The micro-and nanostructure was constructed on the surface of the grooved convex platform by Wire Cut Electrical Discharge Machining (WEDM). The surface morphology and hydrophobic properties of the aluminum alloy microstructures fabricated by two processing methods were observed respectively, and the hydrophobic mechanism was analyzed. The results show that the contact angle was effectively improved from 49° up to 158.4° in the vertical direction, and 146.7° in the parallel direction. The change of surface wettability from hydrophilic to hydrophobic was realized. By comparison, the micro-and nanostructure fabricated by WEDM had improved the hydrophobic stability of the aluminum alloy surface while enlarging the contact Angle, and the micro-milling groove structure further amplified the contact angle and greatly reduced the contact area of the water droplet, it was also observed that the drop took longer to completely spread on the sample after WEDM.

Topological characterization of antireflective and hydrophobic rough surfaces: are random process theory and fractal modeling applicable?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borri, Claudia; Paggi, Marco

2015-02-01

The random process theory (RPT) has been widely applied to predict the joint probability distribution functions (PDFs) of asperity heights and curvatures of rough surfaces. A check of the predictions of RPT against the actual statistics of numerically generated random fractal surfaces and of real rough surfaces has been only partially undertaken. The present experimental and numerical study provides a deep critical comparison on this matter, providing some insight into the capabilities and limitations in applying RPT and fractal modeling to antireflective and hydrophobic rough surfaces, two important types of textured surfaces. A multi-resolution experimental campaign using a confocal profilometer with different lenses is carried out and a comprehensive software for the statistical description of rough surfaces is developed. It is found that the topology of the analyzed textured surfaces cannot be fully described according to RPT and fractal modeling. The following complexities emerge: (i) the presence of cut-offs or bi-fractality in the power-law power-spectral density (PSD) functions; (ii) a more pronounced shift of the PSD by changing resolution as compared to what was expected from fractal modeling; (iii) inaccuracy of the RPT in describing the joint PDFs of asperity heights and curvatures of textured surfaces; (iv) lack of resolution-invariance of joint PDFs of textured surfaces in case of special surface treatments, not accounted for by fractal modeling.

Nitrogen starvation affects bacterial adhesion to soil

PubMed Central

Borges, Maria Tereza; Nascimento, Antônio Galvão; Rocha, Ulisses Nunes; Tótola, Marcos Rogério

2008-01-01

One of the main factors limiting the bioremediation of subsoil environments based on bioaugmentation is the transport of selected microorganisms to the contaminated zones. The characterization of the physiological responses of the inoculated microorganisms to starvation, especially the evaluation of characteristics that affect the adhesion of the cells to soil particles, is fundamental to anticipate the success or failure of bioaugmentation. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of nitrogen starvation on cell surface hydrophobicity and cell adhesion to soil particles by bacterial strains previously characterized as able to use benzene, toluene or xilenes as carbon and energy sources. The strains LBBMA 18-T (non-identified), Arthrobacter aurescens LBBMA 98, Arthrobacter oxydans LBBMA 201, and Klebsiella sp. LBBMA 204–1 were used in the experiments. Cultivation of the cells in nitrogen-deficient medium caused a significant reduction of the adhesion to soil particles by all the four strains. Nitrogen starvation also reduced significantly the strength of cell adhesion to the soil particles, except for Klebsiella sp. LBBMA 204–1. Two of the four strains showed significant reduction in cell surface hydrophobicity. It is inferred that the efficiency of bacterial transport through soils might be potentially increased by nitrogen starvation. PMID:24031246

Characterization of Hydrophobic Interactions of Polymers with Water and Phospholipid Membranes Using Molecular Dynamics Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drenscko, Mihaela

Polymers and lipid membranes are both essential soft materials. The structure and hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity of polymers, as well as the solvent they are embedded in, ultimately determines their size and shape. Understating the variation of shape of the polymer as well as its interactions with model biological membranes can assist in understanding the biocompatibility of the polymer itself. Computer simulations, in particular molecular dynamics, can aid in characterization of the interaction of polymers with solvent, as well as polymers with model membranes. In this thesis, molecular dynamics serve to describe polymer interactions with a solvent (water) and with a lipid membrane. To begin with, we characterize the hydrophobic collapse of single polystyrene chains in water using molecular dynamics simulations. Specifically, we calculate the potential of mean force for the collapse of a single polystyrene chain in water using metadynamics, comparing the results between all atomistic with coarse-grained molecular simulation. We next explore the scaling behavior of the collapsed globular shape at the minimum energy configuration, characterized by the radius of gyration, as a function of chain length. The exponent is close to one third, consistent with that predicted for a polymer chain in bad solvent. We also explore the scaling behavior of the Solvent Accessible Surface Area (SASA) as a function of chain length, finding a similar exponent for both all-atomistic and coarse-grained simulations. Furthermore, calculation of the local water density as a function of chain length near the minimum energy configuration suggests that intermediate chain lengths are more likely to form dewetted states, as compared to shorter or longer chain lengths. Next, in order to investigate the molecular interactions between single hydrophobic polymer chains and lipids in biological membranes and at lipid membrane/solvent interface, we perform a series of molecular dynamics simulations of small membranes using all atomistic and coarse-grained methods. The molecular interaction between common polymer chains used in biomedical applications and the cell membrane is unknown. This interaction may affect the biocompatibility of the polymer chains. Molecular dynamics simulations offer an emerging tool to characterize the interaction between common degradable polymer chains used in biomedical applications, such as polycaprolactone, and model cell membranes. We systematically characterize with long-time all-atomistic molecular dynamics simulations the interaction between single polycaprolactone chains of varying chain lengths with a model phospholipid membrane. We find that the length of polymer chain greatly affects the nature of interaction with the membrane, as well as the membrane properties. Furthermore, we next utilize advanced sampling techniques in molecular dynamics to characterize the two-dimensional free energy surface for the interaction of varying polymer chain lengths (short, intermediate, and long) with model cell membranes. We find that the free energy minimum shifts from the membrane-water interface to the hydrophobic core of the phospholipid membrane as a function of chain length. These results can be used to design polymer chain lengths and chemistries to optimize their interaction with cell membranes at the molecular level.

The glass-liquid transition of water on hydrophobic surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Souda, Ryutaro

2008-09-01

Interactions of thin water films with surfaces of graphite and vitrified room-temperature ionic liquid [1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([bmim][PF6])] were investigated using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry as a function of temperature and annealing time to elucidate the glass-liquid transition of water at the molecular level. Surface diffusion of water occurs at temperatures higher than 120K, thereby forming three-dimensional clusters (a two-dimensional layer) on the [bmim][PF6] (graphite) surface. The hydrophobic effect of the surface decreases with increasing coverage of water; the bulklike properties evolve up to 40 ML, as evidenced by the occurrence of film dewetting at around the conventional glass transition temperature (140K). Results also showed that aging is necessary for the water monolayer (a 40 ML water film) to dewet the graphite ([bmim][PF6]) surface. The occurrence of aging is explainable by the successive evolution of two distinct liquids during the glass-liquid transition: low density liquid is followed by supercooled liquid water. The water monolayer on graphite is characterized by the preferred orientation of unpaired OH groups toward the surface; this structure is arrested during the aging time despite the occurrence of surface diffusion. However, the water monolayer formed on the [bmim][PF6] surface agglomerates immediately after the commencement of surface diffusion. The structure of low density liquid tends to be arrested by the attractive interaction with the neighbors.

Characterization of protein hydration by solution NMR spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wand, Joshua

A comprehensive understanding of the interactions between protein molecules and hydration water remains elusive. Solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has been proposed as a means to characterize these interactions but is plagued with artifacts when employed in bulk aqueous solution. Encapsulation of proteins in reverse micelles prepared in short chain alkane solvents can overcome these technical limitations. Application of this approach has revealed that the interaction of water with the surface of protein molecules is quite heterogeneous with some regions of the protein having long-lived interactions while other regions show relatively transient hydration. Results from several proteins will be presented including ubiquitin, staphylococcal nuclease, interleukin 1beta, hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) and T4 lysozyme. Ubiquitin and interleukin 1beta are signaling proteins and interact with other proteins through formation of dry protein-protein interfaces. Interestingly, the protein surfaces of the free proteins show relatively slowed (restricted) motion at the surface, which is indicative of low residual entropy. Other regions of the protein surface have relatively high mobility water. These results are consistent with the idea that proteins have evolved to maximize the hydrophobic effect in optimization of binding with protein partners. As predicted by simulation and theory, we find that hydration of internal hydrophobic cavities of interleukin 1beta and T4 lysozyme is highly disfavored. In contrast, the hydrophilic polar cavity of HEWL is occupied by water. Initial structural correlations suggest that hydration of alpha helical structure is characterized by relatively mobile water while those of beta strands and loops are more ordered and slowed. These and other results from this set of proteins reveals that the dynamical and structural character of hydration of proteins is heterogeneous and complex. Supported by the National Science Foundation.

Influence of cosolvents on the hydrophobic surface immobilization topography of Candida antarctica lipase B

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The presence of cosolvents and co-solutes during the immobilization of lipases on hydrophobic supports may influence the extent of lipase immobilization and the long-term catalytic stability of the biocatalyst. Candida antarctica B lipase immobilization was examined on a hydrophobic surface, i.e., ...

Long-term reduction in poly(dimethylsiloxane) surface hydrophobicity via cold-plasma treatments.

PubMed

Larson, B J; Gillmor, S D; Braun, J M; Cruz-Barba, L E; Savage, D E; Denes, F S; Lagally, M G

2013-10-22

Poly(dimethylsiloxane), PDMS, a versatile elastomer, is the polymer of choice for microfluidic systems. It is inexpensive, relatively easy to pattern, and permeable to oxygen. Unmodified PDMS is highly hydrophobic. It is typically exposed to an oxygen plasma to reduce this hydrophobicity. Unfortunately, the PDMS surface soon returns to its original hydrophobic state. We present two alternative plasma treatments that yield long-term modification of the wetting properties of a PDMS surface. An oxygen plasma pretreatment followed by exposure to a SiCl4 plasma and an oxygen-CCl4 mixture plasma both cause a permanent reduction in the hydrophobicity of the PDMS surface. We investigate the properties of the plasma-treated surfaces with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle measurements. We propose that the plasma treated PDMS surface is a dynamic mosaic of high- and low-contact-angle functionalities. The SiCl4 and CCl4 plasmas attach polar groups that block coverage of the surface by low-molecular-weight groups that exist in PDMS. We describe an application that benefits from these new plasma treatments, the use of a PDMS stencil to form dense arrays of DNA on a surface.

Synthesis of hydrophobic cross-linked polyzwitterionic acid for simultaneous sorption of Eriochrome black T and chromium ions from binary hazardous waters.

PubMed

Saleh, Tawfik A; Muhammad, Auwal M; Ali, Shaikh A

2016-04-15

Hydrophobic cross-linked polyzwitterionic acid (HCPZA) containing long chain (C18) hydrophobes and residues of a glutamic acid having unquenched nitrogen valency was synthesized. Exploiting the chelating ability of the amino acid residues to scavenge toxic metals and the hydrophobic surface to scoop up the organic contaminants, the resin HCPZA was evaluated for simultaneous removal of chromium and Eriochrome black T (EBT) from wastewaters. The structure and morphology of the polymer before and after sorption were characterized by using FTIR, TGA, EDX and SEM. The effect of various parameters such as contact time, pH and initial concentrations were investigated to arrive at optimum conditions. The adsorption of Eriochrome black T and Cr (III) on HCPZA reached equilibrium in 30 min. The mechanism of adsorption was investigated using kinetic, diffusion and isotherm models. The adsorption kinetic data were described well by the pseudo-second order model and by the Freundlich isotherm model. EDX analysis confirmed the adsorption of Cr (III) and EBT on the polymer. The hydrophobic resin exhibited a remarkable simultaneous adsorption capacity for EBT and Cr (III) and thus demonstrated its potential to be a promising adsorbent for removal of dyes and heavy metal ions from wastewaters. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and hydrophobic adsorption properties of microporous/mesoporous hybrid materials.

PubMed

Hu, Qin; Li, Jinjun; Qiao, Shizhang; Hao, Zhengping; Tian, Hua; Ma, Chunyan; He, Chi

2009-05-30

Hybrid materials of silicalite-1 (Sil-1)-coated SBA-15 particles (MSs) have been successfully synthesized by crystallization process under hydrothermal conditions. These MSs materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption/desorption and TEM techniques, which illustrated that the silicalite-1-coated SBA-15 particles were successfully prepared and had large pore volume and hierarchical pore size distribution. Further experimental studies indicated that longer crystallization time under basic condition caused the mesostructure of SBA-15 materials to collapse destructively and higher calcination temperature tended to disrupt the long-range mesoscopic order while they had little influence on the phase of microcrystalline silicalite-1 zeolite. The resultant MSs materials were investigated by estimating dynamic adsorption capacity under dry and wet conditions to evaluate their adsorptive and hydrophobic properties. The hydrophobicity index (HI) value followed the sequence of silicalite-1>MSs>SBA-15, which revealed that the SBA-15 particles coated with the silicalite-1 seeds enhanced the surface hydrophobicity, and also were consistent with FTIR results. Our studies show that MSs materials combined the advantages of the ordered mesoporous material (high adsorptive capacity, large pore volume) and silicalite-1 zeolite (super-hydrophobic property, high hydrothermal stability), and the presence of micropores directly led to an increase in the dynamic adsorption capacity of benzene under dry and wet conditions.

Influence of Electrification of Droplet on Hydrophobicity Reduction of Polymer Material during a Dynamic Drop Test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haji, Kenichi; Shiibara, Daiki; Arata, Yoshihiro; Sakoda, Tatsuya; Otsubo, Masahisa

The dynamic drop test was proposed as a method to evaluate hydrophobicity reduction of polymer materials. In this test, the formation change of a water channel was confirmed, and thereafter, the remained droplets and the dropped droplets on the sampled surface were repulsed each other. The distributions of electrification on the droplet and the sample surface were measured. The influence of the electrified droplet on the hydrophobicity reduction was examined. The results showed that the polarity on the sample surface changed by the dropped droplet, leading to the hydrophobicity loss.

Comparison of the fouling release properties of hydrophobic fluorinated and hydrophilic PEGylated block copolymer surfaces: attachment strength of the diatom Navicula and the green alga Ulva.

PubMed

Krishnan, Sitaraman; Wang, Nick; Ober, Christopher K; Finlay, John A; Callow, Maureen E; Callow, James A; Hexemer, Alexander; Sohn, Karen E; Kramer, Edward J; Fischer, Daniel A

2006-05-01

To understand the role of surface wettability in adhesion of cells, the attachment of two different marine algae was studied on hydrophobic and hydrophilic polymer surfaces. Adhesion of cells of the diatom Navicula and sporelings (young plants) of the green macroalga Ulva to an underwater surface is mainly by interactions between the surface and the adhesive exopolymers, which the cells secrete upon settlement and during subsequent colonization and growth. Two types of block copolymers, one with poly(ethylene glycol) side-chains and the other with liquid crystalline, fluorinated side-chains, were used to prepare the hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces, respectively. The formation of a liquid crystalline smectic phase in the latter inhibited molecular reorganization at the surface, which is generally an issue when a highly hydrophobic surface is in contact with water. The adhesion strength was assessed by the fraction of settled cells (Navicula) or biomass (Ulva) that detached from the surface in a water flow channel with a wall shear stress of 53 Pa. The two species exhibited opposite adhesion behavior on the same sets of surfaces. While Navicula cells released more easily from hydrophilic surfaces, Ulva sporelings showed higher removal from hydrophobic surfaces. This highlights the importance of differences in cell-surface interactions in determining the strength of adhesion of cells to substrates.

Binding of Amphipathic Cell Penetrating Peptide p28 to Wild Type and Mutated p53 as studied by Raman, Atomic Force and Surface Plasmon Resonance spectroscopies.

PubMed

Signorelli, Sara; Santini, Simona; Yamada, Tohru; Bizzarri, Anna Rita; Beattie, Craig W; Cannistraro, Salvatore

2017-04-01

Mutations within the DNA binding domain (DBD) of the tumor suppressor p53 are found in >50% of human cancers and may significantly modify p53 secondary structure impairing its function. p28, an amphipathic cell-penetrating peptide, binds to the DBD through hydrophobic interaction and induces a posttranslational increase in wildtype and mutant p53 restoring functionality. We use mutation analyses to explore which elements of secondary structure may be critical to p28 binding. Molecular modeling, Raman spectroscopy, Atomic Force Spectroscopy (AFS) and Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) were used to identify which secondary structure of site-directed and naturally occurring mutant DBDs are potentially altered by discrete changes in hydrophobicity and the molecular interaction with p28. We show that specific point mutations that alter hydrophobicity within non-mutable and mutable regions of the p53 DBD alter specific secondary structures. The affinity of p28 was positively correlated with the β-sheet content of a mutant DBD, and reduced by an increase in unstructured or random coil that resulted from a loss in hydrophobicity and redistribution of surface charge. These results help refine our knowledge of how mutations within p53-DBD alter secondary structure and provide insight on how potential structural alterations in p28 or similar molecules improve their ability to restore p53 function. Raman spectroscopy, AFS, SPR and computational modeling are useful approaches to characterize how mutations within the p53DBD potentially affect secondary structure and identify those structural elements prone to influence the binding affinity of agents designed to increase the functionality of p53. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Differences in Nanostructure and Hydrophobicity of Cicada (Cryptotympana atrata) Forewing Surface with the Distribution of Precipitation

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jiajing; Watson, Gregory S.; Watson, Jolanta A.; Han, Dong

2018-01-01

Although the cicada wing has a variety of functions and the nanostructure and surface properties of many species have been extensively investigated, there are no reports investigating diversity of nanostructures and wetting properties within a single species collected at locations with different rainfall conditions. In this study, the hydrophobicity and nanostructure dimensions of the forewing surface of Cryptotympana atrata were measured, based on specimens collected from 12 distributions with varying precipitation averages in China and Japan. The relationships among hydrophobicity, nanostructures, and precipitation were analyzed, and the adaption of hydrophobic nanostructures under different wet environments is discussed. The precipitation of locations in the years the samples of C. atrata were collected only has an effect on the diameter and spacing of wing surface nanostructure, and the multiple years of precipitation may have an influence on the basic diameter and spacing, as well as the height of protrusions. The rougher the wing surface, the stronger the hydrophobicity which was observed from samples taken where the rainfall conditions of the collection years are high. To our knowledge, this is one special example providing evidence of hydrophobic nanostructures found on a biological surface of a single species which shows adaption for specific wet environments. PMID:29849761

Study of Evaporation Rate of Water in Hydrophobic Confinement using Forward Flux Sampling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Sumit; Debenedetti, Pablo G.

2012-02-01

Drying of hydrophobic cavities is of interest in understanding biological self assembly, protein stability and opening and closing of ion channels. Liquid-to-vapor transition of water in confinement is associated with large kinetic barriers which preclude its study using conventional simulation techniques. Using forward flux sampling to study the kinetics of the transition between two hydrophobic surfaces, we show that a) the free energy barriers to evaporation scale linearly with the distance between the two surfaces, d; b) the evaporation rates increase as the lateral size of the surfaces, L increases, and c) the transition state to evaporation for sufficiently large L is a cylindrical vapor cavity connecting the two hydrophobic surfaces. Finally, we decouple the effects of confinement geometry and surface chemistry on the evaporation rates.

New boundary conditions for fluid interaction with hydrophobic surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pochylý, František; Fialová, Simona; Havlásek, Michal

2018-06-01

Solution of both laminar and turbulent flow with consideration of hydrophobic surface is based on the original Navier assumption that the shear stress on the hydrophobic surface is directly proportional to the slipping velocity. In the previous work a laminar flow analysis with different boundary conditions was performed. The shear stress value on the tube walls directly depends on the pressure gradient. In the solution of the turbulent flow by the k-ɛ model, the occurrence of the fluctuation components of velocity on the hydrophobic surface is considered. The fluctuation components of the velocity affect the size of the adhesive forces. We assume that the boundary condition for ɛ depending on the velocity gradients will not need to be changed. When the liquid slips over the surface, non-zero fluctuation velocity components occur in the turbulent flow. These determine the non-zero value of the turbulent kinetic energy K. In addition, the fluctuation velocity components also influence the value of the adhesive forces, so it is necessary to include these in the formulation of new boundary conditions for turbulent flow on the hydrophobic surface.

Adenosine monophosphate is elevated in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of mice with acute respiratory toxicity induced by nanoparticles with high surface hydrophobicity.

PubMed

Dailey, Lea Ann; Hernández-Prieto, Raquel; Casas-Ferreira, Ana Maria; Jones, Marie-Christine; Riffo-Vasquez, Yanira; Rodríguez-Gonzalo, Encarnación; Spina, Domenico; Jones, Stuart A; Smith, Norman W; Forbes, Ben; Page, Clive; Legido-Quigley, Cristina

2015-02-01

Inhaled nanomaterials present a challenge to traditional methods and understanding of respiratory toxicology. In this study, a non-targeted metabolomics approach was used to investigate relationships between nanoparticle hydrophobicity, inflammatory outcomes and the metabolic fingerprint in bronchoalveolar fluid. Measures of acute lung toxicity were assessed following single-dose intratracheal administration of nanoparticles with varying surface hydrophobicity (i.e. pegylated lipid nanocapsules, polyvinyl acetate nanoparticles and polystyrene beads; listed in order of increasing hydrophobicity). Broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was collected from mice exposed to nanoparticles at a surface area dose of 220 cm(2) and metabolite fingerprints were acquired via ultra pressure liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. Particles with high surface hydrophobicity were pro-inflammatory. Multivariate analysis of the resultant small molecule fingerprints revealed clear discrimination between the vehicle control and polystyrene beads (p < 0.05), as well as between nanoparticles of different surface hydrophobicity (p < 0.0001). Further investigation of the metabolic fingerprints revealed that adenosine monophosphate (AMP) concentration in BAL correlated with neutrophilia (p < 0.01), CXCL1 levels (p < 0.05) and nanoparticle surface hydrophobicity (p < 0.001). Our results suggest that extracellular AMP is an intermediary metabolite involved in adenine nucleotide-regulated neutrophilic inflammation as well as tissue damage, and could potentially be used to monitor nanoparticle-induced responses in the lung following pulmonary administration.

Super-hydrophobic multilayer coatings with layer number tuned swapping in surface wettability and redox catalytic anti-corrosion application.

PubMed

Syed, Junaid Ali; Tang, Shaochun; Meng, Xiangkang

2017-06-30

The wetting characteristic of a metal surface can be controlled by employing different coating materials and external stimuli, however, layer number (n) modulated surface swapping between hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity in a multilayer structure to achieve prolonged anti-corrosion ability was not taken into consideration. In this study, we proposed a layer-by-layer (LbL) spin assembled polyaniline-silica composite/tetramethylsilane functionalized silica nanoparticles (PSC/TMS-SiO 2 ) coating with the combined effect of super-hydrophobicity and enhanced anti-corrosion ability. Interestingly, the hierarchical integration of two coating materials with inherently different surface roughness and energy in a multilayer structure allows the wetting feature to swap from hydrophobic to hydrophilic state by modulating n with decreasing hydrophilicity. The samples with odd n (TMS-SiO 2 surface) are hydrophobic while the samples with even n (PSC surface) exhibits the hydrophilic character. The TMS-SiO 2 content was optimized to achieve super-hydrophobic coating with significantly high water contact angle (CA) 153° ± 2° and small sliding angle (SA) 6° ± 2°. Beside its self-cleaning behavior, the electro-active PSC/TMS-SiO 2 coating also exhibits remarkably enhanced corrosion resistance against aggressive media. The corrosion resistance of the coating was remained stable even after 240 h of exposure, this enhancement is attributed to super-hydrophobicity and anodic shift in corrosion potential.

A Water Droplet Pinning and Heat Transfer Characteristics on an Inclined Hydrophobic Surface.

PubMed

Al-Sharafi, Abdullah; Yilbas, Bekir Sami; Ali, Haider; AlAqeeli, N

2018-02-15

A water droplet pinning on inclined hydrophobic surface is considered and the droplet heat transfer characteristics are examined. Solution crystallization of polycarbonate is carried out to create hydrophobic characteristics on the surface. The pinning state of the water droplet on the extreme inclined hydrophobic surface (0° ≤ δ ≤ 180°, δ being the inclination angle) is assessed. Heat transfer from inclined hydrophobic surface to droplet is simulated for various droplet volumes and inclination angles in line with the experimental conditions. The findings revealed that the hydrophobic surface give rise to large amount of air being trapped within texture, which generates Magdeburg like forces between the droplet meniscus and the textured surface while contributing to droplet pinning at extreme inclination angles. Two counter rotating cells are developed for inclination angle in the range of 0° < δ < 20° and 135° < δ < 180°; however, a single circulation cell is formed inside the droplet for inclination angle of 25° ≤ δ ≤ 135°. The Nusselt number remains high for the range of inclination angle of 45° ≤ δ ≤ 135°. Convection and conduction heat transfer enhances when a single and large circulation cell is formed inside the droplet.

Ligand binding induces a sharp decrease in hydrophobicity of folate binding protein assessed by 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulphonate which suppresses self-association of the hydrophobic apo-protein.

PubMed

Holm, Jan; Lawaetz, Anders J; Hansen, Steen I

2012-08-17

High affinity folate binding protein (FBP) regulates as a soluble protein and as a cellular receptor intracellular trafficking of folic acid, a vitamin of great importance to cell growth and division. We addressed two issues of potential importance to the biological function of FBP, a possible decrease of the surface hydrophobicity associated with the ligand-induced conformation change of FBP, and protein-inter-protein interactions involved in self-association of hydrophobic apo-FBP. The extrinsic fluorescent apolar dye 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulphonate (ANS) exhibited enhanced fluorescence intensity and a blueshift of emission maximum from 510-520 nm to 460-470 nm upon addition of apo-FBP indicating binding to a strongly hydrophobic environment. Neither enhancement of fluorescence nor blueshift of ANS emission maximum occurred when folate-ligated holo-FBP replaced apo-FBP. The drastic decrease in surface hydrophobicity of holo-FBP could have bearings on the biological function of FBP since changes in surface hydrophobicity have critical effects on the biological function of receptors and transport proteins. ANS interacts with exposed hydrophobic surfaces on proteins and may thereby block and prevent aggregation of proteins (chaperone-like effect). Hence, hydrophobic interactions seemed to participate in the concentration-dependent self-association of apo-FBP which was suppressed by high ANS concentrations in light scatter measurements. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Microbial cell surface characteristics: Elucidating attachment/detachment using hydrophobicity and electrokinetic measurements

EPA Science Inventory

The surface properties of microorganisms play an important role in their behavior within the environment. Electrophoretic mobility and cell surface hydrophobicity of bacterial cells influence their initial interaction with surfaces and mediate their stability within an aqueous su...

Reversible switching of wetting properties and erasable patterning of polymer surfaces using plasma oxidation and thermal treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rashid, Zeeshan; Atay, Ipek; Soydan, Seren; Yagci, M. Baris; Jonáš, Alexandr; Yilgor, Emel; Kiraz, Alper; Yilgor, Iskender

2018-05-01

Polymer surfaces reversibly switchable from superhydrophobic to superhydrophilic by exposure to oxygen plasma and subsequent thermal treatment are demonstrated. Two inherently different polymers, hydrophobic segmented polydimethylsiloxane-urea copolymer (TPSC) and hydrophilic poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) are modified with fumed silica nanoparticles to prepare superhydrophobic surfaces with roughness on nanometer to micrometer scale. Smooth TPSC and PMMA surfaces are also used as control samples. Regardless of their chemical structure and surface topography, all surfaces display completely reversible wetting behavior changing from hydrophobic to hydrophilic and back for many cycles upon plasma oxidation followed by thermal annealing. Influence of plasma power, plasma exposure time, annealing temperature and annealing time on the wetting behavior of polymeric surfaces are investigated. Surface compositions, textures and topographies are characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and white light interferometry (WLI), before and after oxidation and thermal annealing. Wetting properties of the surfaces are determined by measuring their static, advancing and receding water contact angle. We conclude that the chemical structure and surface topography of the polymers play a relatively minor role in reversible wetting behavior, where the essential factors are surface oxidation and migration of polymer molecules to the surface upon thermal annealing. Reconfigurable water channels on polymer surfaces are produced by plasma treatment using a mask and thermal annealing cycles. Such patterned reconfigurable hydrophilic regions can find use in surface microfluidics and optofluidics applications.

The fabrication and hydrophobic property of micro-nano patterned surface on magnesium alloy using combined sparking sculpture and etching route

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Yunfeng; Wang, Yaming; Liu, Hao; Liu, Yan; Guo, Lixin; Jia, Dechang; Ouyang, Jiahu; Zhou, Yu

2016-12-01

Magnesium alloy with micro-nano structure roughness surface, can serve as the loading reservoirs of medicine capsule and industrial lubricating oil, or mimic 'lotus leaf' hydrophobic surface, having the potential applications in medical implants, automobile, aerospace and electronic products, etc. Herein, we propose a novel strategy to design a micro-nano structure roughness surface on magnesium alloy using combined microarc sparking sculpture and etching in CrO3 aqueous solution. A hydrophobic surface (as an applied example) was further fabricated by chemical decorating on the obtained patterned magnesium alloy surface to enhance the corrosion resistance. The results show that the combined micro-nano structure of 7-9 μm diameter big pores insetting with nano-scale fine pores was duplicated after etched the sparking sculptured 'over growth' oxide regions towards the magnesium substrate. The micro-nano structure surface was chemically decorated using AgNO3 and stearic acid, which enables the contact angle increased from 60° to 146.8°. The increasing contact angle is mainly attributed to the micro-nano structure and the chemical composition. The hydrophobic surface of magnesium alloy improved the corrosion potential from -1.521 V of the bare magnesium to -1.274 V. Generally, the sparking sculpture and then etching route demonstrates a low-cost, high-efficacy method to fabricate a micro-nano structure hydrophobic surface on magnesium alloy. Furthermore, our research on the creating of micro-nano structure roughness surface and the hydrophobic treatment can be easily extended to the other metal materials.

Sum Frequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy Studies on ModelPeptide Adsorption at the Hydrophobic Solid-Water and HydrophilicSolid-Water Interfaces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

York, Roger L.

2007-01-01

Sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy has been used to study the interfacial structure of several polypeptides and amino acids adsorbed to hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces under a variety of experimental conditions. Peptide sequence, peptide chain length, peptide hydrophobicity, peptide side-chain type, surface hydrophobicity, and solution ionic strength all affect an adsorbed peptide's interfacial structure. Herein, it is demonstrated that with the choice of simple, model peptides and amino acids, surface specific SFG vibrational spectroscopy can be a powerful tool to elucidate the interfacial structure of these adsorbates. Herein, four experiments are described. In one, a series of isosequential amphiphilicmore » peptides are synthesized and studied when adsorbed to both hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces. On hydrophobic surfaces of deuterated polystyrene, it was determined that the hydrophobic part of the peptide is ordered at the solid-liquid interface, while the hydrophilic part of the peptide appears to have a random orientation at this interface. On a hydrophilic surface of silica, it was determined that an ordered peptide was only observed if a peptide had stable secondary structure in solution. In another experiment, the interfacial structure of a model amphiphilic peptide was studied as a function of the ionic strength of the solution, a parameter that could change the peptide's secondary structure in solution. It was determined that on a hydrophobic surface, the peptide's interfacial structure was independent of its structure in solution. This was in contrast to the adsorbed structure on a hydrophilic surface, where the peptide's interfacial structure showed a strong dependence on its solution secondary structure. In a third experiment, the SFG spectra of lysine and proline amino acids on both hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces were obtained by using a different experimental geometry that increases the SFG signal. Upon comparison of these spectra to the SFG spectra of interfacial polylysine and polyproline it was determined that the interfacial structure of a peptide is strongly dependent on its chain length. Lastly, SFG spectroscopy has been extended to the Amide I vibrational mode of a peptide (which is sensitive to peptide secondary structure) by building a new optical parametric amplifier based on lithium thioindate. Evidence is presented that suggests that the interfacial secondary structure of a peptide can be perturbed by a surface.« less

Flexible conformable hydrophobized surfaces for turbulent flow drag reduction

PubMed Central

Brennan, Joseph C; Geraldi, Nicasio R; Morris, Robert H; Fairhurst, David J; McHale, Glen; Newton, Michael I

2015-01-01

In recent years extensive work has been focused onto using superhydrophobic surfaces for drag reduction applications. Superhydrophobic surfaces retain a gas layer, called a plastron, when submerged underwater in the Cassie-Baxter state with water in contact with the tops of surface roughness features. In this state the plastron allows slip to occur across the surface which results in a drag reduction. In this work we report flexible and relatively large area superhydrophobic surfaces produced using two different methods: Large roughness features were created by electrodeposition on copper meshes; Small roughness features were created by embedding carbon nanoparticles (soot) into Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Both samples were made into cylinders with a diameter under 12 mm. To characterize the samples, scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and confocal microscope images were taken. The confocal microscope images were taken with each sample submerged in water to show the extent of the plastron. The hydrophobized electrodeposited copper mesh cylinders showed drag reductions of up to 32% when comparing the superhydrophobic state with a wetted out state. The soot covered cylinders achieved a 30% drag reduction when comparing the superhydrophobic state to a plain cylinder. These results were obtained for turbulent flows with Reynolds numbers 10,000 to 32,500. PMID:25975704

Carbon Nanofibers (CNFs) Surface Modification to Fabricate Carbon Nanofibers_Nanopaper Integrated Polymer Composite Material.

PubMed

Jiang, Jianjun; Zhao, Ziwei; Deng, Chao; Liu, Fa; Li, Dejia; Fang, Liangchao; Zhang, Dan; Castro Jose M; Chen, Feng; Lee, L James

2016-06-01

Carbon Nanofibers (CNFs) have shown great potential to improve the physical and mechanical properties of conventional Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites (FRPCs) surface. Excellent dispersion CNFs into water or polymer matrix was very crucial to get good quality CNFs enhanced FRPCs. Because of the hydrophobic properties of CNFs, we apply the reversible switching principles to transfer the hydrophobic surface into hydrophilic surface by growing polyaniline nanograss on the surface of CNFs which was carried out in hydrochloric acid condition. Incorporating CNFs into FRPCs as a surface layer named CNFs Nanopaper to increase the erosion resistance and electrical conductivity in this research which was very important in the wind energy field. In order to get high quality dispersed CNFs suspension, a sonication unit was used to detangle and uniform disperse the functionalized CNFs. A filter with vacuum pressure used to filter the suspension of CNFs onto Carbon veil to make CNFs Nanopaper. Vacuum Aided Resin Transfer Modeling (VARTM) process was used to fabricate Nano-enhanced FRPCs samples. In order to characterize the mechanical properties, three point bending experiment was measured. The flexural strength capacity and deformation resistance and behavior were compared and analyzed. In this paper, we discussed the methods used and provided experimental parameter and experimental results.

The effect of Piper betle and Psidium guajava extracts on the cell-surface hydrophobicity of selected early settlers of dental plaque.

PubMed

Razak, Fathilah Abdul; Othman, Rofina Yasmin; Rahim, Zubaidah Haji Abd

2006-06-01

The adhesion of early settlers of dental plaque to the tooth surface has a role in the initiation of the development of dental plaque. The hydrophobic surface properties of the bacteria cell wall are indirectly responsible for the adhesion of the bacteria cell to the acquired pellicle on the tooth surfaces. In this study, the effect of aqueous extract of two plants (Psidium guajava and Piper betle) on the cell-surface hydro-phobicity of early settlers of dental plaque was determined in vitro. Hexadecane, a hydrocarbon was used to represent the hydrophobic surface of the teeth in the oral cavity. It was found that treatment of the early plaque settlers with 1 mg/ml extract of Psidium guajava reduced the cell-surface hydrophobicity of Strep. sanguinis, Strep. mitis and Actinomyces sp. by 54.1%, 49.9% and 40.6%, respectively. Treatment of these bacteria with the same concentration of Piper betle however, showed a comparatively lesser effect (< 10%). It was also observed that the anti-adhesive effect of the two extracts on the binding of the early plaque settlers to hexadecane is concentration dependent.

Surface Mediated Protein Disaggregation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radhakrishna, Mithun; Kumar, Sanat K.

2014-03-01

Preventing protein aggregation is of both biological and industrial importance. Biologically these aggregates are known to cause amyloid type diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Protein aggregation leads to reduced activity of the enzymes in industrial applications. Inter-protein interactions between the hydrophobic residues of the protein are known to be the major driving force for protein aggregation. In the current paper we show how surface chemistry and curvature can be tuned to mitigate these inter-protein interactions. Our results calculated in the framework of the Hydrophobic-Polar (HP) lattice model show that, inter-protein interactions can be drastically reduced by increasing the surface hydrophobicity to a critical value corresponding to the adsorption transition of the protein. At this value of surface hydrophobicity, proteins lose inter-protein contacts to gain surface contacts and thus the surface helps in reducing the inter-protein interactions. Further, we show that the adsorption of the proteins inside hydrophobic pores of optimal sizes are most efficient both in reducing inter-protein contacts and simultaneously retaining most of the native-contacts due to strong protein-surface interactions coupled with stabilization due to the confinement. Department of Energy (Grant No DE-FG02-11ER46811).

Streaming potential generated by a pressure-driven flow over a super-hydrophobic surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Hui

2010-11-01

The streaming potential generated by a pressured-driven flow over a weakly charged striped slip-stick surface (the zeta potential of the surface is smaller than the thermal potential (25 mV) with an arbitrary double layer thickness is theoretically studied by solving the Poisson-Boltzmann equation and Stokes equation. A series solution of the streaming potential is derived. Approximate expressions for the streaming potential in the limits of thin double layers and thick double layers are also presented, in excellent agreement with the full solution. The streaming potential is compared against that over a homogenously charged smooth surface. Our results indicate that the streaming potential over a super-hydrophobic surface only can be enhanced when the liquid-gas interface is charged. In addition, as the double layer thickness increases, the advantage of the super-hydrophobic surface diminishes. The impact of a slip-stick surface on the streaming potential might provide guidance for designing novel and efficient microfludic energy conversion devices using a super-hydrophobic surface.

[Toluene, Benzene and Acetone Adsorption by Activated Carbon Coated with PDMS].

PubMed

Liu, Han-bing; Jiang, Xin; Wang, Xin; Yang, Bing; Xue, Nan-dong; Zhang, Shi-lei

2016-04-15

To improve the adsorption selectivity of volatile organic compounds ( VOCs) , activated carbon ( AC) was modified by polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and characterized by BET analysis and Boehm titration. Dynamic adsorption column experiments were conducted and Yoon-Neslon(Y-N) model was used to identify adsorption effect for toluene, beuzene and acetone on AC when relative humidity was 0%, 50% and 90%, respectively. The results showed that the BET area, micropore volume and surface functional groups decreased with the PDMS modification, and surface hydrophobicity of the modified AC was enhanced leading to a lower water adsorption capacity. The results of dynamic adsorption showed that the adsorption kinetics and capacity of Bare-AC decreased with the increase of relative humidity, and the adsorption capacities of PDMS coated AC were 1.86 times (toluene) and 1.92 times (benzene) higher than those of Bare-AC, while a significant improvement of adsorption capacity for acetone was not observed. These findings suggest that polarity of molecule can be an important influencing factor for adsorption on hydrophobic surface developed by PDMS.

Application of headspace analysis to the study of sorption of hydrophobic organic chemicals to α-Al2O3

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pelinger, Judith A.; Eisenreich, Steven J.; Capel, Paul D.

1993-01-01

The sorption of hydrophobic organic chemicals (HOCs) to ??-Al2O3 was investigated with a headspace analysis method. The semiautomated headspace analyzer gave rapid, precise, and accurate results for a homologous series alkylbenzenes even at low percentages of solute mass sorbed (3-50%). Sorption experiments carried out with benzene alone indicated weak interactions with well-characterized aluminum oxide, and a solids concentration effect was observed. When the sorption coefficients for benzene alone obtained by headspace analysis were extrapolated up to the solids concentrations typically used in batch sorption experiments, the measured sorption coefficients agreed with reported sorption coefficients for HOCs and sediments of low fractional organic carbon content. Sorbed concentrations increased exponentially with aqueous concentration in isotherms with mixtures of alkylbenzenes, indicating solute-solute interactions at the mineral surface. Sorption was, however, greater than predicted for partitioning of a solute between its pure liquid phase and water, indicating additional influences of the surface and/or the structured liquid near the mineral surface. ?? 1993 American Chemical Society.

Cell-polymer interactions of fluorescent polystyrene latex particles coated with thermosensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) or grafted with poly(ethylene oxide)-macromonomer.

PubMed

Vihola, Henna; Marttila, Anna-Kaisa; Pakkanen, Jukka S; Andersson, Mirja; Laukkanen, Antti; Kaukonen, Ann Marie; Tenhu, Heikki; Hirvonen, Jouni

2007-10-01

Cell-polymer interactions of thermosensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) or poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PVCL) coated particles with RAW264.7 macrophages and intestinal Caco-2 cells were evaluated. Nanosized particles were prepared by modifying the surface of fluorescent polystyrene (FPS) particles with the thermosensitive polymer gels or with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-macromonomer grafts. The particles were characterized by IR-spectroscopy for functional groups, light scattering for size distribution and zeta-potential for surface charge. Effects of temperature and polymer coating/grafting on the cellular interactions were evaluated by cell association/uptake and visualized by confocal scanning microscope. PEO and PNIPAM inhibited the polymer-cell contact by steric repulsion, evidenced by weak attachment of the particles. PVCL-coated FPS was adsorbed on the cells more strongly, especially at 37 degrees C, because of more hydrophobic nature at higher temperatures. The results suggest feasibility of the PNIPAM and PVCL for biotechnological/pharmaceutical applications, as the cell-particle interactions may be modified by size, surface charge, hydrophobicity, steric repulsion and temperature.

Super-hydrophobicity fundamentals: implications to biofouling prevention.

PubMed

Marmur, Abraham

2006-01-01

The theory of wetting on super-hydrophobic surfaces is presented and discussed, within the general framework of equilibrium wetting and contact angles. Emphasis is put on the implications of super-hydrophobicity to the prevention of biofouling. Two main lines of thought are discussed, viz. i) "mirror imaging" of the Lotus effect, namely designing a surface that repels biological entities by being super-hydrophilic, and ii) designing a surface that minimises the water-wetted area when submerged in water (by keeping an air film between the water and the surface), so that the suspended biological entities have a low probability of encountering the solid surface.

Relationships between surface free energy, surface texture parameters and controlled drug release in hydrophilic matrices.

PubMed

Saurí, J; Suñé-Negre, J M; Díaz-Marcos, J; Vilana, J; Millán, D; Ticó, J R; Miñarro, M; Pérez-Lozano, P; García-Montoya, E

2015-01-15

The study of controlled release and drug release devices has been dominated by considerations of the bulk or average properties of material or devices. Yet the outermost surface atoms play a central role in their performance. The objective of this article has been to characterize the surface of hydrophilic matrix tablets using the contact angle (CA) method to ascertain the surface free energy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) and confocal microscopy (CM) for the physical characterization of the surface of the hydrophilic matrix. The surface free energy results obtained show that hydroxypropylmethylcellulose K15M hinders the spreading of water on the surface of the tablet, such that the concentration of HPMC K15M increases the reaction rate of the hydrophobic interactions between the chains of HPMC K15M which increases with respect to the rate of penetration of water into the tablet. In this study, we developed a new method to characterize the swelling of the tablets and established a relationship between the new method based on microswelling and the swelling ratio parameter. The surface texture parameters have been determined and the morphology of the tablets of the different formulations and the evolution of the surface morphology after interacting with the water, swelling and forming a gel layer were characterized. This work represents significant progress in the characterization of matrix tablets. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hydrophobic interaction and charge accumulation at the diamond-electrolyte interface.

PubMed

Dankerl, M; Lippert, A; Birner, S; Stützel, E U; Stutzmann, M; Garrido, J A

2011-05-13

The hydrophobic interaction of surfaces with water is a well-known phenomenon, but experimental evidence of its influence on biosensor devices has been lacking. In this work we investigate diamond field-effect devices, reporting on Hall effect experiments and complementary simulations of the interfacial potential at the hydrogen-terminated diamond/aqueous electrolyte interface. The interfacial capacitance, derived from the gate-dependent Hall carrier concentration, can be modeled only when considering the hydrophobic nature of this surface and its influence on the structure of interfacial water. Our work demonstrates how profoundly the performance of potentiometric biosensor devices can be affected by their surfaces' hydrophobicity.

Effect of surface hydrophobicity on the formation and stability of oxygen nanobubbles.

PubMed

Pan, Gang; Yang, Bo

2012-06-04

The formation mechanism of a nanoscale gas state is studied on inorganic clay surfaces modified with hexamethyldisilazane, which show different contact angles in ethanol-water solutions. As the dissolved oxygen becomes oversaturated due to the decrease in ethanol-water ratio, oxygen nanoscale gas state are formed and stabilized on the hydrophobic surfaces so that the total oxygen content in the suspension is increased compared to the control solution without the particles. However, the total oxygen content in the suspension with hydrophilic surfaces is lower than the control solution without the particles because the hydrophilic particle surfaces destabilize the nanobubbles on the surfaces by spreading and coagulating them into microbubbles that quickly escape from the suspension solution. No significant correlation was observed between the nanobubble formation and the shape or roughness of the surfaces. Our results suggest that a nanoscale gas state can be formed on both hydrophobic and hydrophilic particle surfaces, but that the stability of the surface nanoscale gas state can vary greatly depending on the hydrophobicity of the solid surfaces. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

[Effect of Membrane Wettability on Membrane Fouling and Chemical Durability of SPG Membranes].

PubMed

Zhang, Jing; Xiao, Tai-min; Zhang, Jing; Cao, Li-ya; Du, Ya-wei; Liu, Chun; Zhang, Lei

2015-05-01

Shirasu porous glass (SPG) membranes have been applied for microbubble aeration in aerobic wastewater treatment. In the present study, both hydrophilic and hydrophobic SPG membranes were used in a microbubble-aerated biofilm reactor with online chemical cleaning, and their membrane fouling and chemical durability were determined to be strongly dependent on the membrane wettability. The fouling layer formed on the surface of both membranes was confirmed to be mainly organic fouling, and the hydrophobic membrane showed a relatively stronger resistance to the organic fouling. The severe chemical corrosion of the hydrophilic membrane was observed due to exposure to the alkaline sodium hypochlorite solution used for chemical cleaning, which resulted in significant increases in the median pore diameter and the porosity. On the other hand, the pore structure of the hydrophobic membrane changed slightly when exposed to the alkaline sodium hypochlorite solution, suggesting its strong alkali-resistance due to the non-wetting surface. However, the surface hydrophobic groups of hydrophobic membrane could be oxidized by sodium hypochlorite solution, resulting in more wettable membrane surface. The hydrophobic membrane also showed better performance in the respects of oxygen transfer, contaminant removal and energy-saving. Therefore, the hydrophobic membrane seemed more appropriate to be applied for microbubble aeration in aerobic wastewater treatment process.

Octadecyltrimethoxysilane functionalized ZnO nanorods as a novel coating for solid-phase microextraction with strong hydrophobic surface.

PubMed

Zeng, Jingbin; Liu, Haihong; Chen, Jinmei; Huang, Jianli; Yu, Jianfeng; Wang, Yiru; Chen, Xi

2012-09-21

In this paper, we have, for the first time, proposed an approach by combining self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and nanomaterials (NMs) for the preparation of novel solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coatings. The self-assembly of octadecyltrimethoxysilane (OTMS) on the surface of ZnO nanorods (ZNRs) was selected as a model system to demonstrate the feasibility of this approach. The functionalization of OTMS on the surface of ZNRs was characterized and confirmed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The OTMS-ZNRs coated fiber exhibited stronger hydrophobicity after functionalization, and its extraction efficiency for non-polar benzene homologues was increased by a factor of 1.5-3.6 when compared to a ZNRs fiber with almost identical thickness and façade. In contrast, the extraction efficiency of the OTMS-ZNRs coated fiber for polar aldehydes was 1.6-4.0-fold lower than that of the ZNRs coated fiber, further indicating its enhanced surface hydrophobicity. The OTMS-ZNRs coated fiber revealed a much higher capacity upon increasing the OTMS layer thickness to 5 μm, leading to a factor of 12.0-13.4 and 1.8-2.5 increase in extraction efficiency for the benzene homologues relative to a ZNRs coated fiber and a commercial PDMS fiber, respectively. The developed HS-SPME-GC method using the OTMS-ZNRs coated fiber was successfully applied to the determination of the benzene homologues in limnetic water samples with recovery ranging from 83 to 113% and relative standard deviations (RSDs) of less than 8%.

Modeling, investigation and formulation of hydrophobic coatings for potential self-cleaning applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rios, Pablo Fabian

Self-cleaning surfaces have received a great deal of attention, both in research and commercial applications. Transparent and non-transparent self-cleaning surfaces are highly desired. The Lotus flower is a symbol of purity in Asian cultures, even when rising from muddy waters it stays clean and untouched by dirt. The Lotus leaf "self-cleaning" surface is hydrophobic and rough, showing a two-layer morphology. While hydrophobicity produces a high contact angle, surface morphology reduces the adhesion of dirt and water to the surface, thus water drops slide easily across the leaf carrying the dirt particles with them. Nature example in the Lotus-effect and extensive scientific research on related fields have rooted wide acceptance that high hydrophobicity can be obtained only by a proper combination of surface chemistry and roughness. Most researchers relate hydrophobicity to a high contact angle. However, the contact angle is not the only parameter that defines liquid-solid interactions. An additional parameter, the sliding angle, related to the adhesion between the liquid drop and the solid surface is also important in cases where liquid sliding is involved, such as self-cleaning applications. In this work, it is postulated that wetting which is related to the contact angle, and interfacial adhesion, which is related to the sliding angle, are interdependent phenomena and have to be considered simultaneously. A variety of models that relate the sliding angle to forces developed along the contact line between a liquid drop and a solid surface have been proposed in the literature. A new model is proposed here that quantifies the drop sliding phenomenon, based also on the interfacial adhesion across the contact area of the liquid/solid interface. The effects of roughness and chemical composition on the contact and sliding angles of hydrophobic smooth and rough surfaces were studied theoretically and experimentally. The validity of the proposed model was investigated and compared with the existing models. Ultra-hydrophobic non-transparent and transparent coatings for potential self-cleaning applications were produced using hydrophobic chemistry and different configurations of roughening micro and nano-particles, however they present low adhesion and durability. Durability and stability enhancement of such coatings was attempted and improved by different methods.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Willow, Soohaeng Yoo; Xantheas, Sotiris S.

The effect of the Hofmeister anion series on the structure and stability of proteins is often discussed using simple systems such as a water-vapor interface with the assumption that the vapor region mimics the hydrophobic surface. Microscopic theories suggest that the Hofmeister anion series is highly correlated with the different contributions of the various ions to the surface tension of such a water-vapor interface. Proteins, however, have both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions rather than just a pure hydrophobic one. Using a solvated parallel β -sheet layer consisting of both hydrophobic and positively charged hydrophilic surfaces as a more realistic modelmore » to represent a protein surface, we investigated the interaction of such a system with hydrophilic-like (SO42-) and hydrophobic-like (ClO4-) anions via Born-Oppenheimer Molecular Dynamics (BOMD) simulations. We found that both the SO42- and ClO4- anions prefer to reside on the hydrophilic rather than on the hydrophobic surface of the parallel β -sheet layer. In addition, our simulations suggest that the ClO4- ions not only penetrate towards the peptide groups through the hydrophilic residues, but also allow water molecules to penetrate as well to form water-peptide hydrogen bonds, while the SO42- ions stabilize the interface of the water-hydrophilic surface. Our results render a plausible explanation of why hydrophobic-like Hofmeister anions act as protein denaturants. This work was supported by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Chemical Sciences, Geosciences and Biosciences. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is a multiprogram national laboratory operated for DOE by Battelle.« less

Cellular Behavior of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells on Wettable Gradient Polyethylene Surfaces

PubMed Central

Ahn, Hyun Hee; Lee, Il Woo; Lee, Hai Bang; Kim, Moon Suk

2014-01-01

Appropriate surface wettability and roughness of biomaterials is an important factor in cell attachment and proliferation. In this study, we investigated the correlation between surface wettability and roughness, and biological response in human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs). We prepared wettable and rough gradient polyethylene (PE) surfaces by increasing the power of a radio frequency corona discharge apparatus with knife-type electrodes over a moving sample bed. The PE changed gradually from hydrophobic and smooth surfaces to hydrophilic (water contact angle, 90º to ~50º) and rough (80 to ~120 nm) surfaces as the power increased. We found that hADSCs adhered better to highly hydrophilic and rough surfaces and showed broadly stretched morphology compared with that on hydrophobic and smooth surfaces. The proliferation of hADSCs on hydrophilic and rough surfaces was also higher than that on hydrophobic and smooth surfaces. Furthermore, integrin beta 1 gene expression, an indicator of attachment, and heat shock protein 70 gene expression were high on hydrophobic and smooth surfaces. These results indicate that the cellular behavior of hADSCs on gradient surface depends on surface properties, wettability and roughness. PMID:24477265

Evaporation rate of water in hydrophobic confinement.

PubMed

Sharma, Sumit; Debenedetti, Pablo G

2012-03-20

The drying of hydrophobic cavities is believed to play an important role in biophysical phenomena such as the folding of globular proteins, the opening and closing of ligand-gated ion channels, and ligand binding to hydrophobic pockets. We use forward flux sampling, a molecular simulation technique, to compute the rate of capillary evaporation of water confined between two hydrophobic surfaces separated by nanoscopic gaps, as a function of gap, surface size, and temperature. Over the range of conditions investigated (gaps between 9 and 14 Å and surface areas between 1 and 9 nm(2)), the free energy barrier to evaporation scales linearly with the gap between hydrophobic surfaces, suggesting that line tension makes the predominant contribution to the free energy barrier. The exponential dependence of the evaporation rate on the gap between confining surfaces causes a 10 order-of-magnitude decrease in the rate when the gap increases from 9 to 14 Å. The computed free energy barriers are of the order of 50 kT and are predominantly enthalpic. Evaporation rates per unit area are found to be two orders of magnitude faster in confinement by the larger (9 nm(2)) than by the smaller (1 nm(2)) surfaces considered here, at otherwise identical conditions. We show that this rate enhancement is a consequence of the dependence of hydrophobic hydration on the size of solvated objects. For sufficiently large surfaces, the critical nucleus for the evaporation process is a gap-spanning vapor tube.

Effect of spatial distribution of wax and PEG-isocyanate on the morphology and hydrophobicity of starch films.

PubMed

Muscat, Delina; Adhikari, Raju; Tobin, Mark J; McKnight, Stafford; Wakeling, Lara; Adhikari, Benu

2014-10-13

This study proposes a novel method for improving surface hydrophobicity of glycerol plasticized high amylose (HAG) films. We used polyethylene glycol isocyanate (PEG-iso) crosslinker to link HAG and three natural waxes (beeswax, candelilla wax and carnauba wax) to produce HAG+wax+PEG-iso films. The spatial distributions of wax and PEG-iso across the thickness of these films were determined using Synchrotron-based Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The hydrophobicity and surface morphology of the films were determined using contact angle (CA) and scanning electron microscopic measurements, respectively. The distribution patterns of wax and the PEG-iso across the thickness of the film, and the nature of crystalline patterns formed on the surface of these films were found to be the key factors affecting surface hydrophobicity. The highest hydrophobicity (CA >90°) was created when the PEG-iso was primarily distributed in the interior of the films and a hierarchical circular pinnacle structure of solidified wax was formed on the surface. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cell surface hydrophobicity of group D and viridans streptococci isolated from patients with septicaemia.

PubMed

Ljungh, A; Osterlind, M; Wadström, T

1986-05-01

Sixty-three strains of Group D streptococci and viridans streptococci isolated from blood cultures during a two year period were typed to the species level with conventional biochemical tests and API Strep. Streptococcus faecalis was the most common species isolated followed by S. sanguis, S. mitis and S. constellatus (S. milleri). One of the two isolates of S. faecium was a contamination. The reported increasing frequency of this organism and other Group D and viridans streptococci as well as the association of S. bovis with malignant bowel disease indicate the need for full identification of streptococcal isolates from blood cultures. Pronounced surface hydrophobicity as measured with the salt aggregation test (SAT) was expressed by 59/63 (94%) of the blood culture isolates whereas strains isolated from commercial fermentation products and strains passaged several times were hydrophilic. In the presence of human serum albumin which binds to lipoteichoic acid only one strain decreased in surface hydrophobicity. The surface hydrophobicity of two strains even slightly increased indicating that lipoteichoic acid but marginally contributes to surface hydrophobicity of streptococcal cells from these species.

Microflora on explanted silicone rubber voice prostheses: taxonomy, hydrophobicity and electrophoretic mobility.

PubMed

Neu, T R; Verkerke, G J; Herrmann, I F; Schutte, H K; Van der Mei, H C; Busscher, H J

1994-05-01

Silicone rubber voice prostheses are implants which are inserted in a non-sterile environment and therefore become quickly colonized by micro-organisms. The micro-organisms exist on the medical grade silicone rubber as mixed biofilms of bacteria and yeasts. A total of 79 bacterial and 39 yeast strains were isolated from these biofilms by soft ultrasonic treatment. Gram-positive/catalase-negative and Gram-positive/catalase-positive cocci represented the dominant bacterial strains. The yeasts were mainly Candida species. Further characterization of cell surface properties such as hydrophobicity by microbial adhesion to hexadecane and electrophoretic mobility showed a distinct difference when the bacterial strains were compared with the yeasts. The bacterial hydrophobicities ranged from 0 to 100% adhesion to hexadecane, whereas the yeast strains, especially the Candida albicans strains, all had markedly hydrophilic cell surfaces. A comparison of the electrophoretic mobilities showed also differences between bacteria and yeast. The values for the bacteria were found to be between -2.5 to -0.5 (10(-8) m2 V-1 s-1), whereas for the yeasts electrophoretic mobilities were more positive. Based on the adhesive properties of the isolated micro-organisms, strategies can now be developed to modify the properties of the silicone rubber to reduce biofilm formation on such prostheses.

Development of a new LDL-based transport system for hydrophobic/amphiphilic drug delivery to cancer cells.

PubMed

Huntosova, Veronika; Buzova, Diana; Petrovajova, Dana; Kasak, Peter; Nadova, Zuzana; Jancura, Daniel; Sureau, Franck; Miskovsky, Pavol

2012-10-15

Low-density lipoproteins (LDL), a natural in vivo carrier of cholesterol in the vascular system, play a key role in the delivery of hydrophobic/amphiphilic photosensitizers to tumor cells in photodynamic therapy of cancer. To make this delivery system even more efficient, we have constructed a nano-delivery system by coating of LDL surface by dextran. Fluorescence spectroscopy, confocal fluorescence imaging, stopped-flow experiments and flow-cytometry were used to characterize redistribution of hypericin (Hyp), a natural occurring potent photosensitizer, loaded in LDL/dextran complex to free LDL molecules as well as to monitor cellular uptake of Hyp by U87-MG cells. It is shown that the redistribution process of Hyp between LDL molecules is significantly suppressed by dextran coating of LDL surface. The modification of LDL molecules by dextran does not inhibit their recognition by cellular LDL receptors and U-87 MG cellular uptake of Hyp loaded in LDL/dextran complex appears to be similar to that one observed for Hyp transported by unmodified LDL particles. Thus, it is proposed that dextran modified LDL molecules could be used as a basis for construction of a drug transport system for targeted delivery of hydrophobic/amphiphilic drugs to cancer cells expressing high level of LDL receptors. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stability of fenbendazole suspensions for veterinary use. Correlation between zeta potential and sedimentation.

PubMed

Arias, José L; López-Viota, Margarita; Clares, Beatriz; Ruiz, Ma Adolfina

2008-08-07

In this paper we have carried out a detailed investigation of the stability and redispersibility characteristics of fenbendazole aqueous suspensions, through a thermodynamic and electrokinetic characterization, considering the effect of both pH and ionic strength. The hydrophobic character of the drug, and the surface charge and electrical double-layer thickness play an essential role in the stability of the system, hence the need for a full characterization of fenbendazole. It was found that the drug suspensions displays "delayed" or "hindered" sedimentation, determined by their hydrophobic character and their low zeta potential (indicating a small electrokinetic charge on the particles). The electrostatic repulsion between the particles is responsible for the low sedimentation volume and poor redispersibility of the drug. However, only low concentrations of AlCl(3) induced a significant effect on both the zeta potential and stability of the drug, leading to a "free-layered" sedimentation and a very easy redispersion which could be of great interest in the design of an oral pharmaceutical dosage form for veterinary.

Bio-inspired hydrophobic modification of cellulose nanocrystals with castor oil.

PubMed

Shang, Qianqian; Liu, Chengguo; Hu, Yun; Jia, Puyou; Hu, Lihong; Zhou, Yonghong

2018-07-01

This work presents an efficient and environmentally friendly approach to generate hydrophobic cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) using thiol-containing castor oil (CO-SH) as a renewable hydrophobe with the assist of bio-inspired dopamine at room temperature. The modification process included the formation of the polydopamine (PDA) buffer layer on CNC surfaces and the Michael addition reaction between the catechol moieties of PDA coating and thiol groups of CO-SH. The morphology, crystalline structure, surface chemistry, thermal stability and hydrophobicity of the modified CNC were charactered by TEM, XRD, FT-IR, solid-state 13 C NMR, XPS, TGA and contact angle analysis. The modified CNC preserved cellulose crystallinity, displayed higher thermal stability than unmodified CNC, and was highly hydrophobic with a water contact angle of 95.6°. The simplicity and versatility of the surface modification strategy inspired by adhesive protein of mussel may promote rapid development of hydrophobic bio-based nanomaterials for various applications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Patterned surface with controllable wettability for inkjet printing of flexible printed electronics.

PubMed

Nguyen, Phuong Q M; Yeo, Lip-Pin; Lok, Boon-Keng; Lam, Yee-Cheong

2014-03-26

Appropriate control of substrate surface properties prior to inkjet printing could be employed to improve the printing quality of fine resolution structures. In this paper, novel methods to fabricate patterned surfaces with a combination of hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties are investigated. The results of inkjet printing of PEDOT/PSS conductive ink on these modified surfaces are presented. Selective wetting was achieved via a two-step hydrophilic-hydrophobic coating of 3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane (APTMS) and 3M electronic grade chemical respectively on PET surfaces; this was followed by a selective hydrophilic treatment (either atmospheric O2/Ar plasma or UV/ozone surface treatment) with the aid of a Nickel stencil. Hydrophobic regions with water contact angle (WCA) of 105° and superhydrophilic regions with WCA <5° can be achieved on a single surface. During inkjet printing of the treated surfaces, PEDOT/PSS ink spread spontaneously along the hydrophilic areas while avoiding the hydrophobic regions. Fine features smaller than the inkjet droplet size (approximately 55 μm in diameter) can be successfully printed on the patterned surface with high wettability contrast.

Conversion of hydrophilic SiOC nanofibrous membrane to robust hydrophobic materials by introducing palladium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Nan; Wan, Lynn Yuqin; Wang, Yingde; Ko, Frank

2017-12-01

Hydrophobic ceramic nanofibrous membranes have wide applications in the fields of high-temperature filters, oil/water separators, catalyst supports and membrane reactors, for their water repellency property, self-cleaning capability, good environmental stability and long life span. In this work, we fabricated an inherently hydrophobic ceramic nanofiber membrane without any surface modification through pyrolysis of electrospun polycarbosilane nanofibers. The hydrophobicity was introduced by the hierarchical microstructure formed on the surface of the nanofibers and the special surface composition by the addition of trace amounts of palladium. Furthermore, the flexible ceramic mats demonstrated robust chemical resistance properties with consistent hydrophobicity over the entire pH value range and effective water-in-oil emulsion separation performance. Interestingly, a highly cohesive force was found between water droplet and the ceramic membranes, suggesting their great potentials in micro-liquid transportation. This work provides a new route for adjusting the composition of ceramic surface and flexible, recyclable and multifunctional ceramic fibrous membranes for utilization in harsh environments.

Effects of Particle Hydrophobicity, Surface Charge, Media pH Value and Complexation with Human Serum Albumin on Drug Release Behavior of Mitoxantrone-Loaded Pullulan Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Tao, Xiaojun; Jin, Shu; Wu, Dehong; Ling, Kai; Yuan, Liming; Lin, Pingfa; Xie, Yongchao; Yang, Xiaoping

2015-01-01

We prepared two types of cholesterol hydrophobically modified pullulan nanoparticles (CHP) and carboxyethyl hydrophobically modified pullulan nanoparticles (CHCP) substituted with various degrees of cholesterol, including 3.11, 6.03, 6.91 and 3.46 per polymer, and named CHP−3.11, CHP−6.03, CHP−6.91 and CHCP−3.46. Dynamic laser light scattering (DLS) showed that the pullulan nanoparticles were 80–120 nm depending on the degree of cholesterol substitution. The mean size of CHCP nanoparticles was about 160 nm, with zeta potential −19.9 mV, larger than CHP because of the carboxyethyl group. A greater degree of cholesterol substitution conferred greater nanoparticle hydrophobicity. Drug-loading efficiency depended on nanoparticle hydrophobicity, that is, nanoparticles with the greatest degree of cholesterol substitution (6.91) showed the most drug encapsulation efficiency (90.2%). The amount of drug loading increased and that of drug release decreased with enhanced nanoparticle hydrophobicity. Nanoparticle surface-negative charge disturbed the amount of drug loading and drug release, for an opposite effect relative to nanoparticle hydrophobicity. The drug release in pullulan nanoparticles was higher pH 4.0 than pH 6.8 media. However, the changed drug release amount was not larger for negative-surface nanoparticles than CHP nanoparticles in the acid release media. Drug release of pullulan nanoparticles was further slowed with human serum albumin complexation and was little affected by nanoparticle hydrophobicity and surface negative charge. PMID:28344259

The creation of a biomimetic interface between boron-doped diamond and immobilized proteins.

PubMed

Hoffmann, René; Kriele, Armin; Obloh, Harald; Tokuda, Norio; Smirnov, Waldemar; Yang, Nianjun; Nebel, Christoph E

2011-10-01

Immobilization of proteins on a solid electrode is to date done by chemical cross-linking or by addition of an adjustable intermediate. In this paper we introduce a concept where a solid with variable surface properties is optimized to mediate binding of the electron-transfer protein Cytochrome c (Cyt c) by mimicking the natural binding environment. It is shown that, as a carbon-based material, boron-doped diamond can be adjusted by simple electrochemical surface treatments to the specific biochemical requirements of Cyt c. The structure and functionality of passively adsorbed Cyt c on variously terminated diamond surfaces were characterized in detail using a combination of electrochemical techniques and atomic force microscopy with single-molecule resolution. Partially oxidized diamond allowed stable immobilization of Cyt c together with high electron transfer activity, driven by a combination of electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. This surface mimics the natural binding partner, where coarse orientation is governed by electrostatic interaction of the protein's dipole and hydrophobic interactions assist in formation of the electron transfer complex. The optimized surface mediated electron transfer kinetics around 100 times faster than those reported for other solids and even faster kinetics than on self-assembled monolayers of alkanethiols. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact dynamics of particle-coated droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Supakar, T.; Kumar, A.; Marston, J. O.

2017-01-01

We present findings from an experimental study of the impact of liquid marbles onto solid surfaces. Using dual-view high-speed imaging, we reveal details of the impact dynamics previously not reported. During the spreading stage it is observed that particles at the surface flow rapidly to the periphery of the drop, i.e., the lamella. We characterize the spreading with the maximum spread diameter, comparing to impacts of pure liquid droplets. The principal result is a power-law scaling for the normalized maximum spread in terms of the impact Weber number, Dmax/D0˜Weα , with α ≈1 /3 . However, the best description of the spreading is obtained by considering a total energy balance, in a similar fashion to Pasandideh-Fard et al. [Phys. Fluids 8, 650 (1996)], 10.1063/1.868850. By using hydrophilic target surfaces, the marble integrity is lost even for moderate impact speeds as the particles at the surface separate and allow liquid-solid contact to occur. Remarkably, however, we observe no significant difference in the maximum spread between hydrophobic and hydrophilic targets, which is rationalized by the presence of the particles. Finally, for the finest particles used, we observe the formation of nonspherical arrested shapes after retraction and rebound from hydrophobic surfaces, which is quantified by a circularity measurement of the side profiles.

Graphite intercalated polyaniline composite with superior anticorrosive and hydrophobic properties, as protective coating material on steel surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rathnayake, R. M. N. M.; Mantilaka, M. M. M. G. P. G.; Hara, Masanori; Huang, Hsin-Hui; Wijayasinghe, H. W. M. A. C.; Yoshimura, Masamichi; Pitawala, H. M. T. G. A.

2017-07-01

Solid polymer composite systems are widely being used for potential technological applications in secondary energy sources and electrochromic devices. In this study, we synthesized and characterized a composite material composed of polyaniline (PANI) and natural needle platy (NPG) vein graphite. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), cyclic voltammetry (CV), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), micro-Raman analysis, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to study the structural and electrochemical properties of the prepared PANI/NPG graphite composite. XPS, FTIR, and micro-Raman analysis confirmed the existence of relevant functional groups and bonding in the prepared PANI/NPG composite material. The composite shows a very low corrosion rate, approximately 29 μm per year, and high hydrophobicity on steel surfaces, which helps to prevent the corrosion due to O2 penetration towards the metal surface. It indicates that the composite can be used as a high potential surface coating material to anticorrosion. The specific capacitance of PANI/NPG composite is 833.3 F g-1, which is higher than that of PANI. This synergistic electrical performance result proves the prepared PANI/NPG graphite composite as a suitable protective coating material for steel surfaces.

Whey protein aerogel as blended with cellulose crystalline particles or loaded with fish oil.

PubMed

Ahmadi, Maede; Madadlou, Ashkan; Saboury, Ali Akbar

2016-04-01

Whey protein hydrogels blended with nanocrystalline and microcrystalline cellulose particles (NCC and MCC, respectively) were prepared, followed by freeze-drying, to produce aerogels. NCC blending increased the Young's modulus, and elastic character, of the protein aerogel. Aerogels were microporous and mesoporous materials, as characterized by the pores sizing 1.2 nm and 12.2 nm, respectively. Blending with NCC decreased the count of both microporous and mesoporous-classified pores at the sub-100 nm pore size range investigated. In contrast, MCC blending augmented the specific surface area and pores volume of the aerogel. It also increased moisture sorption affinity of aerogel. The feasibility of conveying hydrophobic nutraceuticals by aerogels was evaluated through loading fish oil into the non-blended aerogel. Oil loading altered its microstructure, corresponding to a peak displacement in Fourier-transform infra-red spectra, which was ascribed to increased hydrophobic interactions. Surface coating of aerogel with zein decreased the oxidation susceptibility of the loaded oil during subsequent storage. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fabrication of Si3N4 nanowire membranes: free standing disordered nanopapers and aligned nanowire assemblies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Haitao; Fang, Minghao; Huang, Zhaohui; Huang, Juntong; Liu, Yan-gai; Wu, Xiaowen

2016-08-01

Herein, ultralong silicon nitride nanowires were synthesized via a chemical vapor deposition method by using the low-cost quartz and silicon powder as raw materials. Simple processes were used for the fabrication of disordered and ordered nanowire membranes of pure silicon nitride nanowires. The nanowires in the disordered nanopapers are intertwined with each other to form a paper-like structure which exhibit excellent flame retardancy and mechanical properties. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and thermal gravity analysis were employed to characterize the refractory performance of the disordered nanopapers. Highly ordered nanowire membranes were also assembled through a three-phase assembly approach which make the Si3N4 nanowires have potential use in textured ceramics and semiconductor field. Moreover, the surface nanowires can also be modified to be hydrophobic; this characteristic make the as-prepared nanowires have the potential to be assembled by the more effective Langmuir-Blodgett method and also make the disordered nanopapers possess a super-hydrophobic surface.

Polyurethane-acrylate-based hydrophobic film: Facile fabrication, characterization, and application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Jongsung; Nguyen, Bui Quoc Huy; Kim, Ji-Kwan; Shanmugasundaram, Arunkumar; Lee, Dong-Weon

2018-06-01

Polyurethane-acrylate (PUA) is a versatile UV-curable polymer with a short curing time at room temperature, whose surface structure can be flexibly modified by applying various micropatterns. In this paper, we propose a facile and cost-effective fabrication method for the continuous production of an optically transparent PUA-based superhydrophobic thin film. Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) was employed as a soft mold for the fabrication of PUA films through the roll-to-roll technique. In addition, nanosilica was spray-coated onto the PUA surface to further improve the hydrophobicity. The fabricated PUA thin film showed the highest static water contact angle (WCA) of ∼140°. The high durability of the PUA film was also demonstrated through mechanical impacting tests. Furthermore, only ∼2% of voltage loss was observed in the solar panel covered with the PUA-based superhydrophobic film. These obtained results indicate the feasibility of applying the film as a protective layer in applications requiring a high transparency and a self-cleaning effect.

QCM-D and ToF-SIMS Investigation to Deconvolute the Relationship between Lipid Adsorption and Orientation on Lipase Activity.

PubMed

Joyce, Paul; Kempson, Ivan; Prestidge, Clive A

2015-09-22

Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) were used to provide insights into the relationship between lipid adsorption kinetics and molecular behavior in porous silica particles of varying hydrophobicities on lipase activity. Lipase (an interfacial enzyme that cleaves ester bonds to break down lipids to fatty acids and monoglycerides) activity was controlled by loading triglycerides at different surface coverages in hydrophilic and hydrophobic porous silica particles. The rate of lipid adsorption increased 2-fold for the hydrophobic surface compared to the hydrophilic surface. However, for submonolayer lipid coverage, the hydrophilic surface enhanced lipase activity 4-fold, whereas the hydrophobic surface inhibited lipase activity 16-fold, compared to lipid droplets in water. A difference in lipid orientation for low surface coverage, evidenced by ToF-SIMS, indicated that lipid adsorbs to hydrophilic silica in a conformation promoting hydrolysis. Multilayer coverage on hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces was indistinguishable with ToF-SIMS analysis. Increased lipid adsorption for both substrates facilitated digestion kinetics comparable to a conventional emulsion. Improved understanding of the interfacial adsorption and orientation of lipid and its digestibility in porous silica has implications in improving the uptake of pharmaceuticals and nutrients from lipid-based delivery systems.

Superhydrophobic, diatomaceous earth comprising bandages and method of making the same

DOEpatents

Simpson, John T.; D'Urso, Brian R.

2017-01-10

A bandage comprising a substrate having a first surface with a plurality of superhydrophobic particles attached to the first surface. The plurality of superhydrophobic particles can be porous diatomaceous earth particles having a hydrophobic layer conforming to the surfaces of the DE particles, where the hydrophobic layer is bound to the DE particles. The plurality of attached superhydrophobic particles can render the first surface superhydrophobic, while a second surface opposite the first surface can be hydrophilic or hydrophobic. The substrate can be breathable in order to maintain skin health for the tissue underlying the bandage. The substrate can be selected from porous films, apertured films, textiles, nonwoven materials, impregnated composites thereof, and combinations thereof.

Evidence for phase separation of ethanol-water mixtures at the hydrogen terminated nanocrystalline diamond surface.

PubMed

Janssens, Stoffel D; Drijkoningen, Sien; Saitner, Marc; Boyen, Hans-Gerd; Wagner, Patrick; Larsson, Karin; Haenen, Ken

2012-07-28

Interactions between ethanol-water mixtures and a hydrophobic hydrogen terminated nanocrystalline diamond surface, are investigated by sessile drop contact angle measurements. The surface free energy of the hydrophobic surface, obtained with pure liquids, differs strongly from values obtained by ethanol-water mixtures. Here, a model which explains this difference is presented. The model suggests that, due to a higher affinity of ethanol for the hydrophobic surface, when compared to water, a phase separation occurs when a mixture of both liquids is in contact with the H-terminated diamond surface. These results are supported by a computational study giving insight in the affinity and related interaction at the liquid-solid interface.

Creation of hydrophobic surfaces using a paint containing functionalized oxide particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sino, Paul Albert L.; Herrera, Marvin U.; Balela, Mary Donnabelle L.

2017-05-01

Hydrophobic surfaces were created by coating various substrates (aluminum sheet, soda-lime glass, silicon carbide polishing paper, glass with double-sided adhesive) with paint containing functionalized oxide particles. The paint was created by functionalizing oxide particles (ground ZnO, TiO2 nanoparticles, or TiO2 microparticles) with fluorosilane molecules in absolute ethanol. Water contact angle of samples shows that the coated substrate becomes hydrophobic (water contact angle ≥ 90°). Among the oxides that were used, ground ZnO yielded contact angle exemplifying superhydrophobicity (water contact angle ≥ 150°). Scanning electron micrograph of paint-containing TiO2 nanoparticles shows rough functionalized oxides structures which probably increase the hydrophobicity of the surface.

Inhibition of Protein Aggregation: Supramolecular Assemblies of Arginine Hold the Key

PubMed Central

Das, Utpal; Hariprasad, Gururao; Ethayathulla, Abdul S.; Manral, Pallavi; Das, Taposh K.; Pasha, Santosh; Mann, Anita; Ganguli, Munia; Verma, Amit K.; Bhat, Rajiv; Chandrayan, Sanjeev Kumar; Ahmed, Shubbir; Sharma, Sujata; Kaur, Punit; Singh, Tej P.; Srinivasan, Alagiri

2007-01-01

Background Aggregation of unfolded proteins occurs mainly through the exposed hydrophobic surfaces. Any mechanism of inhibition of this aggregation should explain the prevention of these hydrophobic interactions. Though arginine is prevalently used as an aggregation suppressor, its mechanism of action is not clearly understood. We propose a mechanism based on the hydrophobic interactions of arginine. Methodology We have analyzed arginine solution for its hydrotropic effect by pyrene solubility and the presence of hydrophobic environment by 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonic acid fluorescence. Mass spectroscopic analyses show that arginine forms molecular clusters in the gas phase and the cluster composition is dependent on the solution conditions. Light scattering studies indicate that arginine exists as clusters in solution. In the presence of arginine, the reverse phase chromatographic elution profile of Alzheimer's amyloid beta 1-42 (Aβ1-42) peptide is modified. Changes in the hydrodynamic volume of Aβ1-42 in the presence of arginine measured by size exclusion chromatography show that arginine binds to Aβ1-42. Arginine increases the solubility of Aβ1-42 peptide in aqueous medium. It decreases the aggregation of Aβ1-42 as observed by atomic force microscopy. Conclusions Based on our experimental results we propose that molecular clusters of arginine in aqueous solutions display a hydrophobic surface by the alignment of its three methylene groups. The hydrophobic surfaces present on the proteins interact with the hydrophobic surface presented by the arginine clusters. The masking of hydrophobic surface inhibits protein-protein aggregation. This mechanism is also responsible for the hydrotropic effect of arginine on various compounds. It is also explained why other amino acids fail to inhibit the protein aggregation. PMID:18000547

Temperature dependence of the evaporation lengthscale for water confined between two hydrophobic plates.

PubMed

Djikaev, Yuri S; Ruckenstein, Eli

2015-07-01

Liquid water in a hydrophobic confinement is the object of high interest in physicochemical sciences. Confined between two macroscopic hydrophobic surfaces, liquid water transforms into vapor if the distance between surfaces is smaller than a critical separation, referred to as the evaporation lengthscale. To investigate the temperature dependence of the evaporation lengthscale of water confined between two hydrophobic parallel plates, we use the combination of the density functional theory (DFT) with the probabilistic hydrogen bond (PHB) model for water-water hydrogen bonding. The PHB model provides an analytic expression for the average number of hydrogen bonds per water molecule as a function of its distance to a hydrophobic surface and its curvature. Knowing this expression, one can implement the effect of hydrogen bonding between water molecules on their interaction with the hydrophobe into DFT, which is then employed to determine the distribution of water molecules between two macroscopic hydrophobic plates at various interplate distances and various temperatures. For water confined between hydrophobic plates, our results suggest the evaporation lengthscale to be of the order of several nanometers and a linearly increasing function of temperature from T=293 K to T=333 K, qualitatively consistent with previous results. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The hydrophilic-to-hydrophobic transition in glassy silica is driven by the atomic topology of its surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Yingtian; Krishnan, N. M. Anoop; Smedskjaer, Morten M.; Sant, Gaurav; Bauchy, Mathieu

2018-02-01

The surface reactivity and hydrophilicity of silicate materials are key properties for various industrial applications. However, the structural origin of their affinity for water remains unclear. Here, based on reactive molecular dynamics simulations of a series of artificial glassy silica surfaces annealed at various temperatures and subsequently exposed to water, we show that silica exhibits a hydrophilic-to-hydrophobic transition driven by its silanol surface density. By applying topological constraint theory, we show that the surface reactivity and hydrophilic/hydrophobic character of silica are controlled by the atomic topology of its surface. This suggests that novel silicate materials with tailored reactivity and hydrophilicity could be developed through the topological nanoengineering of their surface.

Material processing of oil palm empty fruit bunches for use as raw material of conductive carbon paper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Destyorini, F.; Indayaningsih, N.

2017-04-01

Empty fruit bunches of oil palm is a by-product of the palm oil industry that contains a high element of carbon. This by-product can be processed into a conductive carbon paper that could be applied as fuel cell electrodes. Carbon paper for this application must be conductive, porous, and hydrophobic. Utilization of oil palm empty fruit bunches begins with the carbonization process at a temperature of 500°C that produced charcoal. It is followed by heating at temperature of 900°C and 1300°C. To obtain the carbon paper, powdered charcoal with polymer binder (PEG and EVA) were mixed in solvent and molded using tape casting method. This process successfully produced carbon paper with dimensions of ±(20x20) cm2 and a thickness of 0.1-0.3 mm. Properties of carbon paper were characterized and analyzed in terms of electrical conductivity, porosity, hydrophobic property, and microstructure. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a hydrophobic agent, was treated on carbon paper to enhance the hydrophobicity of the carbon paper. PTFE coating on the surface of the carbon paper could change their physical properties. Carbon paper shows excellent properties in terms of porosity and hydrophobicity. Whereas, its electrical property needs to be improved further by increasing the pyrolysis temperature. But overall, this might show a potential GDL material for PEMFC.

Does the kinorhynch have a hydrophobic body surface? Measurement of the wettability of a meiobenthic metazoan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishii, Daisuke; Yamasaki, Hiroshi; Uozumi, Ryosuke; Hirose, Euichi

2016-10-01

The body surface of aquatic invertebrates is generally thought to be hydrophilic to prevent the attachment of air bubbles. In contrast, some interstitial invertebrates, such as kinorhynchs and some crustaceans, have a hydrophobic body surface: they are often trapped at the water surface when the sediment in which they reside is mixed with air and water. Here, we directly measured the wettability of the body surface of the kinorhynch Echinoderes komatsui, using a microscopic contact angle meter. The intact body surface of live specimens was not hydrophobic, but the anterior part was less hydrophilic. Furthermore, washing with seawater significantly decreased the wettability of the body surface, but a hydrophilic surface was recovered after a 1 h incubation in seawater. We believe that the hydrophobic cuticle of the kinorhynch has a hydrophilic coat that is readily exfoliated by disturbance. Ultrastructural observations supported the presence of a mucus-like coating on the cuticle. Regulation of wettability is crucial to survival in shallow, fluctuating habitats for microscopic organisms and may also contribute to expansion of the dispersal range of these animals.

Surface dynamics of amorphous polymers used for high-voltage insulators.

PubMed

Shemella, Philip T; Laino, Teodoro; Fritz, Oliver; Curioni, Alessandro

2011-11-24

Amorphous siloxane polymers are the backbone of high-voltage insulation materials. The natural hydrophobicity of their surface is a necessary property for avoiding leakage currents and dielectric breakdown. As these surfaces are exposed to the environment, electrical discharges or strong mechanical impact can temporarily destroy their water-repellent properties. After such events, however, a self-healing process sets in and restores the original hydrophobicity within some hours. In the present study, we investigate possible mechanisms of this restoration process. Using large-scale, all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we show that molecules on the material surface have augmented motion that allows them to rearrange with a net polarization. The overall surface region has a net orientation that contributes to hydrophobicity, and charged groups that are placed at the surface migrate inward, away from the vacuum interface and into the bulk-like region. Our simulations provide insight into the mechanisms for hydrophobic self-recovery that repair material strength and functionality and suggest material compositions for future high-voltage insulators. © 2011 American Chemical Society

An experimental study on the effects of rough hydrophobic surfaces on the flow around a circular cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Nayoung; Kim, Hyunseok; Park, Hyungmin

2015-08-01

The present study investigates the effect that rough hydrophobic (or superhydrophobic) surfaces have on the flow separation and subsequent vortex structures in a turbulent wake behind a circular cylinder. The velocity fields were measured using two-dimensional particle image velocimetry in a water tunnel with Reynolds numbers of 0.7-2.3 × 104. The spray-coating of hydrophobic nanoparticles and roughened Teflon was used to produce the rough hydrophobic surfaces, and sandpapers with two different grit sizes were used to sand the Teflon into streamwise and spanwise directions, respectively, in order to examine the effect of the slip direction. The rough hydrophobic surface was found to enhance the turbulence in the flows above the circular cylinder and along the separating shear layers, resulting in a delay of the flow separation and early vortex roll-up in the wake. As a result, the size of the recirculation bubble in the wake was reduced by up to 40%, while the drag reduction of less than 10% is estimated from a wake survey. However, these effects are reversed as the Reynolds number increases. The surface texture normal to the flow direction (spanwise slip) was found to be more effective than that aligned to the flow (streamwise slip), supporting the suggested mechanism. In addition, the superhydrophobic surface is locally applied by varying the installation angle and that applied around the separation point is most effective, indicating that the rough hydrophobic surface directly affects the boundary layer at flow separation. In order to control the flow around a circular cylinder using rough hydrophobic surfaces, it is suggested to have a smaller roughness width, which can stably retain air pockets. In addition, a higher gas fraction and a more uniform distribution of the roughness size are helpful to enhance the performance such as the separation delay and drag reduction.

Advanced Material-Ordered Nanotubular Ceramic Membranes Covalently Capped with Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes.

PubMed

Al-Gharabli, Samer; Hamad, Eyad; Saket, Munib; Abu El-Rub, Ziad; Arafat, Hassan; Kujawski, Wojciech; Kujawa, Joanna

2018-05-07

Advanced ceramic materials with a well-defined nano-architecture of their surfaces were formed by applying a two-step procedure. Firstly, a primary amine was docked on the ordered nanotubular ceramic surface via a silanization process. Subsequently, single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were covalently grafted onto the surface via an amide building block. Physicochemical (e.g., hydrophobicity, and surface free energy (SFE)), mechanical, and tribological properties of the developed membranes were improved significantly. The design, preparation, and extended characterization of the developed membranes are presented. Tools such as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), single-area electron diffraction (SAED) analysis, microscopy, tribology, nano-indentation, and Raman spectroscopy, among other techniques, were utilized in the characterization of the developed membranes. As an effect of hydrophobization, the contact angles (CAs) changed from 38° to 110° and from 51° to 95° for the silanization of ceramic membranes 20 (CM20) and CM100, respectively. SWCNT functionalization reduced the CAs to 72° and 66° for ceramic membranes carbon nanotubes 20 (CM-CNT-20) and CM-CNT-100, respectively. The mechanical properties of the developed membranes improved significantly. From the nanotribological study, Young’s modulus increased from 3 to 39 GPa for CM-CNT-20 and from 43 to 48 GPa for pristine CM-CNT-100. Furthermore, the nanohardness increased by about 80% after the attachment of CNTs for both types of ceramics. The proposed protocol within this work for the development of functionalized ceramic membranes is both simple and efficient.

Fish skin bacteria: Colonial and cellular hydrophobicity.

PubMed

Sar, N; Rosenberg, E

1987-05-01

Bacteria were desorbed from the skin of healthy, fast-swimming fish by several procedures, including brief exposure to sonic oscillation and treatment with nontoxic surface active agents. The surface properties of these bacteria were studied by measuring their adhesion to hexadecane, as well as by a newly developed, simple method for studying the hydrophobicity of bacterial lawns. This method, referred to as the "Direction of Spreading" (DOS) method, consists of recording the direction to which a water drop spreads when introduced at the border between bacterial lawns and other surfaces. Of the 13 fish skin isolates examined, two strains were as hydrophobic as polystyrene by the DOS method. Suspended cells of one of these strains adhered strongly to hexadecane (84%), whereas cells of the other strain adhered poorly (13%). Another strain which was almost as hydrophobic as polystyrene by the DOS method did not adhere to hexadecane at all. Similarly, lawns of three other strains were more hydrophobic than glass by the DOS method, but cell suspensions prepared from these colonies showed little or no adhesion to hexadecane. The high colonial but relatively low cellular hydrophobicity could be due to a hydrophobic slime that is removed during the suspension and washing procedures. The possibility that specific bacteria assist in fish locomotion by changing the surface properties of the fish skin and by producing drag-reducing polymers is discussed.

Some physicochemical aspects of water-soluble mineral flotation.

PubMed

Wu, Zhijian; Wang, Xuming; Liu, Haining; Zhang, Huifang; Miller, Jan D

2016-09-01

Some physicochemical aspects of water-soluble mineral flotation including hydration phenomena, associations and interactions between collectors, air bubbles, and water-soluble mineral particles are presented. Flotation carried out in saturated salt solutions, and a wide range of collector concentrations for effective flotation of different salts are two basic aspects of water-soluble mineral flotation. Hydration of salt ions, mineral particle surfaces, collector molecules or ions, and collector aggregates play an important role in water-soluble mineral flotation. The adsorption of collectors onto bubble surfaces is suggested to be the precondition for the association of mineral particles with bubbles. The association of collectors with water-soluble minerals is a complicated process, which may include the adsorption of collector molecules or ions onto such surfaces, and/or the attachment of collector precipitates or crystals onto the mineral surfaces. The interactions between the collectors and the minerals include electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and specific interactions, with electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions being the common mechanisms. For the association of ionic collectors with minerals with an opposite charge, electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions could have a synergistic effect, with the hydrophobic interactions between the hydrophobic groups of the previously associated collectors and the hydrophobic groups of oncoming collectors being an important attractive force. Association between solid particles and air bubbles is the key to froth flotation, which is affected by hydrophobicity of the mineral particle surfaces, surface charges of mineral particles and bubbles, mineral particle size and shape, temperature, bubble size, etc. The use of a collector together with a frother and the use of mixed surfactants as collectors are suggested to improve flotation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Jian; Guo, Pan; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049

Using molecular dynamics simulations, we show a fine linear relationship between surface energies and microscopic Lennard-Jones parameters of super-hydrophilic surfaces. The linear slope of the super-hydrophilic surfaces is consistent with the linear slope of the super-hydrophobic, hydrophobic, and hydrophilic surfaces where stable water droplets can stand, indicating that there is a universal linear behavior of the surface energies with the water-surface van der Waals interaction that extends from the super-hydrophobic to super-hydrophilic surfaces. Moreover, we find that the linear relationship exists for various substrate types, and the linear slopes of these different types of substrates are dependent on the surfacemore » atom density, i.e., higher surface atom densities correspond to larger linear slopes. These results enrich our understanding of water behavior on solid surfaces, especially the water wetting behaviors on uncharged super-hydrophilic metal surfaces.« less

Enhanced Wang Landau sampling of adsorbed protein conformations.

PubMed

Radhakrishna, Mithun; Sharma, Sumit; Kumar, Sanat K

2012-03-21

Using computer simulations to model the folding of proteins into their native states is computationally expensive due to the extraordinarily low degeneracy of the ground state. In this paper, we develop an efficient way to sample these folded conformations using Wang Landau sampling coupled with the configurational bias method (which uses an unphysical "temperature" that lies between the collapse and folding transition temperatures of the protein). This method speeds up the folding process by roughly an order of magnitude over existing algorithms for the sequences studied. We apply this method to study the adsorption of intrinsically disordered hydrophobic polar protein fragments on a hydrophobic surface. We find that these fragments, which are unstructured in the bulk, acquire secondary structure upon adsorption onto a strong hydrophobic surface. Apparently, the presence of a hydrophobic surface allows these random coil fragments to fold by providing hydrophobic contacts that were lost in protein fragmentation. © 2012 American Institute of Physics

Chemical treatment of the intra-canal dentin surface: a new approach to modify dentin hydrophobicity

PubMed Central

GAITAN-FONSECA, Cesar; COLLART-DUTILLEUL, Pierre-Yves; SEMETEY, Vincent; ROMIEU, Olivier; CRUZ, Roel; FLORES, Hector; CUISINIER, Frédéric; PÉREZ, Elías; POZOS-GUILLEN, Amaury

2013-01-01

Objective: This study evaluated the hydrophobicity of dentin surfaces that were modified through chemical silanization with octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS). Material and Methods: An in vitro experimental study was performed using 40 human permanent incisors that were divided into the following two groups: non-silanized and silanized. The specimens were pretreated and chemically modified with OTS. After the chemical modification, the dentin hydrophobicity was examined using a water contact angle measurement (WCA). The effectiveness of the modification of hydrophobicity was verified by the fluid permeability test (FPT). Results and Conclusions: Statistically significant differences were found in the values of WCA and FPT between the two groups. After silanization, the hydrophobic intraradicular dentin surface exhibited in vitro properties that limit fluid penetration into the sealed root canal. This chemical treatment is a new approach for improving the sealing of the root canal system. PMID:23559114

Hydrophobicities of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes and oral Bacteroides and Porphyromonas spp., Wolinella recta, and Eubacterium yurii with special reference to bacterial surface structures.

PubMed

Haapasalo, M; Kerosuo, E; Lounatmaa, K

1990-12-01

The hydrophobicities of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs) and Bacteroides buccae, B. oris, B. oralis, B. veroralis, B. buccalis, B. heparinolyticus, B. intermedius, B. denticola, B. loescheii, B. melaninogenicus, Porphyromonas gingivalis, P. endodontalis, Wolinella recta, and Eubacterium yurii were studied by the hexadecane method. The majority of the strains were equally or less hydrophobic than the PMNLs. Only in the case of E. yurii and the only strain of B. buccalis were all strains more hydrophobic than the PMNLs. However, some strains of B. intermedius, B. oris, B. denticola, and P. gingivalis were also more hydrophobic than the PMNLs. With the exception of B. intermedius and species with a crystalline surface protein layer (S-layer), the strains of all other species with a thick capsule were more hydrophilic than the strains with little or no extracellular polymeric material. All strains of the S-layer species were either quite hydrophilic or hydrophobic depending on the species, totally irrespective of the presence of the capsule. The results suggest that the S-layers of oral anaerobic bacteria may be important determinants of cell surface hydrophobicity.

Attractive forces between hydrophobic solid surfaces measured by AFM on the first approach in salt solutions and in the presence of dissolved gases.

PubMed

Azadi, Mehdi; Nguyen, Anh V; Yakubov, Gleb E

2015-02-17

Interfacial gas enrichment of dissolved gases (IGE) has been shown to cover hydrophobic solid surfaces in water. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) data has recently been supported by molecular dynamics simulation. It was demonstrated that IGE is responsible for the unexpected stability and large contact angle of gaseous nanobubbles at the hydrophobic solid-water interface. Here we provide further evidence of the significant effect of IGE on an attractive force between hydrophobic solid surfaces in water. The force in the presence of dissolved gas, i.e., in aerated and nonaerated NaCl solutions (up to 4 M), was measured by the AFM colloidal probe technique. The effect of nanobubble bridging on the attractive force was minimized or eliminated by measuring forces on the first approach of the AFM probe toward the flat hydrophobic surface and by using high salt concentrations to reduce gas solubility. Our results confirm the presence of three types of forces, two of which are long-range attractive forces of capillary bridging origin as caused by either surface nanobubbles or gap-induced cavitation. The third type is a short-range attractive force observed in the absence of interfacial nanobubbles that is attributed to the IGE in the form of a dense gas layer (DGL) at hydrophobic surfaces. Such a force was found to increase with increasing gas saturation and to decrease with decreasing gas solubility.

Linear relationship between water wetting behavior and microscopic interactions of super-hydrophilic surfaces.

PubMed

Liu, Jian; Wang, Chunlei; Guo, Pan; Shi, Guosheng; Fang, Haiping

2013-12-21

Using molecular dynamics simulations, we show a fine linear relationship between surface energies and microscopic Lennard-Jones parameters of super-hydrophilic surfaces. The linear slope of the super-hydrophilic surfaces is consistent with the linear slope of the super-hydrophobic, hydrophobic, and hydrophilic surfaces where stable water droplets can stand, indicating that there is a universal linear behavior of the surface energies with the water-surface van der Waals interaction that extends from the super-hydrophobic to super-hydrophilic surfaces. Moreover, we find that the linear relationship exists for various substrate types, and the linear slopes of these different types of substrates are dependent on the surface atom density, i.e., higher surface atom densities correspond to larger linear slopes. These results enrich our understanding of water behavior on solid surfaces, especially the water wetting behaviors on uncharged super-hydrophilic metal surfaces.

Electrophoresis of a polarizable charged colloid with hydrophobic surface: A numerical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharyya, Somnath; Majee, Partha Sarathi

2017-04-01

We consider the electrophoresis of a charged colloid for a generalized situation in which the particle is considered to be polarizable and the surface exhibits hydrophobicity. The dielectric polarization of the particle creates a nonlinear dependence of the electrophoretic velocity on the applied electric field, and the core hydrophobicity amplifies the fluid convection in the Debye layer. Thus, a linear analysis is no longer applicable for this situation. The present analysis is based on the numerical solution of the nonlinear electrokinetic equations based on the Navier-Stokes-Nernst-Planck-Poisson equations coupled with the Laplace equation for the electric field within the dielectric particle. The hydrophobicity of the particle may influence its electric polarization by enhancing the convective transport of ions. The nonlinear effects, such as double-layer polarization and relaxation, are also influenced by the hydrophobicity of the particle surface. The present results compare well for a lower range of the applied electric field and surface charge density with the existing results for a perfectly dielectric particle with a hydrophobic surface based on the first-order perturbation analysis due to Khair and Squires [Phys. Fluids 21, 042001 (2009), 10.1063/1.3116664]. Dielectric polarization creates a reduction in particle electrophoretic velocity, and its impact is strong for a moderate range of Debye length. A quantitative measure of the nonlinear effects is demonstrated by comparing the electrophoretic velocity with an existing linear model.

Salivary protein adsorption and Streptococccus gordonii adhesion to dental material surfaces.

PubMed

Schweikl, Helmut; Hiller, Karl-Anton; Carl, Ulrich; Schweiger, Rainer; Eidt, Andreas; Ruhl, Stefan; Müller, Rainer; Schmalz, Gottfried

2013-10-01

The initial adhesion of microorganisms to clinically used dental biomaterials is influenced by physico-chemical parameters like hydrophobicity and pre-adsorption of salivary proteins. Here, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene (PE), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), silicone (Mucopren soft), silorane-based (Filtek Silorane) and methacrylate-based (Tetric EvoCeram) dental composites, a conventional glassionomer cement as well as cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (Co28Cr6Mo) and titanium (Ti6Al4V) were tested for adsorption of salivary proteins and adhesion of Streptococcus gordonii DL1. Wettability of material surfaces precoated with salivary proteins or left in phosphate-buffered saline was determined by the measurement of water contact angles. Amounts of adsorbed proteins were determined directly on material surfaces after biotinylation of amino groups and detection by horseradish peroxidase-conjugated avidin-D. The same technique was used to analyze for the binding of biotinylated bacteria to material surfaces. The highest amount of proteins (0.18μg/cm(2)) adsorbed to hydrophobic PTFE samples, and the lowest amount (0.025μg/cm(2)) was detected on silicone. The highest number of S. gordonii (3.2×10(4)CFU/mm(2)) adhered to the hydrophilic glassionomer cement surface coated with salivary proteins, and the lowest number (4×10(3)CFU/mm(2)) was found on the hydrophobic silorane-based composite. Hydrophobicity of pure material surfaces and the number of attached microorganisms were weakly negatively correlated. No such correlation between hydrophobicity and the number of bacteria was detected when surfaces were coated with salivary proteins. Functional groups added by the adsorption of specific salivary proteins to material surfaces are more relevant for initial bacterial adhesion than hydrophobicity as a physical property. Copyright © 2013 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A view of the E2-CD81 interface at the binding site of a neutralizing antibody against hepatitis C virus.

PubMed

Harman, Christine; Zhong, Lilin; Ma, Li; Liu, Peter; Deng, Lu; Zhao, Zhong; Yan, Hailing; Struble, Evi; Virata-Theimer, Maria Luisa; Zhang, Pei

2015-01-01

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) glycoprotein E2 is considered a major target for generating neutralizing antibodies against HCV, primarily due to its role of engaging host entry factors, such as CD81, a key cell surface protein associated with HCV entry. Based on a series of biochemical analyses in combination with molecular docking, we present a description of a potential binding interface formed between the E2 protein and CD81. The virus side of this interface includes a hydrophobic helix motif comprised of residues W(437)LAGLF(442), which encompasses the binding site of a neutralizing monoclonal antibody, mAb41. The helical conformation of this motif provides a structural framework for the positioning of residues F442 and Y443, serving as contact points for the interaction with CD81. The cell side of this interface likewise involves a surface-exposed hydrophobic helix, namely, the D-helix of CD81, which coincides with the binding site of 1D6, a monoclonal anti-CD81 antibody known to block HCV entry. Our illustration of this virus-host interface suggests an important role played by the W(437)LAGLF(442) helix of the E2 protein in the hydrophobic interaction with the D-helix of CD81, thereby facilitating our understanding of the mechanism for antibody-mediated neutralization of HCV. Characterization of the interface established between a virus and host cells can provide important information that may be used for the control of virus infections. The interface that enables hepatitis C virus (HCV) to infect human liver cells has not been well understood because of the number of cell surface proteins, factors, and conditions found to be associated with the infection process. Based on a series of biochemical analyses in combination with molecular docking, we present such an interface, consisting of two hydrophobic helical structures, from the HCV E2 surface glycoprotein and the CD81 protein, a major host cell receptor recognized by all HCV strains. Our study reveals the critical role played by hydrophobic interactions in the formation of this virus-host interface, thereby contributing to our understanding of the mechanism for antibody-mediated neutralization of HCV. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Hydrophilization and hydrophobic recovery in polymers obtained by casting of polymer solutions on water surface.

PubMed

Bormashenko, Edward; Chaniel, Gilad; Gendelman, Oleg

2014-12-01

We demonstrate the possibility of hydrophilization of polymer films in situ under the process of their preparation. The polymer surface is hydrophilized when the polymer solution is spread on the water surface and the solvent is evaporated. Essential hydrophilization of the polymer surface is achieved under this process. We relate the observed hydrophilization of polymer films to the dipole-dipole interaction of the polar moieties of polymer chains with highly polar water molecules. The dipole-dipole interaction between water molecules and polar groups of polymer chains, orienting the polar groups of a polymer, may prevail over the London dispersion forces. The process, reported in the paper, allows to manufacture the films in which the hydrophilic moieties of the polymer molecule are oriented toward the polymer/air interface. It is demonstrated that even such traditionally extremely hydrophobic polymers as polydimethylsiloxane can be markedly hydrophilized. This hydrophilization, however, does not persist forever. After removal from the water surface, hydrophobic recovery was observed, i.e. polymer films restored their hydrophobicity with time. The characteristic time of the hydrophobic recovery is on the order of magnitude of hours. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mesoscopic Simulations of Adsorption and Association of PEO-PPO-PEO Triblock Copolymers on a Hydrophobic Surface: From Mushroom Hemisphere to Rectangle Brush.

PubMed

Song, Xianyu; Zhao, Shuangliang; Fang, Shenwen; Ma, Yongzhang; Duan, Ming

2016-11-08

The dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) method is used to investigate the adsorption behavior of PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymers at the liquid/solid interface. The effect of molecular architecture on the self-assembled monolayer adsorption of PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymers on hydrophobic surfaces is elucidated by the adsorption process, film properties, and adsorption morphologies. The adsorption thicknesses on hydrophobic surfaces and the diffusion coefficient as well as the aggregation number of Pluronic copolymers in aqueous solution observed in our simulations agree well with previous experimental and numerical observations. The radial distribution function revealed that the ability of self-assembly on hydrophobic surfaces is P123 > P84 > L64 > P105 > F127, which increased with the EO ratio of the Pluronic copolymers. Moreover, the shape parameter and the degree of anisotropy increase with increasing molecular weight and mole ratio of PO of the Pluronic copolymers. Depending on the conformation of different Pluronic copolymers, the morphology transition of three regimes on hydrophobic surfaces is present: mushroom or hemisphere, progressively semiellipsoid, and rectangle brush regimes induced by decreasing molecular weight and mole ratio of EO of Pluronic copolymers.

Low-temperature oxidizing plasma surface modification and composite polymer thin-film fabrication techniques for tailoring the composition and behavior of polymer surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tompkins, Brendan D.

This dissertation examines methods for modifying the composition and behavior of polymer material surfaces. This is accomplished using (1) low-temperature low-density oxidizing plasmas to etch and implant new functionality on polymers, and (2) plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) techniques to fabricate composite polymer materials. Emphases are placed on the structure of modified polymer surfaces, the evolution of polymer surfaces after treatment, and the species responsible for modifying polymers during plasma processing. H2O vapor plasma modification of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), and 75A polyurethane (PU) was examined to further our understanding of polymer surface reorganization leading to hydrophobic recovery. Water contact angles (wCA) measurements showed that PP and PS were the most susceptible to hydrophobic recovery, while PC and HDPE were the most stable. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed a significant quantity of polar functional groups on the surface of all treated polymer samples. Shifts in the C1s binding energies (BE) with sample age were measured on PP and PS, revealing that surface reorganization was responsible for hydrophobic recovery on these materials. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to rule out the intrinsic thermal properties as the cause of reorganization and hydrophobic recovery on HDPE, LDPE, and PP. The different contributions that polymer cross-linking and chain scission mechanisms make to polymer aging effects are considered. The H2O plasma treatment technique was extended to the modification of 0.2 microm and 3.0 microm track-etched polycarbonate (PC-TE) and track-etched polyethylene terephthalate (PET-TE) membranes with the goal of permanently increasing the hydrophilicity of the membrane surfaces. Contact angle measurements on freshly treated and aged samples confirmed the wettability of the membrane surfaces was significantly improved by plasma treatment. XPS and SEM analyses revealed increased oxygen incorporation onto the surface of the membranes, without any damage to the surface or pore structure. Contact angle measurements on a membrane treated in a stacked assembly suggest the plasma effectively modified the entire pore cross section. Plasma treatment also increased water flux through the membranes, with results from plasma modified membranes matching those from commercially available hydrophilic membranes (treated with wetting agent). Mechanisms for the observed modification are discussed in terms of OH and O radicals implanting oxygen functionality into the polymers. Oxidizing plasma systems (O2, CO2, H2O vapor, and formic acid vapor) were used to modify track-etched polycarbonate membranes and explore the mechanisms and species responsible for etching polycarbonate during plasma processing. Etch rates were measured using scanning electron microscopy; modified polycarbonate surfaces were further characterized using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and water contact angles. Etch rates and surface characterization results were combined with optical emission spectroscopy data used to identify gas-phase species and their relative densities. Although the oxide functionalities implanted by each plasma system were similar, the H2O vapor and formic acid vapor plasmas yielded the lowest contact angles after treatment. The CO2, H2O vapor, and formic acid vapor plasma-modified surfaces were, however, found to be similarly stable one month after treatment. Overall, etch rate correlated directly to the relative gas-phase density of atomic oxygen and, to a lesser extent, hydroxyl radicals. PECVD of acetic acid vapor (CH3COOH) was used to deposit films on PC-TE and silicon wafer substrates. The CH3COOH films were characterized using XPS, wCA, and SEM. This modification technique resulted in continuous deposition and self-limiting deposition of a-CxO yHz films on Si wafers and PC-TE, respectively. The self-limiting deposition on PC-TE revealed that resulting films have minimal impact on 3D PC structures. This technique would allow for more precise fabrication of patterned or nano-textured PC. PECVD is used to synthesize hydrocarbon/fluorocarbon thin films with compositional gradients by continuously changing the ratio of gases in a C 3F8/H2 plasma. The films are characterized using variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), XPS, wCA, and SEM. These methods revealed that shifting spectroscopic signals can be used to characterize organization in the deposited film. Using these methods, along with gas-phase diagnostics, film chemistry and the underlying deposition mechanisms are elucidated, leading to a model that accurately predicts film thickness.

Collapse of surface nanobubbles.

PubMed

Chan, Chon U; Chen, Longquan; Arora, Manish; Ohl, Claus-Dieter

2015-03-20

Surface attached nanobubbles populate surfaces submerged in water. These nanobubbles have a much larger contact angle and longer lifetime than predicted by classical theory. Moreover, it is difficult to distinguish them from hydrophobic droplets, e.g., polymeric contamination, using standard atomic force microscopy. Here, we report fast dynamics of a three phase contact line moving over surface nanobubbles, polymeric droplets, and hydrophobic particles. The dynamics is distinct: across polymeric droplets the contact line quickly jumps and hydrophobic particles pin the contact line, while surface nanobubbles rapidly shrink once merging with the contact line, suggesting a method to differentiate nanoscopic gaseous, liquid, and solid structures. Although the collapse process of surface nanobubbles occurs within a few milliseconds, we show that it is dominated by microscopic dynamics rather than bulk hydrodynamics.

A closer look at the complex hydrophilic/hydrophobic interactions forces at the human hair surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baghdadli, N.; Luengo, G. S.; Recherche, L.

2008-03-01

The complex chemical structure of the hair surface is far from being completely understood. Current understanding is based on Rivett's model1 that was proposed to explain the macroscopic hydrophobic nature of the surface of natural hair. In this model covalently-linked fatty acids are chemically grafted to the amorphous protein (keratin) through a thio-ester linkage2,3. Nevertheless, experience like wetting and electrical properties of human hair surface4 shows that the complexity of the hair surface is not fully understand based on this model in literature. Recent studies in our laboratory show for the first time microscopic evidence of the heterogeneous physico-chemical character of the hair surface. By using Chemical Force Microscopy, the presence of hydrophobic and ionic species are detected and localized, before and after a cosmetic treatment (bleaching). Based on force curve analysis the mapping of the local distribution of hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups of hair surface is obtained. A discussion on a more plausible hair model and its implications will be presented based on these new results.

Construction of Hydrophobic Wood Surface and Mechanical Property of Wood Cell Wall on Nanoscale Modified by Dimethyldichlorosilane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Rui; Wang, Siqun; Zhou, Dingguo; Zhang, Jie; Lan, Ping; Jia, Chong

2018-01-01

Dimethyldichlorosilane was used to improve the hydrophobicity of wood surface. The water contact angle of the treated wood surface increased from 85° to 143°, which indicated increased hydrophobicity. The nanomechanical properties of the wood cell wall were evaluated using a nanoindentation test to analyse the hydrophobic mechanism on the nano scale. The elastic modulus of the cell wall was significantly affected by the concentration but the influence of treatment time is insignificant. The hardness of the cell wall for treated samples was significantly affected by both treatment time and concentration. The interaction between treatment time and concentration was extremely significant for the elastic modulus of the wood cell wall.

Reversible superhydrophilicity and hydrophobicity switching of V2O5 thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chunzi; Peng, Zhiguang; Cui, Xiaoyu; Neil, Eric; Li, Yuanshi; Kasap, Safa; Yang, Qiaoqin

2018-03-01

V2O5 thin films are well-known "smart" materials due to their reversible wettability under UV irradiation and dark storage. Their surfaces are usually hydrophobic and turn into hydrophilic under UV irradiation. However, the V2O5 thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering in present work are superhydrophilic and turned into hydrophobic after days' of storage in air. This change can be recovered by heating. The effects of many factors including surface roughness, irradiation from visible light, UV, & X-ray, and storage in air & vacuum on the reversible switching of wettability were investigated. The results show that air absorption is the main factor causing the film surface change from superhydrophilicity to hydrophobicity.

Quantification of the hydrophobic interaction by simulations of the aggregation of small hydrophobic solutes in water

PubMed Central

Raschke, Tanya M.; Tsai, Jerry; Levitt, Michael

2001-01-01

The hydrophobic interaction, the tendency for nonpolar molecules to aggregate in solution, is a major driving force in biology. In a direct approach to the physical basis of the hydrophobic effect, nanosecond molecular dynamics simulations were performed on increasing numbers of hydrocarbon solute molecules in water-filled boxes of different sizes. The intermittent formation of solute clusters gives a free energy that is proportional to the loss in exposed molecular surface area with a constant of proportionality of 45 ± 6 cal/mol⋅Å2. The molecular surface area is the envelope of the solute cluster that is impenetrable by solvent and is somewhat smaller than the more traditional solvent-accessible surface area, which is the area transcribed by the radius of a solvent molecule rolled over the surface of the cluster. When we apply a factor relating molecular surface area to solvent-accessible surface area, we obtain 24 cal/mol⋅Å2. Ours is the first direct calculation, to our knowledge, of the hydrophobic interaction from molecular dynamics simulations; the excellent qualitative and quantitative agreement with experiment proves that simple van der Waals interactions and atomic point-charge electrostatics account for the most important driving force in biology. PMID:11353861

Extraction of agar from Gelidium sesquipedale (Rhodopyta) and surface characterization of agar based films.

PubMed

Guerrero, P; Etxabide, A; Leceta, I; Peñalba, M; de la Caba, K

2014-01-01

The chemical structure of the agar obtained from Gelidium sesquipedale (Rhodophyta) has been determined by (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance ((13)C NMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Agar (AG) films with different amounts of soy protein isolate (SPI) were prepared using a thermo-moulding method, and transparent and hydrophobic films were obtained and characterized. FTIR analysis provided a detailed description of the binding groups present in the films, such as carboxylic, hydroxyl and sulfonate groups, while the surface composition was examined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The changes observed by FTIR and XPS spectra suggested interactions between functional groups of agar and SPI. This is a novel approach to the characterization of agar-based films and provides knowledge about the compatibility of agar and soy protein for further investigation of the functional properties of biodegradable films based on these biopolymers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Useful surface parameters for biomaterial discrimination.

PubMed

Etxeberria, Marina; Escuin, Tomas; Vinas, Miquel; Ascaso, Carlos

2015-01-01

Topographical features of biomaterials' surfaces are determinant when addressing their application site. Unfortunately up to date there has not been an agreement regarding which surface parameters are more representative in discriminating between materials. Discs (n = 16) of different currently used materials for implant prostheses fabrication, such as cast cobalt-chrome, direct laser metal soldered (DLMS) cobalt-chrome, titanium grade V, zirconia (Y-TZP), E-glass fiber-reinforced composite and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) were manufactured. Nanoscale topographical surface roughness parameters generated by atomic force microscopy (AFM), microscale surface roughness parameters obtained by white light interferometry (WLI) and water angle values obtained by the sessile-water-drop method were analyzed in order to assess which parameter provides the best optimum surface characterization method. Correlations between nanoroughness, microroughness, and hydrophobicity data were performed to achieve the best parameters giving the highest discriminatory power. A subset of six parameters for surface characterization were proposed. AFM and WLI techniques gave complementary information. Wettability did not correlate with any of the nanoroughness parameters while it however showed a weak correlation with microroughness parameters. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Production and characterization of hydrophobic zinc borate by using palm oil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acarali, Nil Baran; Tugrul, Nurcan; Derun, Emek Moroydor; Piskin, Sabriye

2013-11-01

Zinc borate (ZB) was synthesized using zinc oxide, boric acid synthesized from colemanite, and reference ZB as seed. The effects of reaction parameters such as reaction time, reactant ratio, and seed ratio on its yield were examined. Then, the effects of palm oil with solvents (isopropyl alcohol (IPA), ethanol, and methanol) added to the reaction on its hydrophobicity were explored. Reactions were carried out under determined reaction conditions with magnetically and mechanically stirred systems. The produced ZB was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and measurements of contact angle identified hydrophobicity. The results showed that hydrophobic ZB was successfully produced under determined reaction conditions. The change of process parameters influenced its yield and the usage of palm oil provided hydrophobicity.

Modifying the anti-wetting property of butterfly wings and water strider legs by atomic layer deposition coating: surface materials versus geometry.

PubMed

Ding, Yong; Xu, Sheng; Zhang, Yue; Wang, Aurelia C; Wang, Melissa H; Xiu, Yonghao; Wong, Ching Ping; Wang, Zhong Lin

2008-09-03

Although butterfly wings and water strider legs have an anti-wetting property, their working conditions are quite different. Water striders, for example, live in a wet environment and their legs need to support their weight and bear the high pressure during motion. In this work, we have focused on the importance of the surface geometrical structures in determining their performance. We have applied an atomic layer deposition technique to coat the surfaces of both butterfly wings and water strider legs with a uniform 30 nm thick hydrophilic Al(2)O(3) film. By keeping the surface material the same, we have studied the effect of different surface roughness/structure on their hydrophobic property. After the surface coating, the butterfly wings changed to become hydrophilic, while the water strider legs still remained super-hydrophobic. We suggest that the super-hydrophobic property of the water strider is due to the special shape of the long inclining spindly cone-shaped setae at the surface. The roughness in the surface can enhance the natural tendency to be hydrophobic or hydrophilic, while the roughness in the normal direction of the surface is favorable for forming a composite interface.

Double-grooved nanofibre surfaces with enhanced anisotropic hydrophobicity.

PubMed

Liang, Meimei; Chen, Xin; Xu, Yang; Zhu, Lei; Jin, Xiangyu; Huang, Chen

2017-11-02

This study reports a facile method for fabricating double-grooved fibrous surfaces. The primary grooves of the surface are formed by aligned fibres, while the secondary grooves are achieved by oriented nanogrooves on the fibre surface. Investigation into the formation mechanism reveals that the nanogrooves can be readily tailored through adjusting the solvent ratio and relative humidity. With this understanding, a variety of polymers have been successfully electrospun into fibres having the same nanogrooved feature. These fibres show high resemblance to natural hierarchical structures, and thereby endowing the corresponding double-grooved surface with enhanced anisotropic hydrophobicity. A water droplet at a parallel direction to the grooves exhibits a much higher contact angle and a lower roll-off angle than the droplet at a perpendicular direction. The application potential of such anisotropic hydrophobicity has been demonstrated via a fog collection experiment, in which the double-grooved surface can harvest the largest amount of water. Moreover, the fabrication method requires neither post-treatment nor sophisticated equipment, making us anticipate that the double-grooved surface would be competitive in areas where a highly ordered surface, a large surface area and an anisotropic hydrophobicity are preferred.

Increasing the hydrophobicity degree of stonework by means of laser surface texturing: An application on Zimbabwe black granites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chantada, A.; Penide, J.; Riveiro, A.; del Val, J.; Quintero, F.; Meixus, M.; Soto, R.; Lusquiños, F.; Pou, J.

2017-10-01

Tailoring the wetting characteristics of materials has gained much interest in applications related to surface cleaning in both industry and home. Zimbabwe black granite is a middle-to-fine-grained natural stone commonly used as countertops in kitchens and bathrooms. In this study, the laser texturing of Zimbabwe black granite surfaces is investigated with the aim to enhance its hydrophobic character, thus reducing the attachment of contaminants on the surface. Two laser sources (λ = 1064 and 532 nm) were used for this purpose. The treatment is based on the irradiation of the stone by a laser focused on the surface of the targeting sample. The influence of different laser processing parameters on the surface characteristics of granite (wettability, roughness, and chemistry) was statistically assessed. Most suitable laser processing parameters required to obtain the highest hydrophobicity degree were identified. It has been possible to identify the 532 nm laser wavelength as the most effective one to increase the hydrophobic degree of Zimbabwe black granite surface. The phenomenon governing wettability changes was found to be the surface roughness patterns, given the unaltered chemical surface composition after laser processing.

Effect of photocatalytic and hydrophobic coatings on brewery surface microorganisms.

PubMed

Priha, O; Laakso, J; Tapani, K; Levänen, E; Kolari, M; Mäntylä, T; Storgårds, E

2011-11-01

The aim of this study was to determine whether process hygiene in the beverage industry could be improved by applying new coating techniques to process surfaces. Photocatalytic titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) and hydrophobic coatings applied to stainless steel with or without added antimicrobial compounds were studied in laboratory attachment tests and in a 15-month process study. No clear reductions in numbers of attached microbes were obtained with photocatalytic coatings, except for coatings to which silver had been added. These TiO(2)+Ag coatings reduced microbial coverage in laboratory studies and in some process samples. Hydrophobic coatings reduced the area coverage of microorganisms in 4-h laboratory studies but did not affect colony counts in laboratory or process studies. The surfaces had changed from hydrophobic into hydrophilic during the process study. The coatings did not mechanically fully withstand process conditions; part of the hydrophobic coatings had peeled off, most of the precipitated Ag had dissolved, and some of the TiO(2) coatings were damaged. In conclusion, functional coatings have potential for reducing microbial loads on beverage industry surfaces, but these coatings need further development.

Polymeric membranes: surface modification for minimizing (bio)colloidal fouling.

PubMed

Kochkodan, Victor; Johnson, Daniel J; Hilal, Nidal

2014-04-01

This paper presents an overview on recent developments in surface modification of polymer membranes for reduction of their fouling with biocolloids and organic colloids in pressure driven membrane processes. First, colloidal interactions such as London-van der Waals, electrical, hydration, hydrophobic, steric forces and membrane surface properties such as hydrophilicity, charge and surface roughness, which affect membrane fouling, have been discussed and the main goals of the membrane surface modification for fouling reduction have been outlined. Thereafter the recent studies on reduction of (bio)colloidal of polymer membranes using ultraviolet/redox initiated surface grafting, physical coating/adsorption of a protective layer on the membrane surface, chemical reactions or surface modification of polymer membranes with nanoparticles as well as using of advanced atomic force microscopy to characterize (bio)colloidal fouling have been critically summarized. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Manufacturing of mushroom-shaped structures and its hydrophobic robustness analysis based on energy minimization approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Li; Yang, Xiaonan; Wang, Quandai; Yang, Zhiqiang; Duan, Hui; Lu, Bingheng

2017-07-01

The construction of stable hydrophobic surfaces has increasingly gained attention owing to its wide range of potential applications. However, these surfaces may become wet and lose their slip effect owing to insufficient hydrophobic stability. Pillars with a mushroom-shaped tip are believed to enhance hydrophobicity stability. This work presents a facile method of manufacturing mushroom-shaped structures, where, compared with the previously used method, the modulation of the cap thickness, cap diameter, and stem height of the structures is more convenient. The effects of the development time on the cap diameter and overhanging angle are investigated and well-defined mushroom-shaped structures are demonstrated. The effect of the microstructure geometry on the contact state of a droplet is predicted by taking an energy minimization approach and is experimentally validated with nonvolatile ultraviolet-curable polymer with a low surface tension by inspecting the profiles of liquid-vapor interface deformation and tracking the trace of the receding contact line after exposure to ultraviolet light. Theoretical and experimental results show that, compared with regular pillar arrays having a vertical sidewall, the mushroom-like structures can effectively enhance hydrophobic stability. The proposed manufacturing method will be useful for fabricating robust hydrophobic surfaces in a cost-effective and convenient manner.

Method for removing organic liquids from aqueous solutions and mixtures

DOEpatents

Hrubesh, Lawrence W.; Coronado, Paul R.; Dow, Jerome P.

2004-03-23

A method for removing organic liquids from aqueous solutions and mixtures. The method employs any porous material preferably in granular form and having small pores and a large specific surface area, that is hydrophobic so that liquid water does not readily wet its surface. In this method, organics, especially organic solvents that mix with and are more volatile than water, are separated from aqueous solution by preferentially evaporating across the liquid/solid boundary formed at the surfaces of the hydrophobic porous materials. Also, organic solvents that are immiscible with water, preferentially wet the surfaces of the hydrophobic material and are drawn within the porous materials by capillary action.

Preservation of York Minster historic limestone by hydrophobic surface coatings.

PubMed

Walker, Rachel A; Wilson, Karen; Lee, Adam F; Woodford, Julia; Grassian, Vicki H; Baltrusaitis, Jonas; Rubasinghege, Gayan; Cibin, Giannantonio; Dent, Andrew

2012-01-01

Magnesian limestone is a key construction component of many historic buildings that is under constant attack from environmental pollutants notably by oxides of sulfur via acid rain, particulate matter sulfate and gaseous SO(2) emissions. Hydrophobic surface coatings offer a potential route to protect existing stonework in cultural heritage sites, however, many available coatings act by blocking the stone microstructure, preventing it from 'breathing' and promoting mould growth and salt efflorescence. Here we report on a conformal surface modification method using self-assembled monolayers of naturally sourced free fatty acids combined with sub-monolayer fluorinated alkyl silanes to generate hydrophobic (HP) and super hydrophobic (SHP) coatings on calcite. We demonstrate the efficacy of these HP and SHP surface coatings for increasing limestone resistance to sulfation, and thus retarding gypsum formation under SO(2)/H(2)O and model acid rain environments. SHP treatment of 19th century stone from York Minster suppresses sulfuric acid permeation.

Surface functionalization of magnetic nanoparticles formed by self-associating hydrophobized oxidized dextrans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farber, Shimon; Ickowicz, Diana E.; Melnik, Kristie; Yudovin-Farber, Ira; Recko, Daniel; Rampersaud, Arfaan; Domb, Abraham J.

2014-06-01

Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles surface covered with oleic acid layer followed by a second layer of hydrophobized oxidized dextran aldehyde were prepared and tested for physico-chemical properties and ligand- and cell-specific binding. It was demonstrated that oleic acid-iron oxide nanoparticles coated with an additional layer of hydrophobized oxidized dextran were dispersible in buffer solutions and possess surface aldehyde active groups available for further binding of ligands or markers via imine or amine bond formation. Hydrophobized dextrans were synthesized by periodate oxidation and conjugation of various alkanamines to oxidized dextran by imination. Physico-chemical properties, as separation using magnetic field, magnetite concentration, and particle diameter, of the prepared magnetic samples are reported. The biotin-binding protein, neutravidin, was coupled to the particle surface by a simple reductive amination procedure. The particles were used for specific cell separation with high specificity.

Preservation of York Minster historic limestone by hydrophobic surface coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walker, Rachel A.; Wilson, Karen; Lee, Adam F.; Woodford, Julia; Grassian, Vicki H.; Baltrusaitis, Jonas; Rubasinghege, Gayan; Cibin, Giannantonio; Dent, Andrew

2012-11-01

Magnesian limestone is a key construction component of many historic buildings that is under constant attack from environmental pollutants notably by oxides of sulfur via acid rain, particulate matter sulfate and gaseous SO2 emissions. Hydrophobic surface coatings offer a potential route to protect existing stonework in cultural heritage sites, however, many available coatings act by blocking the stone microstructure, preventing it from `breathing' and promoting mould growth and salt efflorescence. Here we report on a conformal surface modification method using self-assembled monolayers of naturally sourced free fatty acids combined with sub-monolayer fluorinated alkyl silanes to generate hydrophobic (HP) and super hydrophobic (SHP) coatings on calcite. We demonstrate the efficacy of these HP and SHP surface coatings for increasing limestone resistance to sulfation, and thus retarding gypsum formation under SO2/H2O and model acid rain environments. SHP treatment of 19th century stone from York Minster suppresses sulfuric acid permeation.

In situ thermal polymerisation of natural oils as novel sustainable approach in nanographite particle production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Datsyuk, Vitaliy; Trotsenko, Svitlana; Reich, Stephanie

2018-01-01

A sustainable approach to graphite exfoliation via in situ thermal polymerization of fish oil results in the production of nanographite particles. The material was characterized by elemental analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The thermal polymerization of fish oil was controlled by monitoring the viscosity and measuring the iodine number. The number of structural defects on the graphitic surface remained constant during the synthesis. The protocol leads to a hydrophobization of the nanographite surface. Immobilized polyoil islands create sterical hindrance and stabilize the nanographite particles in engineering polymers.

Obtaining and Characterization of Polyolefin-Filled Calcium Carbonate Composites Modified with Stearic Acid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Croitoru, C.; Pascu, A.; Roata, I. C.; Stanciu, E. M.

2017-06-01

In order to obtain high performance calcium carbonate-reinforced HDPE and PP composites, the dispersibility and compatibility of the inorganic phase in the polymer has been achieved through surface treatment of the amorphous calcium carbonate filler with stearic acid. The surface coating of the inorganic phase has been proved by XRD and FTIR spectroscopy, through forming of an intermediate layer of calcium stearate which acts as a surfactant, efficient in providing an optimum compatibility with the dominatingly hydrophobic polymer matrix, as determined from the structural information obtained through samples cross-sections analysing.

Control of Attachment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia to Surfaces by Shear Force.

PubMed

Hui, Yew Woh; Narayanan, Kumaran; Dykes, Gary A

2016-11-01

  The effect of physical shearing on the attachment of six Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains and six Burkholderia cepacia strains to glass, stainless steel, polystyrene and Teflon® was determined. A significant (p < 0.05) decrease in hydrophobicity was apparent for all P. aeruginosa strains (17-36%) and B. cepacia, MS 5 (20%) after shearing. A significant (p < 0.05) decrease in attachment of some P. aeruginosa (0.2-0.5 log CFU/cm2) and B. cepacia (0.2-0.4 log CFU/cm2) strains to some surface types was apparent after shearing. Significant (p < 0.05) correlation was observed for both numbers of flagellated cells and hydrophobicity against attachment to glass, stainless steel and polystyrene for P. aeruginosa while only hydrophobicity showed significant correlation against the same surfaces for B. cepacia. Scanning electron microscopy and protein analysis showed that shearing removed surface proteins from the cells and may have led to the observed changes in hydrophobicity and attachment to abiotic surfaces.

Distribution and Characterization of Antigens Found in Subcellular Fractions of African Trypanosomes

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-08-01

glycoproteln of Trypanosoma brucel synthesized with a c-termlnal hydrophob Ic tall absent from purified glycoproteln. Nature Zfifi: 624-626. 3...Cardosa de Almeida, M.L. and Turner, M.J. 1983. The membrane form of variant surface glycoprotelns of Trypanosoma brucel . Nature 202: 349- 352. 4...Blochem. 131; 1-15. 7. Godfrey, D.G. 1967. Phosphol Iplds of Trypanosoma lewlsl,. I,. vlvaxP L. congolense and L brucel . Expt. Parasit. 20

Isoelectric point is an inadequate descriptor of MS2, Phi X 174 and PRD1 phages adhesion on abiotic surfaces.

PubMed

Dika, Christelle; Duval, Jérôme F L; Francius, Gregory; Perrin, Aline; Gantzer, Christophe

2015-05-15

MS2, Phi X 174 and PRD1 bacteriophages are commonly used as surrogates to evaluate pathogenic virus behavior in natural aquatic media. The interfacial properties of these model soft bioparticles are herein discussed in connection with their propensities to adhere onto abiotic surfaces that differ in terms of surface charges and hydrophobicities. The phages considered in this work exhibit distinct multilayered surface structures and their electrostatic charges are evaluated from the dependence of their electrophoretic mobilities on electrolyte concentration at neutral pH on the basis of electrokinetic theory for soft (bio)particles. The charges of the viruses probed by electrokinetics vary according to the sequence Phi X 174⩽PRD1≪MS2, where '<' stands for 'less charged than'. The hydrophobic/hydrophilic balances of the phages are further derived from their adhesions onto model hydrophobic and hydrophilic self-assembled mono-layers. The corresponding results lead to the following hydrophobicity sequence Phi X 174≪MS2

Lipoprotein hydrophobic core lipids are partially extruded to surface in smaller HDL: “Herniated” HDL, a common feature in diabetes

PubMed Central

Amigó, Núria; Mallol, Roger; Heras, Mercedes; Martínez-Hervás, Sergio; Blanco-Vaca, Francisco; Escolà-Gil, Joan Carles; Plana, Núria; Yanes, Óscar; Masana, Lluís; Correig, Xavier

2016-01-01

Recent studies have shown that pharmacological increases in HDL cholesterol concentrations do not necessarily translate into clinical benefits for patients, raising concerns about its predictive value for cardiovascular events. Here we hypothesize that the size-modulated lipid distribution within HDL particles is compromised in metabolic disorders that have abnormal HDL particle sizes, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). By using NMR spectroscopy combined with a biochemical volumetric model we determined the size and spatial lipid distribution of HDL subclasses in a cohort of 26 controls and 29 DM2 patients before and after two drug treatments, one with niacin plus laropiprant and another with fenofibrate as an add-on to simvastatin. We further characterized the HDL surface properties using atomic force microscopy and fluorescent probes to show an abnormal lipid distribution within smaller HDL particles, a subclass particularly enriched in the DM2 patients. The reduction in the size, force cholesterol esters and triglycerides to emerge from the HDL core to the surface, making the outer surface of HDL more hydrophobic. Interestingly, pharmacological interventions had no effect on this undesired configuration, which may explain the lack of clinical benefits in DM2 subjects. PMID:26778677

Characterization of dissolved organic matter from surface waters with low to high dissolved organic carbon and the related disinfection byproduct formation potential.

PubMed

Li, Angzhen; Zhao, Xu; Mao, Ran; Liu, Huijuan; Qu, Jiuhui

2014-04-30

In this study, the disinfection byproduct formation potential (DBPFP) of three surface waters with the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content of 2.5, 5.2, and 7.9mg/L was investigated. The formation and distribution of trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids were evaluated. Samples collected from three surface waters in China were fractionated based on molecular weight and hydrophobicity. The raw water containing more hydrophobic (Ho) fraction exhibited higher formation potentials of haloacetic acid and trihalomethane. The DBPFP of the surface waters did not correlate with the DOC value. The values of DBPFP per DOC were correlated with the specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA) for Ho and Hi fractions. The obtained results suggested that SUVA cannot reveal the ability of reactive sites to form disinfection byproducts for waters with few aromatic structures. Combined with the analysis of FTIR and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of the raw waters and the corresponding fractions, it was concluded that the Ho fraction with phenolic hydroxyl and conjugated double bonds was responsible for the production of trichloromethanes and trichloroacetic acids. The Hi fraction with amino and carboxyl groups had the potential to form dichloroacetic acids and chlorinated trihalomethanes. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Hydraulic Jumps on Superhydrophobic Surfaces Exhibiting Ribs and Cavities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Michael; Russell, Benton; Maynes, Daniel; Webb, Brent

2009-11-01

We report experimental results characterizing the dynamics of a liquid jet impinging normally on superhydrophobic surfaces spanning the Weber number (based on the jet velocity and diameter) range from 100 to 1400. The superhydrophobic surfaces are fabricated with both silicon and PDMS surfaces and exhibit micro-ribs and cavities coated with a hydrophobic coating. In general, the hydraulic jump exhibits an elliptical shape with the major axis being aligned parallel to the ribs, concomitant with the frictional resistance being smaller in the parallel direction than in the transverse direction. When the water depth downstream of the jump was imposed at a predetermined value, the major and minor axis of the jump increased with decreasing water depth, following classical hydraulic jump behavior. When no water depth was imposed, however, the total projected area of the ellipse exhibited a nearly linear dependence on the jet Weber number, and was nominally invariant with varying hydrophobicity and relative size of the ribs and cavities. For this scenario the Weber number (based on the local radial velocity and water depth prior to the jump) was of order unity at the jump location. The results also reveal that for increasing relative size of the cavities, the ratio of the ellipse axis (major-to-minor) increases.

Formation of Micro-Scale Gas Pockets From Underwater Wall Orifices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pereira, Francisco A.; Gharib, Morteza

2012-11-01

Our experiments examine the formation of micro-scale gas pockets from orifices on walls with hydrophilic and hydrophobic wetting properties. Bubble injection is operated in a liquid at rest at constant flow rate and in a quasi-static regime, and the mechanism of bubble growth is investigated through high speed recordings. The growth dynamics is studied in terms of orifice size, surface wetting properties and buoyancy sign. The bubble formation is characterized by an explosive growth, with a pressure wave that causes the bubble to take highly transient shapes in its very initial stages, before stabilizing as a sphere and growing at a relatively slow rate. In case of positive buoyancy, the bubble elongates with the formation of a neck before detaching from the wall. When buoyancy acts towards the wall, the bubble attaches to the wall and expands laterally with a moving contact line. In presence of hydrophobic surfaces, the bubble attaches immediately to the wall irrespective of buoyancy direction and takes a hemispherical shape, expanding radially along the surface. A force balance is outlined to explain the different figures. The work was performed by FAP while on leave from CNR-INSEAN, and is supported by the Office of Naval Research (ONR).

The influence of surface treatment on hydrophobicity, protein adsorption and microbial colonisation of silicone hydrogel contact lenses.

PubMed

Santos, Lívia; Rodrigues, Diana; Lira, Madalena; Oliveira, M Elisabete C D Real; Oliveira, Rosário; Vilar, Eva Yebra-Pimentel; Azeredo, Joana

2007-07-01

To evaluate the influence of surface treatment of silicone-hydrogel CL on lens hydrophobicity, protein adsorption and microbial colonisation by studying several silicone hydrogel contact lenses (CL) with and without surface treatment. The lenses used in this study were Balafilcon A, Lotrafilcon A, Lotrafilcon B and Galyfilcon A. A conventional hydrogel CL (Etafilcon A) was also tested. Hydrophobicity was determined through contact angle measurement using the advancing type technique on air. The type and quantity of proteins adsorbed were assessed through SDS-PAGE and fluorescence spectroscopy, respectively. Microbial colonisation was studied by removing the microbes from the lenses through sonication, and counting the colony-forming units on agar plates. Regarding hydrophobicity, both surface and non-surface-treated silicone hydrogel CL were found to be hydrophobic, and the conventional hydrogel CL was found to be hydrophilic. Concerning protein adsorption, different protein profiles were observed on the several lenses tested. Nevertheless, the presence of proteins with the same molecular weight as lysozyme and lactoferrin was common to all lenses, which is probably related to their abundance in tears. In terms of total protein adsorption, silicone hydrogel CL did not exhibit any differences between themselves. However, the conventional hydrogel Etafilcon A adsorbed a larger amount of proteins. Regarding microbial colonisation, Balafilcon A exhibited the greatest amount of colonising microbes, which can be due to its superior hydrophobicity and higher electron acceptor capacity. This study suggests that silicone hydrogel lenses adsorb a lower amount of proteins than the conventional hydrogel lenses and that this phenomenon is independent of the presence of surface treatment. Concerning microbial colonisation, the surface treated Balafilcon A, exhibited a greater propensity, a fact that may compromise the lens wearer's ocular health.

Modulation of cell surface hydrophobicity and attachment of bacteria to abiotic surfaces and shrimp by Malaysian herb extracts.

PubMed

Hui, Yew Woh; Dykes, Gary A

2012-08-01

The use of simple crude water extracts of common herbs to reduce bacterial attachment may be a cost-effective way to control bacterial foodborne pathogens, particularly in developing countries. The ability of water extracts of three common Malaysian herbs (Andrographis paniculata, Eurycoma longifolia, and Garcinia atroviridis) to modulate hydrophobicity and attachment to surfaces of five food-related bacterial strains (Bacillus cereus ATCC 14576, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 10145, Salmonella Enteritidis ATCC 13076, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923) were determined. The bacterial attachment to hydrocarbon assay was used to determine bacterial hydrophobicity. Staining and direct microscopic counts were used to determine attachment of bacteria to glass and stainless steel. Plating on selective media was used to determine attachment of bacteria to shrimp. All extracts were capable of either significantly ( P < 0.05) increasing or decreasing bacterial surface hydrophobicity, depending on the herb extract and bacteria combination. Bacterial attachment to all surfaces was either significantly (P < 0.05) increased or decreased, depending on the herb extract and bacteria combination. Overall, hydrophobicity did not show a significant correlation (P > 0.05) to bacterial attachment. For specific combinations of bacteria, surface material, and plant extract, significant correlations (R > 0.80) between hydrophobicity and attachment were observed. The highest of these was observed for S. aureus attachment to stainless steel and glass after treatment with the E. longifolia extract (R = 0.99, P < 0.01). The crude water herb extracts in this study were shown to have the potential to modulate specific bacterial and surface interactions and may, with further work, be useful for the simple and practical control of foodborne pathogens.

On gel electrophoresis of dielectric charged particles with hydrophobic surface: A combined theoretical and numerical study.

PubMed

Majee, Partha Sarathi; Bhattacharyya, Somnath; Gopmandal, Partha Pratim; Ohshima, Hiroyuki

2018-03-01

A theoretical study on the gel electrophoresis of a charged particle incorporating the effects of dielectric polarization and surface hydrophobicity at the particle-liquid interface is made. A simplified model based on the weak applied field and low charge density assumption is also presented and compared with the full numerical model for a nonpolarizable particle to elucidate the nonlinear effects such as double layer polarization and relaxation as well as surface conduction. The main motivation of this study is to analyze the electrophoresis of the surface functionalized nanoparticle with tunable hydrophobicity or charged fluid drop in gel medium by considering the electrokinetic effects and hydrodynamic interactions between the particle and the gel medium. An effective medium approach, in which the transport in the electrolyte-saturated hydrogel medium is governed by the Brinkman equation, is adopted in the present analysis. The governing electrokinetic equations based on the conservation principles are solved numerically. The Navier-slip boundary condition along with the continuity condition of dielectric displacement are imposed on the surface of the hydrophobic polarizable particle. The impact of the slip length on the electrophoresis is profound for a thinner Debye layer, however, surface conduction effect also becomes significant for a hydrophobic particle. Impact of hydrophobicity and relaxation effects are higher for a larger particle. Dielectric polarization creates a reduction in its electrophoretic propulsion and has negligible impact at the thinner Debye length as well as lower gel screening length. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

(Super)hydrophobic coating of orthodontic dental devices and reduction of early oral biofilm retention.

PubMed

Oliveira, Adauê S; Kaizer, Marina R; Azevedo, Marina S; Ogliari, Fabrício A; Cenci, Maximiliano S; Moraes, Rafael R

2015-11-03

This study was designed to apply (super)hydrophobic crosslinked coatings by means of a sol-gel process on the surface of orthodontic devices and investigate the potential effect of these coatings in reducing the early retention of oral biofilm. Two organosilane-based hydrophobic solutions (HSs) were prepared containing hexadecyltrimethoxysilane diluted in ethanol (HS1) or 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane diluted in dimethyl sulfoxide (HS2). Stainless steel plates and ceramic discs were coated with HS1 or HS2 and heated at 150 °C for 2 h for condensation of a crosslinked SiO x network. Organosilane coatings were applied after previous, or no, surface sandblasting. Commercial stainless steel and ceramic brackets were used to evaluate oral biofilm retention after 12 h or 24 h of biofilm growth, using a microcosm model with human saliva as the inoculum. Surface roughness analysis (Ra, μm) indicated that sandblasting associated with organosilane coatings increased roughness for stainless steel brackets only. Analysis of the water contact angle showed that the stainless steel surface treated with HS1 was hydrophobic (~123°), while the ceramic surface treated with HS2 was superhydrophobic (~155°). Biofilm retention after 24 h was significantly lower in groups treated with hydrophobic coatings. An exponential reduction in biofilm accumulation was associated with increased water contact angle for both stainless steel and ceramic at 24 h. Application of (super)hydrophobic coatings on the surface of stainless steel and ceramic orthodontic devices might reduce the retention of oral biofilm.

Optically transparent super-hydrophobic thin film fabricated by reusable polyurethane-acrylate (PUA) mold

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, J.-S.; Park, J.-H.; Lee, D.-W.

2018-02-01

In this paper, we describe a simple manufacturing method for producing an optically transparent super-hydrophobic polymer thin film using a reusable photo-curable polymer mold. Soluble photoresist (PR) molds were prepared with under-exposed and under-baked processes, which created unique hierarchical micro/nano structures. The reverse phase of the PR mold was replicated on the surface of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates. The unique patterns on the replicated PDMS molds were successfully transferred back to the UV curable polyurethane-acrylate (PUA) using a laboratory-made UV exposure system. Continuous production of the super-hydrophobic PDMS thin film was demonstrated using the reusable PUA mold. In addition, hydrophobic nano-silica powder was sprayed onto the micro/nano structured PDMS surfaces to further improve hydrophobicity. The fabricated PDMS thin films with hierarchical surface texturing showed a water contact angle  ⩾150°. Excellent optical transmittance within the range of visible light of wavelengths between 400-800 nm was experimentally confirmed using a spectrophotometer. High efficiency of the super-hydrophobic PDMS film in optical transparency was also confirmed using solar panels. The fabricated PUA molds are very suitable for use in roll-to-roll or roll-to-plate systems which allow continuous production of super-hydrophobic thin films with an excellent optical transparency.

Highly selective creation of hydrophilic micro-craters on super hydrophobic surface using electrohydrodynamic jet printing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jaehyun; Hwang, Sangyeon; Prasetyo, Fariza Dian; Nguyen, Vu Dat; Hong, Jungwoo; Shin, Jennifer H.; Byun, Doyoung

2014-11-01

Selective surface modification is considered as an alternative to conventional printing techniques in high resolution patterning. Here, we present fabrication of hydrophilic patterns on the super hydrophobic surface, which makes structure on the hydrophilic region. The super hydrophobic surface is able to be chemically changed to hydrophilic with alcohols. As a consecutive process, electrohydrodynamic (EHD) jet printing was utilized to fabricate local hydrophilic craters with 30-200 μm sizes. 3 kinds of target liquids were deposited well on hydrophilic region; PEDOT (poly 3,4 ethylenediocythiophene), polystyrene nano-particles, and salmonella bacteria medium. Additionally, qualitative analysis were presented for modification mechanism and surface properties on super hydrophobic/hydrophilic by analysis of surface energy with contact angle, SEM (scanning electron microscopy) image, and SIMS (secondary ion mass spectroscopy) analysis. This new simple modification method provides possibility to be utilizing in bio-patterning engineering such as cell culturing microchip and lab on a chip. This research was supported by the Basi Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) (Grand Number: 2014-023284).

Self-assembled Monolayer Mediated Surface Environment Modification of Poly(vinylpyrrolidone)-Coated Hollow Au-Ag Nanoshells for Enhanced Loading of Hydrophobic Drug and Efficient Multimodal Therapy.

PubMed

Jang, Hongje; Kim, Dong-Eun; Min, Dal-Hee

2015-06-17

Hollow Au-Ag bimetallic nanoshell possessing hydrophobic interior space and hydrophilic exterior surface was prepared and its application as a chemo-thermo-gene therapeutic agent based on its high payload of multiple drugs having different water solubility was demonstrated. The multifunctional drug delivery system is based on the hydrophobic interior created by the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of hexanethiol onto the inner surface of the hollow metallic nanoshells whereas the outer surface was mostly coated by hydrophilic biocompatible polymer. The nanoshells having surface environment modified by hexanethiol SAMs provided high capacity both for hydrophilic DNAzyme (Dz) to induce gene silencing and for hydrophobic SN38 (7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin), anticancer drug. The release of the loaded Dz and SN38 was independently triggered by an acidic environment and by photothermal temperature elevation upon irradiation, respectively. The chemo-thermo-gene multitherapy based on the present nanoshells having modified surface environment showed high efficacy in quantitative cell-based assays using Huh7 human liver cell containing hepatitis C viral NS3 gene replicon RNA.

Adsorption Kinetics, Conformation, and Mobility of the Growth Hormone and Lysozyme on Solid Surfaces, Studied with TIRF

PubMed

Buijs; Hlady

1997-06-01

Interactions of recombinant human growth hormone and lysozyme with solid surfaces are studied using total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) and monitoring the protein's intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence. The intensity, spectra, quenching, and polarization of the fluorescence emitted by the adsorbed proteins are monitored and related to adsorption kinetics, protein conformation, and fluorophore rotational mobility. To study the influence of electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions on the adsorption process, three sorbent surfaces are used which differ in charge and hydrophobicity. The chemical surface groups are silanol, methyl, and quaternary amine. Results indicate that adsorption of hGH is dominated by hydrophobic interactions. Lysozyme adsoption is strongly affected by the ionic strength. This effect is probably caused by an ionic strength dependent conformational state in solution which, in turn, influences the affinity for adsorption. Both proteins are more strongly bound to hydrophobic surfaces and this strong interaction is accompanied by a less compact conformation. Furthermore, it was seen that regardless of the characteristics of the sorbent surface, the rotational mobility of both proteins' tryptophans is largely reduced upon adsorption.

Pathways to dewetting in hydrophobic confinement.

PubMed

Remsing, Richard C; Xi, Erte; Vembanur, Srivathsan; Sharma, Sumit; Debenedetti, Pablo G; Garde, Shekhar; Patel, Amish J

2015-07-07

Liquid water can become metastable with respect to its vapor in hydrophobic confinement. The resulting dewetting transitions are often impeded by large kinetic barriers. According to macroscopic theory, such barriers arise from the free energy required to nucleate a critical vapor tube that spans the region between two hydrophobic surfaces--tubes with smaller radii collapse, whereas larger ones grow to dry the entire confined region. Using extensive molecular simulations of water between two nanoscopic hydrophobic surfaces, in conjunction with advanced sampling techniques, here we show that for intersurface separations that thermodynamically favor dewetting, the barrier to dewetting does not correspond to the formation of a (classical) critical vapor tube. Instead, it corresponds to an abrupt transition from an isolated cavity adjacent to one of the confining surfaces to a gap-spanning vapor tube that is already larger than the critical vapor tube anticipated by macroscopic theory. Correspondingly, the barrier to dewetting is also smaller than the classical expectation. We show that the peculiar nature of water density fluctuations adjacent to extended hydrophobic surfaces--namely, the enhanced likelihood of observing low-density fluctuations relative to Gaussian statistics--facilitates this nonclassical behavior. By stabilizing isolated cavities relative to vapor tubes, enhanced water density fluctuations thus stabilize novel pathways, which circumvent the classical barriers and offer diminished resistance to dewetting. Our results thus suggest a key role for fluctuations in speeding up the kinetics of numerous phenomena ranging from Cassie-Wenzel transitions on superhydrophobic surfaces, to hydrophobically driven biomolecular folding and assembly.

Cell surface physiology and outer cell envelope impermeability for hydrophobic substances in Burkholderia multivorans.

PubMed

Ruskoski, Sallie A; Champlin, Franklin R

2017-07-01

The purpose of the present study was to obtain a better understanding of the relationship between cell surface physiology and outer cellular envelope permeability for hydrophobic substances in mucoid and non-mucoid B. multivorans strains, as well as in two capsule-deficient derivatives of a mucoid parental strain. Cell surface hydrophobicity properties were determined using the hydrocarbon adherence method, while outer cell envelope accessibility and permeability for non-polar compounds were measured using hydrophobic antimicrobial agent susceptibility and fluorescent probe assays. Extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) production was assessed by cultivating strains of disparate origin on yeast extract agar (YEA) containing different sugars, while the resultant colonial and cellular morphological parameters were assessed macro- and microscopically, respectively.Results/Key findings. The cell surfaces of all the strains were hydrophilic, impermeable to mechanistically disparate hydrophobic antibacterial agents and inaccessible to the hydrophobic probe N-phenyl-1-napthylamine, regardless of EPS phenotype. Supplementation of basal YEA with eight different sugars enhanced macroscopic EPS expression for all but one non-mucoid strain, with mannose potentiating the greatest effect. Despite acquisition of the mucoid phenotype, non-mucoid strains remained non-capsulated and capsulation of a hyper-mucoid strain and its two non-mucoid derivative strains was unaffected, as judged by microscopic observation. These data support the conclusion that EPS expression and the consistent mucoid phenotype are not necessarily associated with the ability of the outer cell surface to associate with non-polar substances or cellular capsulation.

Can soil drying affect the sorption of pesticides in soil?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaplain, Véronique; Saint, Philippe; Mamy, Laure; Barriuso, Enrique

2010-05-01

The sorption of pesticides in soils mainly controls their further dispersion into the environment. Sorption is usually related to the physico-chemical properties of molecules but it also depends on the hydrophobic features of soils. However, the hydrophobicity of soils changes with wetting and drying cycles and this can be enhanced with climate change. The objective of this study was to measure by using controlled artificial soils the influence of the hydrophobic characteristic of soils on the retention of a model pesticide. Artificial soils consisted in silica particles covered by synthetic cationic polymers. Polymers were characterized by the molar ratio of monomers bearing an alkyl chain of 12C. Two polymers were used, with 20 and 80 % ratios, and the same degree of polymerization. In addition, porous and non-porous particles were used to study the accessibility notion and to measure the influence of diffusion on pesticide sorption kinetics. Lindane was chosen as model molecule because its adsorption is supposed mainly due to hydrophobic interactions. Results on polymers adsorption on silica showed that it was governed by electrostatic interactions, without any dependency of the hydrophobic ratio. Polymers covered the entire surface of porous particles. Kinetic measurements showed that lindane sorption was slowed in porous particles due to the molecular diffusion inside the microporosity. The adsorption of lindane on covered silica particles corresponded to a partition mechanism described by linear isotherms. The slope was determined by the hydrophobic ratio of polymers: the sorption of lindane was highest in the most hydrophobic artificial soil. As a result, modification in soil hydrophobicity, that can happen with climate change, might affect the sorption and the fate of pesticides. However additional experiments are needed to confirm these first results. Such artificial soils should be used as reference materials to compare the reactivity of pesticides, to identify the main adsorption mechanisms, and to study the effect of modifications in soil physico-chemical properties on the fate of pesticides.

Synthesis of biocompatible hydrophobic silica-gelatin nano-hybrid by sol-gel process.

PubMed

Smitha, S; Shajesh, P; Mukundan, P; Nair, T D R; Warrier, K G K

2007-03-15

Silica-biopolymer hybrid has been synthesised using colloidal silica as the precursor for silica and gelatin as the biopolymer counterpart. The surface modification of the hybrid material has been done with methyltrimethoxysilane leading to the formation of biocompatible hydrophobic silica-gelatin hybrid. Here we are reporting hydrophobic silica-gelatin hybrid and coating precursor for the first time. The hybrid gel has been evaluated for chemical modification, thermal degradation, hydrophobicity, particle size, transparency under the UV-visible region and morphology. FTIR spectroscopy has been used to verify the presence of CH(3) groups which introduce hydrophobicity to the SiO2-MTMS-gelatin hybrids. The hydrophobic property has also been tailored by varying the concentration of methyltrimethoxysilane. Contact angle by Wilhelmy plate method of transparent hydrophobic silica-gelatin coatings has been found to be as high as approximately 95 degrees . Oxidation of the organic group which induces the hydrophobic character occurs at 530 degrees C which indicates that the surface hydrophobicity is retained up to that temperature. Optical transmittance of SiO2-MTMS-gelatin hybrid coatings on glass substrates has been found to be close to 100% which will enable the hybrid for possible optical applications and also for preparation of transparent biocompatible hydrophobic coatings on biological substrates such as leather.

Towards increased selectivity of drug delivery to cancer cells: development of a LDL-based nanodelivery system for hydrophobic photosensitizers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buzova, Diana; Huntosova, Veronika; Kasak, Peter; Petrovajova, Dana; Joniova, Jaroslava; Dzurova, Lenka; Nadova, Zuzana; Sureau, Franck; Midkovsky, Pavol; Jancura, Daniel

2012-10-01

Low-density lipoproteins (LDL), a natural in vivo carrier of cholesterol in the vascular system, play a key role in the delivery of hydrophobic photosensitizers (pts) to tumor cells in photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer. To make this delivery system even more efficient, we have constructed a nano-delivery system by coating of LDL surface by polyethylene glycol (PEG) and dextran. Fluorescence spectroscopy and confocal fluorescence imaging were used to characterize redistribution of hypericin (Hyp), a natural potent pts, loaded in LDL/PEG and LDL/dextran complexes to free LDL molecules as well as to monitor cellular uptake of Hyp by U87-MG cells. It was shown than the redistribution process of Hyp between LDL molecules is significantly suppressed by dextran coating of LDL surface. On the other hand, PEG does not significantly influence this process. The modification of LDL molecules by the polymers does not inhibit their recognition by cellular LDL receptors. U-87 MG cellular uptake of Hyp loaded in LDL/PEG and LDL/dextran complexes appears to be similar to that one observed for Hyp transported by unmodified LDL particles. It is proposed that by polymers modified LDL molecules could be used as a basis for construction of a drug transport system for targeted delivery of hydrophobic drugs to cancer cells expressing high level of LDL receptors.

Functionalization of Ceramic Metal Oxide Powders and Ceramic Membranes by Perfluoroalkylsilanes and Alkylsilanes Possessing Different Reactive Groups: Physicochemical and Tribological Properties.

PubMed

Kujawa, Joanna; Kujawski, Wojciech

2016-03-23

The functionalization of ceramic materials, metal oxide powders (TiO2 and ZrO2), and ceramic membranes (5 kD TiO2 and 300 kD TiO2) was performed and thoroughly discussed. The objective of the functionalization was to change the natively hydrophilic character to the hydrophobic. The hydrophilic character of the ceramics generates limitations in wider application of such materials. Material functionalization was performed using perfluoroalkylsilanes and trifunctional(octyl)silanes possessing three different reactive functional groups: -Cl, -OMe, and -OEt. The characterization of functionalized metal oxide powders and ceramic membranes was assessed by a combination of various analytical methods and techniques: NMR, TGA, HR-TEM, FT-IR, SEM-EDX, AFM, and contact goniometry. The impact of molecular structure of grafting agents (type of reactive group), time of functionalization process (5-15 min), and type of membrane morphology on the material, physicochemical, and tribological properties was studied. Effectiveness of hydrophobization was confirmed by HR-TEM technique. The thickness of the attached hydrophobic nanolayer on the surface of ceramics was around 2.2 nm. It was found that the stable hydrophobic surfaces were obtained by functionalization with both fluorinated and nonfluorinated modifiers. The materials modified with perfluoroalkylsilanes (FC6OEt3) and trichloro(octyl)silanes (C6Cl3) during 15 min hydrophobization possess comparable properties: contact angle (CA) equal to 130° and 133°; roughness RMS of 10.2 and 12 nm; adhesive force of 4.1 and 5.7 nN; and Young modulus of 135 and 130 GPa, respectively. The relation between hydrophobicity level and ceramic membrane roughness was discussed applying the Kao diagram concept. (29)Si NMR results show that type of modifier has an important influence on grafting efficiency and on the mode of the grafting molecules attachment. In case of grafting with n-octyltrichlorosilane (C6OCl3) and n-octyltrimethoxysilane (C6OMe3), an increase of lateral polymerization across the octylsilane layer was observed.

Formation and composition of adsorbates on hydrophobic carbon surfaces from aqueous laccase-maltodextrin mixture suspension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corrales Ureña, Yendry Regina; Lisboa-Filho, Paulo Noronha; Szardenings, Michael; Gätjen, Linda; Noeske, Paul-Ludwig Michael; Rischka, Klaus

2016-11-01

A robust procedure for the surface bio-functionalization of carbon surfaces was developed. It consists on the modification of carbon materials in contact with an aqueous suspension of the enzyme laccase from Trametes versicolor and the lyophilization agent maltodextrin, with the pH value adjusted close to the isoelectric point of the enzyme. We report in-situ investigations applying Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation (QCM-D) for carbon-coated sensor surfaces and, moreover, ex-situ measurements with static contact angle measurements, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Scanning Force Microscopy (SFM) for smooth Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite (HOPG) substrates, for contact times between the enzyme formulation and the carbon material surface ranging from 20 s to 24 h. QCM-D studies reveals the formation of rigid layer of biomaterial, a few nanometers thin, which shows a strongly improved wettability of the substrate surface upon contact angle measurements. Following spectroscopic characterization, these layers are composed of mixtures of laccase and maltodextrin. The formation of these adsorbates is attributed to attractive interactions between laccase, the maltodextrin-based lyophilization agent and the hydrophobic carbon surfaces; a short-term contact between the aqueous laccase mixture suspension and HOPG surfaces is shown to merely result in de-wetting patterns influencing the results of contact angle measurements. The new enzyme-based surface modification of carbon-based materials is suggested to be applicable for the improvement of not only the wettability of low energy substrate surfaces with fluid formulations like coatings or adhesives, but also their adhesion in contact with hardened polymers.

Hydrophobic surface functionalization of Philippine natural zeolite for a targeted oil remediation application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osonio, Airah P.; Olegario-Sanchez, Eleanor M.

2017-12-01

The objective of this study is to modify and compare the oil sorption capacity on the surface of natural zeolite (NZ) and functionalized natural zeolite (FNZ) and to compare with activated charcoal samples. The NZ samples were surface modified via esterification process and characterized using XRD, SEM, and IR spectroscopy. The NZ, FNZ and activated charcoal were then tested using ASTM method F726-12 to validate the oil sorption capacity and TGA was used for the oil selectivity of the adsorbents. The results indicate that FNZ has an improved oil/water adsorption capacity than NZ when functionalized with ester and has a comparable capacity with activated charcoal.

Superoleophilic particles and coatings and methods of making the same

DOEpatents

Simpson, John T; D& #x27; Urso, Brian

2013-07-30

Superoleophilic particles and surfaces and methods of making the same are described. The superoleophilic particles can include porous particles having a hydrophobic coating layer deposited thereon. The coated porous particles are characterized by particle sizes ranging from at least 100 nm to about 10 .mu.m and a plurality of nanopores. Some of the nanopores provide flow through porosity. The superoleophilic particles also include oil pinned within the nanopores of the porous particles The plurality of porous particles can include (i) particles including a plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features comprising a contiguous, protrusive material, (ii) diatomaceous earth particles, or (iii) both. The surfaces can include the superoleophilic particles coupled to the surface.

Characterization of initial events in bacterial surface colonization by two Pseudomonas species using image analysis.

PubMed

Mueller, R F; Characklis, W G; Jones, W L; Sears, J T

1992-05-01

The processes leading to bacterial colonization on solid-water interfaces are adsorption, desorption, growth, and erosion. These processes have been measured individually in situ in a flowing system in real time using image analysis. Four different substrata (copper, silicon, 316 stainless-steel and glass) and 2 different bacterial species (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas fluorescens) were used in the experiments. The flow was laminar (Re = 1.4) and the shear stress was kept constant during all experiments at 0.75 N m(-2). The surface roughness varied among the substrata from 0.002 microm (for silicon) to 0.015 microm (for copper). Surface free energies varied from 25.1 dynes cm(-1) for silicon to 31.2 dynes cm(-1) for copper. Cell curface hydrophobicity, reported as hydrocarbon partitioning values, ranged from 0.67 for Ps. fluorescens to 0.97 for Ps. aeruginosa.The adsorption rate coefficient varied by as much as a factor of 10 among the combinations of bacterial strain and substratum material, and was positively correlated with surface free energy, the surface roughness of the substratum, and the hydrophobicity of the cells. The probability of desorption decreased with increasing surface free energy and surface roughness of the substratum. Cell growth was inhibited on copper, but replication of cells overlying an initial cell layer was observed with increased exposure time to the cell-containing bulk water. A mathematical model describing cell accumulation on a substratum is presented.

UV/O3 treatment as a surface modification of rice husk towards preparation of novel biocomposites

PubMed Central

Rajendran Royan, Nishata Royan; Sulong, Abu Bakar; Yuhana, Nor Yuliana; Ab Ghani, Mohd Hafizuddin; Ahmad, Sahrim

2018-01-01

The use of rice husks (RH) to reinforce polymers in biocomposites are increasing tremendously. However, the incompatibility between the hydrophilic RH fibers and the hydrophobic thermoplastic matrices leads to unsatisfactory biocomposites. Surface modification of the fiber surface was carried out to improve the adhesion between fiber and matrix. In this study, the effect of surface modification of RH via alkali, acid and ultraviolet-ozonolysis (UV/O3) treatments on the properties of composites recycled high density polyethylene (rHDPE) composites was investigated. The untreated and treated RH were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The composites containing 30 wt% of RH (treated and untreated) were then prepared via extrusion and followed by compression molding. As compared to untreated RH, all surface treated RH exhibited rougher surface and showed improved adhesion with rHDPE matrix. Tensile strength of UV/O3-treated RH composites showed an optimum result at 18.37 MPa which improved about 5% in comparison to the composites filled with untreated RH. UV/O3 treatment promotes shorter processing time and lesser raw material waste during treatment process where this is beneficial for commercialization in the future developments of wood plastic composites (WPCs). Therefore, UV/O3 treatment can be served as an alternative new method to modify RH surface in order to improve the adhesion between hydrophilic RH fibre and hydrophobic rHDPE polymer matrix. PMID:29847568

Super-hydrophobic multi-walled carbon nanotube coatings for stainless steel.

PubMed

De Nicola, Francesco; Castrucci, Paola; Scarselli, Manuela; Nanni, Francesca; Cacciotti, Ilaria; De Crescenzi, Maurizio

2015-04-10

We have taken advantage of the native surface roughness and the iron content of AISI 316 stainless steel to directly grow multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) random networks by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) at low-temperature (1000°C) without the addition of any external catalysts or time-consuming pre-treatments. In this way, super-hydrophobic MWCNT films on stainless steel sheets were obtained, exhibiting high contact angle values (154°C) and high adhesion force (high contact angle hysteresis). Furthermore, the investigation of MWCNT films with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals a two-fold hierarchical morphology of the MWCNT random networks made of hydrophilic carbonaceous nanostructures on the tip of hydrophobic MWCNTs. Owing to the Salvinia effect, the hydrophobic and hydrophilic composite surface of the MWCNT films supplies a stationary super-hydrophobic coating for conductive stainless steel. This biomimetical inspired surface not only may prevent corrosion and fouling, but also could provide low friction and drag reduction.

Supramolecular "Big Bang" in a Single-Ionic Surfactant/Water System Driven by Electrostatic Repulsion: From Vesicles to Micelles.

PubMed

Leclercq, Loïc; Bauduin, Pierre; Nardello-Rataj, Véronique

2017-04-11

In aqueous solution, dimethyldi-n-octylammonium chloride, [DiC 8 ][Cl], spontaneously forms dimers at low concentrations (1-10 mM) to decrease the strength of the hydrophobic-water contact. Dimers represent ideal building blocks for the abrupt edification of vesicles at 10 mM. These vesicles are fully characterized by dynamic and static light scattering, self-diffusion nuclear magnetic resonance, and freeze-fracture transmission electron microscopy. An increase in concentration leads to electrostatic repulsion between vesicles that explode into small micelles at 30 mM. These transitions are detected by means of surface tension, conductivity, and solubility of hydrophobic solutes as well as by isothermal titration microcalorimetry. These unusual supramolecular transitions emerge from the surfactant chemical structure that combines two contradictory features: (i) the double-chain structure tending to form low planar aggregates with low water solubility and (ii) the relatively short chains giving high hydrophilicity. The well-balanced hydrophilic-hydrophobic character of [DiC 8 ][Cl] is then believed to be at the origin of the unusual supramolecular sequence offering new opportunities for drug delivery systems.

Preparation of Water-Repellent Glass by Sol-Gel Process Using Perfluoroalkylsilane and Tetraethoxysilane.

PubMed

Jeong, Hye-Jeong; Kim, Dong-Kwon; Lee, Soo-Bok; Kwon, Soo-Han; Kadono, Kohei

2001-03-01

Coating films on glass substrate were prepared by sol-gel process using alkoxide solutions containing perfluoroalkylsilane (PFAS) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). The physical properties of the coating films were characterized by SEM, FT-IR, and XRD. And their surface properties were investigated by measuring contact angles and atomic compositions. Transparent coating films with smooth surface and uniform thickness could be obtained. The contact angles of the coating films for water and methylene iodide are extremely high, at 118 degrees and 97 degrees, respectively, and their surface free energies are about 9.7 dyn/cm. It was found that the water-repellent glass prepared is very hydrophobic and exhibits excellent water-repellency. Hydrophobic perfluoroalkyl groups are preferentially enriched to the outermost layer at the coating film-air interface, and two layers probably exist in the coating film. The upper layer oriented toward the air is composed of mainly perfluoroalkyl groups originating from PFAS, and the lower layer is composed of mainly -OSiO- groups originating from TEOS. The heat treatment after drying step cannot influence the surface enrichment of the perfluoroalkyl group. The hydrolysis reaction should be more completely done before the dip coating step to obtain lower surface free energy. The burning temperature should be less than 300 degrees C because the perfluoroalkyl group begins to decompose from this temperature. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

Role and mechanism of cell-surface hydrophobicity in the adaptation of Sphingobium hydrophobicum to electronic-waste contaminated sediment.

PubMed

Chen, Xingjuan; Song, Da; Xu, Jingjing; Li, Enze; Sun, Guoping; Xu, Meiying

2018-03-01

Sphingomonads are isolated at exceptionally high frequency from organic polluted environments and assumed to be more hydrophobic than other Gram-negative bacteria. However, the potential roles of cell-surface hydrophobicity (CSH) in the cell survival in polluted environment, as well as the mechanisms underlying the CSH of sphingomonads, remain unclear. Sphingobium hydrophobicum C1 T is a highly hydrophobic sphingomonad isolated from electronic-waste contaminated sediment. In this study, we found that exposure to the typical pollutants in electronic-waste contaminated sediment, such as the heavy metal ion Pb and the organic compound deca-brominated diphenyl ether (deca-BDE), resulted in the development of even higher CSH of the hydrophobic strain C1 T ; but no significant change was observed in the low CSH of its hydrophilic variant C2. The hydrophobic strain C1 T achieved higher biomass yield in standing conditions and adsorbed more amounts of hydrophobic deca-BDE than its hydrophilic variant C2, suggesting that the high CSH potentially enhanced the adaptation of hydrophobic strain to colonize in sediment and adsorb hydrophobic nutrients. The identification of the bacterial cell-surface constituents showed that the high CSH of S. hydrophobicum was contributed greatly by outer-membrane proteins, particularly membrane transporters functioning as enhancers for nutrient uptake and stress sustainment. This study will enhance our understanding of the adaptive strategies of sphingomonads in contaminated environments. It will be of great importance to enhance the CSH of sphingomonads and utilize them in cleaning up the environment from organic pollution.

Temperature-responsive chromatography for the separation of biomolecules.

PubMed

Kanazawa, Hideko; Okano, Teruo

2011-12-09

Temperature-responsive chromatography for the separation of biomolecules utilizing poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) and its copolymer-modified stationary phase is performed with an aqueous mobile phase without using organic solvent. The surface properties and function of the stationary phase are controlled by external temperature changes without changing the mobile-phase composition. This analytical system is based on nonspecific adsorption by the reversible transition of a hydrophilic-hydrophobic PNIPAAm-grafted surface. The driving force for retention is hydrophobic interaction between the solute molecules and the hydrophobized polymer chains on the stationary phase surface. The separation of the biomolecules, such as nucleotides and proteins was achieved by a dual temperature- and pH-responsive chromatography system. The electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions could be modulated simultaneously with the temperature in an aqueous mobile phase, thus the separation system would have potential applications in the separation of biomolecules. Additionally, chromatographic matrices prepared by a surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) exhibit a strong interaction with analytes, because the polymerization procedure forms a densely packed polymer, called a polymer brush, on the surfaces. The copolymer brush grafted surfaces prepared by ATRP was an effective tool for separating basic biomolecules by modulating the electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. Applications of thermally responsive columns for the separations of biomolecules are reviewed here. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Molecular origins of fluorocarbon hydrophobicity

PubMed Central

Dalvi, Vishwanath H.; Rossky, Peter J.

2010-01-01

We have undertaken atomistic molecular simulations to systematically determine the structural contributions to the hydrophobicity of fluorinated solutes and surfaces compared to the corresponding hydrocarbon, yielding a unified explanation for these phenomena. We have transformed a short chain alkane, n-octane, to n-perfluorooctane in stages. The free-energy changes and the entropic components calculated for each transformation stage yield considerable insight into the relevant physics. To evaluate the effect of a surface, we have also conducted contact-angle simulations of water on self-assembled monolayers of hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon thiols. Our results, which are consistent with experimental observations, indicate that the hydrophobicity of the fluorocarbon, whether the interaction with water is as solute or as surface, is due to its “fatness.” In solution, the extra work of cavity formation to accommodate a fluorocarbon, compared to a hydrocarbon, is not offset by enhanced energetic interactions with water. The enhanced hydrophobicity of fluorinated surfaces arises because fluorocarbons pack less densely on surfaces leading to poorer van der Waals interactions with water. We find that interaction of water with a hydrophobic solute/surface is primarily a function of van der Waals interactions and is substantially independent of electrostatic interactions. This independence is primarily due to the strong tendency of water at room temperature to maintain its hydrogen bonding network structure at an interface lacking hydrophilic sites. PMID:20643968

Development of Superhydrophobic Material SS 17-4 PH for Bracket Orthodontic Application by Metal Injection Molding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Supriadi, S.; Suharno, B.; Widjaya, T.; Ayuningtyas, S. T.; Baek, E. R.

2018-01-01

Dental’s plaque is a common problem that encountered during orthodontic treatment using bracket. It is caused by demineralization of enamel due to the activity of bacteria. The bacteria increase with remaining excess food which trapped in teeth and bracket. A hydrophobic surface could reduce food attachment on the bracket because of extremely low wettability properties that make it easy to clean with water. There are several methods to obtain hydrophobic surfaces, which are sol-gel, template replica and also etching. The propose of this work is to compare etching treatment and surface modification on sintered SS 17-4 PH as bracket material using CuCl2 and HCl as an etchant while stearic acid was used for surface modification. Hydrophobic surfaces were produced under various etching time i.e 15, 30, 45 and 60 seconds for CuCl2 and 40, 50, 60 and 70 minutes for HCl and also HCl concentration i.e 1,2 and 3 mol/L at room temperature. The hydrophobicity is observed using contact angle measurement while the microstructures observed by Scanning Electron Microscope. The result shows the contact angle could be achieved up to 60% higher than the as-sintered material. Hydrophobic structure has successfully fabricated using etching technique that might be applied to the orthodontic bracket.

Selective detection of hypertoxic organophosphates pesticides via PDMS composite based acetylcholinesterase-inhibition biosensor.

PubMed

Zhao, Wei; Ge, Pei-Yu; Xu, Jing-Juan; Chen, Hong-Yuan

2009-09-01

We report on a pair of highly sensitive amperometric biosensors for organophosphate pesticides (OPs) based on assembling acetylcholinesterase (AChE) on poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)-poly(diallydimethylemmonium) (PDDA)/gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) composite film. Two AChE immobilization strategies are proposed based on the composite film with hydrophobic and hydrophilic surface tailored by oxygen plasma. The twin biosensors show interesting different electrochemical performances. The hydrophobic surface based PDMS-PDDAN AuNPs/choline oxidase (ChO)/AChE biosensor (biosensor-1) shows excellent stability and unique selectivity to hypertoxic organophosphate. At optimal conditions, this biosensor-1 could measure 5.0 x 10(-10) g/L paraoxon and 1.0 x 10(-9) g/L parathion. As for the hydrophilic surface based biosensor (biosensor-2), it shows no selectivity but can be commonly used for the detection of most OPs. Based on the structure of AChE, it is assumed that via the hydrophobic interaction between enzyme molecules and hydrophobic surface, the enzyme active sites surrounded by hydrophobic amino acids face toward the surface and get better protection from OPs. This assumption may explain the different performances of the twin biosensors and especially the unique selectivity of biosensor-1 to hypertoxic OPs. Real sample detection was performed and the omethoate residue on Cottomrose Hibiscus leaves was detected with biosensor-1.

Enhanced super-hydrophobic and switching behavior of ZnO nanostructured surfaces prepared by simple solution--immersion successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction process.

PubMed

Suresh Kumar, P; Sundaramurthy, J; Mangalaraj, D; Nataraj, D; Rajarathnam, D; Srinivasan, M P

2011-11-01

A simple and cost-effective successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method was adopted to fabricate hydrophobic ZnO nanostructured surfaces on transparent indium-tin oxide (ITO), glass and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates. ZnO films deposited on different substrates show hierarchical structures like spindle, flower and spherical shape with diameters ranging from 30 to 300 nm. The photo-induced switching behaviors of ZnO film surfaces between hydrophobic and hydrophilic states were examined by water contact angle and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. ZnO nanostructured films had contact angles of ~140° and 160°±2 on glass and PET substrates, respectively, exhibiting hydrophobic behavior without any surface modification or treatment. Upon exposure to ultraviolet (UV) illumination, the films showed hydrophilic behavior (contact angle: 15°±2), which upon low thermal stimuli revert back to its original hydrophobic nature. Such reversible and repeatable switching behaviors were observed upon cyclical exposure to ultraviolet radiation. These biomimetic ZnO surfaces exhibit good anti-reflective properties with lower reflectance of 9% for PET substrates. Thus, the present work is significant in terms of its potential application in switching devices, solar coatings and self-cleaning smart windows. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Switchable Super-Hydrophilic/Hydrophobic Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) Film Surfaces on Reactive Ion Etching (RIE) Textured Si Wafer.

PubMed

Kim, Hwa-Min; Litao, Yao; Kim, Bonghwan

2015-11-01

We have developed a surface texturing process for pyramidal surface features along with an indium tin oxide (ITO) coating process to fabricate super-hydrophilic conductive surfaces. The contact angle of a water droplet was less than 5 degrees, which means that an extremely high wettability is achievable on super-hydrophilic surfaces. We have also fabricated a super-hydrophobic conductive surface using an additional coating of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) on the ITO layer coated on the textured Si surface; the ITO and PTFE films were deposited by using a conventional sputtering method. We found that a super-hydrophilic conductive surface is produced by ITO coated on the pyramidal Si surface (ITO/Si), with contact angles of approximately 0 degrees and a resistivity of 3 x 10(-4) Ω x cm. These values are highly dependent on the substrate temperature during the sputtering process. We also found that the super-hydrophobic conductive surface produced by the additional coating of PTFE on the pyramidal Si surface with an ITO layer (PTFE/ITO/Si) has a contact angle of almost 160 degrees and a resistivity of 3 x 10(-4) Ω x cm, with a reflectance lower than 9%. Therefore, these processes can be used to fabricate multifunctional features of ITO films for switchable super-hydrophilic and super-hydrophobic surfaces.

Fabrication of self-healing super-hydrophobic surfaces on aluminium alloy substrates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Yang; Wei Liu, Xiao; Zhang, Hai Feng, E-mail: wy3121685@163.com

We present a method to fabricate a super-hydrophobic surface with a self-healing ability on an aluminium alloy substrate. The coatings are obtained by combining a two-step process (first, the substrate is immersed in a solution of HCl, HF and H{sub 2}O, and then in boiling water) and succeeding surface fluorination with a solution of poly(vinylidene-fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) and a fluoroalkyl silane. The morphological features and chemical composition were studied by scanning electron micrometry and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The prepared super-hydrophobic aluminium surfaces showed hierarchical structures forming pores, petals and particles with a contact angle of 161° and a sliding angle of 3°.

Black silicon with self-cleaning surface prepared by wetting processes

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

This paper reports on a simple method to prepare a hydrophobic surface on black silicon, which is fabricated by metal-assisted wet etching. To increase the reaction rate, the reaction device was placed in a heat collection-constant temperature type magnetic stirrer and set at room temperature. It was demonstrated that the micro- and nanoscale spikes on the black silicon made the surface become hydrophobic. As the reaction rate increases, the surface hydrophobicity becomes more outstanding and presents self-cleaning until the very end. The reflectance of the black silicon is drastically suppressed over a broad spectral range due to the unique geometry, which is effective for the enhancement of absorption. PMID:23941184

Polystyrene/wood composites and hydrophobic wood coatings from water-based hydrophilic-hydrophobic block copolymers

Treesearch

Marja-Leena Kosonen; Bo Wang; Gerard T. Caneba; Douglas J. Gardner; Tim G. Rials

2000-01-01

The combination of synthetic thermoplastic polymers and wood is normally problematic because wood surfaces are hydrophilic while typical thermoplastic polymers are hydrophobic. A possible solution is to use block copolymer coupling agents. In this work we show the use of a potentially useful synthetic method of producing hydrophilic-hydrophobic block copolymers as...

Biophysical characterization of a de novo elastin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greenland, Kelly Nicole

Natural human elastin is found in tissue such as the lungs, arteries, and skin. This protein is formed at birth with no mechanism present to repair or supplement the initial quantity formed. As a result, the functionality and durability of elastin's elasticity is critically important. To date, the mechanics of this ability to stretch and recoil is not fully understood. This study utilizes de novo protein design to create a small library of simplistic versions of elastin-like proteins, demonstrate the elastin-like proteins, maintain elastin's functionality, and inquire into its structure using solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Elastin is formed from cross-linked tropoelastin. Therefore, the first generation of designed proteins consisted of one protein that utilized homogony of interspecies tropoelastin by using three common domains, two hydrophobic and one cross-linking domains. Basic modifications were made to open the hydrophobic region and also to make the protein easier to purify and characterize. The designed protein maintained its functionality, self-aggregating as the temperature increased. Uniquely, the protein remained self-aggregated as the temperature returned below the critical transition temperature. Self-aggregation was additionally induced by increasing salt concentrations and by modifying the pH. The protein appeared to have little secondary structure when studied with solution NMR. These results fueled a second generation of designed elastin-like proteins. This generation contained variations designed to study the cross-linking domain, one specific hydrophobic domain, and the effect of the length of the elastin-like protein. The cross-linking domain in one variation has been significantly modified while the flanking hydrophobic domains have remained unchanged. This characterization of this protein will answer questions regarding the specificity of the homologous nature of the cross-linking domain of tropoelastin across species. A second protein has additional hydrophobic domains flanking the originally designed elastin-like protein. The characterization of this protein will answer questions regarding the functionality of longer or more hydrophobic elastin-like proteins. The final variation designed is one hydrophobic domain and the new cross-linking domain repeating several times. The characterization of this protein will answer questions regarding the specific hydrophobic domain and its functionality.

Experimental and numerical investigation of liquid jet impingement on superhydrophobic and hydrophobic convex surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kibar, Ali

2017-02-01

Experiments and numerical simulations were carried out to examine the vertical impingement a round liquid jet on the edges of horizontal convex surfaces that were either superhydrophobic or hydrophobic. The experiments examine the effects on the flow behaviour of curvature, wettability, inertia of the jet, and the impingement rate. Three copper pipes with outer diameters of 15, 22, and 35 mm were investigated. The pipes were wrapped with a piece of a Brassica oleracea leaf or a smooth Teflon sheet, which have apparent contact angles of 160° and 113°. The Reynolds number ranged from 1000 to 4500, and the impingement rates of the liquid jets were varied. Numerical results show good agreement with the experimental results for explaining flow and provide detailed information about the impingement on the surfaces. The liquid jet reflected off the superhydrophobic surfaces for all conditions. However, the jet reflected or deflected off the hydrophobic surface, depending on the inertia of the jet, the curvature of the surface, and the impingement rate. The results suggest that pressure is not the main reason for the bending of the jet around the curved hydrophobic surface.

1-Propanol probing methodology: two-dimensional characterization of the effect of solute on H2O.

PubMed

Koga, Yoshikata

2013-09-21

The wording "hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity" has been used in a loose manner based on human experiences. We have devised a more quantitative way to redefine "hydrophobes" and "hydrophiles" in terms of the mole fraction dependence pattern of one of the third derivative quantities, the enthalpic interaction between solute molecules. We then devised a thermodynamic methodology to characterize the effect of a solute on H2O in terms of its hydrophobicity and/or hydrophilicity. We use a thermodynamic signature, the enthalpic interaction of 1-propanol, H, to monitor how the test solute modifies H2O. By this method, characterization is facilitated by two indices; one pertaining to its hydrophobicity and the other its hydrophilicity. Hence differences among amphiphiles are quantified in a two-dimensional manner. Furthermore, an individual ion can be characterized independent of a counter ion. By using this methodology, we have studied the effects on H2O of a number of solutes, and gained some important new insights. For example, such commonly used examples of hydrophobes in the literature as tetramethyl urea, trimethylamine-N-oxide, and tetramethylammonium salts are in fact surprisingly hydrophilic. Hence the conclusions about "hydrophobes" using these samples ought to be interpreted with caution. The effects of anions on H2O found by this methodology are in the same sequence of the Hofmeister ranking, which will no doubt aid a further investigation into this enigma in biochemistry. Thus, it is likely that this methodology could play an important role in the characterization of the effects of solutes in H2O, and a perspective view may be useful. Here, we describe the basis on which the methodology is developed and the methodology itself in m.ore detail than given in individual papers. We then summarize the results in two dimensional hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity maps.

Kinetic stabilization of Bacillus licheniformis alpha-amylase through introduction of hydrophobic residues at the surface.

PubMed

Machius, Mischa; Declerck, Nathalie; Huber, Robert; Wiegand, Georg

2003-03-28

It is generally assumed that in proteins hydrophobic residues are not favorable at solvent-exposed sites, and that amino acid substitutions on the surface have little effect on protein thermostability. Contrary to these assumptions, we have identified hyperthermostable variants of Bacillus licheniformis alpha-amylase (BLA) that result from the incorporation of hydrophobic residues at the surface. Under highly destabilizing conditions, a variant combining five stabilizing mutations unfolds 32 times more slowly and at a temperature 13 degrees C higher than the wild-type. Crystal structure analysis at 1.7 A resolution suggests that stabilization is achieved through (a) extension of the concept of increased hydrophobic packing, usually applied to cavities, to surface indentations, (b) introduction of favorable aromatic-aromatic interactions on the surface, (c) specific stabilization of intrinsic metal binding sites, and (d) stabilization of a beta-sheet by introducing a residue with high beta-sheet forming propensity. All mutated residues are involved in forming complex, cooperative interaction networks that extend from the interior of the protein to its surface and which may therefore constitute "weak points" where BLA unfolding is initiated. This might explain the unexpectedly large effect induced by some of the substitutions on the kinetic stability of BLA. Our study shows that substantial protein stabilization can be achieved by stabilizing surface positions that participate in underlying cooperatively formed substructures. At such positions, even the apparently thermodynamically unfavorable introduction of hydrophobic residues should be explored.

Influences of Electrification and Salt on Hydrophobicity of Sample Surface in Dynamic Drop Test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shiibara, Daiki; Arata, Yoshihiro; Haji, Kenichi; Miyake, Takuma; Sakoda, Tatsuya; Otsubo, Masahisa

Studies on the development of deterioration/ performance evaluation method for outdoor electric insulation of polymer materials are pushed forward now in the International Council on Large Electric Systems (CIGRE). The small scale test method (Dynamic drop test; DDT) which could evaluate disappearance characteristics of hydrophobicity easily was suggested. This test is to evaluate resistance of a sample to loss of hydrophobicity due to moisture and simultaneous electric stress. As factors for deterioration of hydrophobicity on a sample in DDT, various factors such as electrical influence, physical influence by water droplets and so on were considered. In this study, we investigated two kinds of factors (electrification and salt) affecting deterioration of hydrophobicity on the surface of a silicone rubber until ignition of continuous electrical discharge in DDT.

Surfactant Facilitated Spreading of Aqueous Drops on Hydrophobic Surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kumar, Nitin; Couzis, Alex; Maldareili, Charles; Singh, Bhim (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Microgravity technologies often require aqueous phases to spread over nonwetting hydrophobic solid surfaces. Surfactants facilitate the wetting of water on hydrophobic surfaces by adsorbing on the water/air and hydrophobic solid/water interfaces and lowering the surface tensions of these interfaces. The tension reductions decrease the contact angle, which increases the equilibrium wetted area. Hydrocarbon surfactants; (i.e., amphiphiles with a hydrophobic moiety consisting of an extended chain of (aliphatic) methylene -CH2- groups attached to a large polar group to give aqueous solubility) are capable of reducing the contact angles on surfaces which are not very hydrophobic, but do not reduce significantly the contact angles of the very hydrophobic surfaces such as parafilm, polyethylene or self assembled monolayers. Trisiloxane surfactants (amphiphiles with a hydrophobe consisting of methyl groups linked to a trisiloxane backbone in the form of a disk ((CH3)3-Si-O-Si-O-Si(CH3)3) and an extended ethoxylate (-(OCH2CH2)a-) polar group in the form of a chain with four or eight units) can significantly reduce the contact angle of water on a very hydrophobic surface and cause rapid and complete (or nearly complete) spreading (termed superspreading). The overall goal of the research described in this proposal is to establish and verify a theory for how trisiloxanes cause superspreading, and then use this knowledge as a guide to developing more general hydrocarbon based surfactant systems which superspread. We propose that the trisiloxane surfactants superspread because their structure allows them to strongly lower the high hydrophobic solid/aqueous tension when they adsorb to the solid surface. When the siloxane adsorbs, the hydrophobic disk parts of the molecule adsorb onto the surface removing the surface water. Since the cross-sectional area of the disk is larger than that of the extended ethoxylate chain, the disks can form a space-filling mat on the surface which removes a significant amount of the surface water. In this presentation, we report the results of measurements of the molecular packing and rates of kinetic exchange of the trisiloxane surfactants at the air/water interface in order to confirm our picture of trisiloxane packing, and provide additional insight into the superspreading process. We used the pendant bubble technique as a Langmuir trough to measure the trisiloxane equation of state which relates the tension to the surface concentration. From these measurements we obtain accurate values for the maximum packing density. We find that trisiloxanes with 4 and 8 ethoxylate groups have the same maximum packing concentration, indicating that the maximum packing is controlled by the cross section of the head group. For trisiloxanes with larger than eight ethoxylates, the maximum packing increases with ethoxylate number, indicating that the disposition of the ethoxylate chain (i.e., its effective size) is controlling. This supports our picture of superspreading: The superspreading ability of trisiloxanes decreases considerably for trisiloxanes with larger than eight ethoxylates; the packing measurements indicate that for the higher ethoxylate number trisiloxanes, the compact nonpolar head groups are pushed apart by the ethoxylate chain. They leave spaces of surface water on adsorption and do not lower the solid tension as much as their lower chain analogues. Finally the report measurements of the dynamic tension reduction accompanying the adsorption of trisiloxanes onto an initially clean interface using the pendant bubble technique, and we obtain from these relaxations, the equation of state and a mass transfer model, the rate constants for kinetic exchange. We find that the rate constants for desorption of trisiloxanes are generally much slower than for analogous aliphatic polyethoxylate surfactants with identical ethoxylate chain lengths. When an aqueous drop of a superspreader solution is placed on a hydrophobic surface and begins to spread, the lower desorption rates allows the tension at the drop center to remain reduced relative to the tension of the expanding periphery, thus strengthening Marangoni forces which can assist the spreading. Marangoni forces can be especially significant in the case of superspreaders because their maximum equilibrium reduction in tension is several dynes/cm lower than for aliphatic surfactants.

Separation of oil from bilge water I. Bilge water characteristics and the interaction of bilge water with chemically modified surfaces. Interim report, October 1994-September 1995

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chang, E.L.; Calvert, J.M.; Koloski, T.

1997-02-01

We report on the results of a project using surface characterization and novel surface-modification techniques to address the issues of developing a minimally fouling ceramic membrane filter. We have studied the physical characteristics of a synthetic bilge water mixture, examined the surfaces of the ceramic filters for evidence of fouling, and identified several surface modifications that, under laboratory conditions, work well in prevention of foulants. These surfaces include hydrophobic as well as polar coatings. For the bilge water, it was discovered that detergent, at certain concentrations, may be useful in separating and coalescing oil droplets from the bilge water. Basedmore » on the results of the studies, several strategies for optimizing the removal of oil from water are suggested.« less

Progress in the synthesis and characterization of magnetite nanoparticles with amino groups on the surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durdureanu-Angheluta, A.; Dascalu, A.; Fifere, A.; Coroaba, A.; Pricop, L.; Chiriac, H.; Tura, V.; Pinteala, M.; Simionescu, B. C.

2012-05-01

This manuscript deals with the synthesis of new hydrophilic magnetite particles by employing a two-step method: in the first step magnetite particles with hydrophobic shell formed in presence of oleic acid-oleylamine complex through a synthesis in mass, without solvent, in a mortar with pestle were obtained; while in the second step the hydrophobic shell was interchanged with an aminosilane monomer. The influence of the Fe2+/Fe3+ molar ratio on the dimension of the particles of high importance for their potential applications was carefully investigated. This paper, also presents an alternative method of synthesis of new core-shell magnetite particles and the complete study of their structure and morphology by FT-IR, XPS, TGA, ESEM and TEM techniques. The rheological properties and magnetization analysis of high importance for magnetic particles were also investigated.

The sensitive and selective adsorption of aromatic compounds with highly crosslinked polymer nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Shuqin; Chen, Darui; Zheng, Juan; Zeng, Lewei; Jiang, Jijun; Jiang, Ruifeng; Zhu, Fang; Shen, Yong; Wu, Dingcai; Ouyang, Gangfeng

2015-10-01

This study presents the preparation and characterization of a nanoscale Davankov-type hyper-crosslinked-polymer (HCP) as an adsorbent of benzene-ring-containing dyes and organic pollutants. HCP nanoparticles post-crosslinked from a poly(DVB-co-VBC) precursor were synthesized in this study, possessing ultrahigh surface area, hydrophobicity and stability. The as-synthesized Davankov-type HCP exhibited a rapid and selective adsorption ability towards the benzene-ring-containing dyes due to its highly conjugated structure. Besides, for the first time, the prepared HCP nanoparticles were adopted for the adsorption of nonpolar organic pollutants by means of solid-phase microextraction (SPME). Owing to its high hydrophobicity, diverse pore size distribution and highly conjugated structure, a 10 μm HCP coating exhibited excellent adsorption abilities towards benzene-ring-containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and benzene series compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and o-xylene; abbreviated to BTEX) and to highly hydrophobic long-chain n-alkanes. Finally, the HCP-nanoparticles-coated SPME fiber was applied to the simultaneous analysis of five PAHs in environmental water samples and satisfactory recoveries were achieved. The findings could provide a new benchmark for the exploitation of superb HCPs as effective adsorbents for SPME or other adsorption applications.This study presents the preparation and characterization of a nanoscale Davankov-type hyper-crosslinked-polymer (HCP) as an adsorbent of benzene-ring-containing dyes and organic pollutants. HCP nanoparticles post-crosslinked from a poly(DVB-co-VBC) precursor were synthesized in this study, possessing ultrahigh surface area, hydrophobicity and stability. The as-synthesized Davankov-type HCP exhibited a rapid and selective adsorption ability towards the benzene-ring-containing dyes due to its highly conjugated structure. Besides, for the first time, the prepared HCP nanoparticles were adopted for the adsorption of nonpolar organic pollutants by means of solid-phase microextraction (SPME). Owing to its high hydrophobicity, diverse pore size distribution and highly conjugated structure, a 10 μm HCP coating exhibited excellent adsorption abilities towards benzene-ring-containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and benzene series compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and o-xylene; abbreviated to BTEX) and to highly hydrophobic long-chain n-alkanes. Finally, the HCP-nanoparticles-coated SPME fiber was applied to the simultaneous analysis of five PAHs in environmental water samples and satisfactory recoveries were achieved. The findings could provide a new benchmark for the exploitation of superb HCPs as effective adsorbents for SPME or other adsorption applications. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Fig. S1-S8, details of optimization of the SPME condition, Tables S1-S5. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr04624f

Influence of Surface Properties on the Adhesion of Staphylococcus epidermidis to Acrylic and Silicone

PubMed Central

Sousa, Cláudia; Teixeira, Pilar; Oliveira, Rosário

2009-01-01

The aim of the present study was to compare the ability of eight Staphylococcus epidermidis strains to adhere to acrylic and silicone, two polymers normally used in medical devices manufacture. Furthermore, it was tried to correlate that with the surface properties of substrata and cells. Therefore, hydrophobicity and surface tension components were calculated through contact angle measurements. Surface roughness of substrata was also assessed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). No relationship was found between microbial surface hydrophobicity and adhesion capability. Nevertheless, Staphylococcus epidermidis IE214 showed very unique adhesion behaviour, with cells highly aggregated between them, which is a consequence of their specific surface features. All strains, determined as being hydrophilic, adhered at a higher extent to silicone than to acrylic, most likely due to its more hydrophobic character and higher roughness. This demonstrates the importance of biomaterial surface characteristics for bacterial adhesion. PMID:20126579

Water interaction with hydrophobic and hydrophilic soot particles.

PubMed

Popovicheva, Olga; Persiantseva, Natalia M; Shonija, Natalia K; DeMott, Paul; Koehler, Kirsten; Petters, Markus; Kreidenweis, Sonia; Tishkova, Victoria; Demirdjian, Benjamin; Suzanne, Jean

2008-05-07

The interaction of water with laboratory soots possessing a range of properties relevant for atmospheric studies is examined by two complementary methods: gravimetrical measurement of water uptake coupled with chemical composition and porosity analysis and HTDMA (humidified tandem differential mobility analyzer) inference of water uptake accompanied by separate TEM (transmission electron microscopy) analysis of single particles. The first method clarifies the mechanism of water uptake for bulk soot and allows the classification of soot with respect to its hygroscopicity. The second method highlights the dependence of the soot aerosol growth factor on relative humidity (RH) for quasi-monodisperse particles. Hydrophobic and hydrophilic soot are qualitatively defined by their water uptake and surface polarity: laboratory soot particles are thus classified from very hydrophobic to very hydrophilic. Thermal soot particles produced from natural gas combustion are classified as hydrophobic with a surface of low polarity since water is found to cover only half of the surface. Graphitized thermal soot particles are proposed for comparison as extremely hydrophobic and of very low surface polarity. Soot particles produced from laboratory flame of TC1 aviation kerosene are less hydrophobic, with their entire surface being available for statistical monolayer water coverage at RH approximately 10%. Porosity measurements suggest that, initially, much of this surface water resides within micropores. Consequently, the growth factor increase of these particles to 1.07 at RH > 80% is attributed to irreversible swelling that accompanies water uptake. Hysteresis of adsorption/desorption cycles strongly supports this conclusion. In contrast, aircraft engine soot, produced from burning TC1 kerosene in a gas turbine engine combustor, has an extremely hydrophilic surface of high polarity. Due to the presence of water soluble organic and inorganic material it can be covered by many water layers even below water saturation conditions. This soot demonstrates a gradual diameter growth factor (D(wet)/D(dry)) increase up to 1.22 at 93% relative humidity, most likely due to the presence of single particles with water soluble material heterogeneously distributed over their surface.

Study of lysozyme mobility and binding free energy during adsorption on a graphene surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakano, C. Masato; Ma, Heng; Wei, Tao

2015-04-01

Understanding protein adsorption is a key to the development of biosensors and anti-biofouling materials. Hydration essentially controls the adsorption process on hydrophobic surfaces, but its effect is complicated by various factors. Here, we present an ideal model system to isolate hydration effects—lysozyme adsorption on a flat hydrophobic graphene surface. Our all-atom molecular dynamics and molecular-mechanics/Poisson-Boltzmann surface area computation study reveal that lysozyme on graphene displays much larger diffusivity than in bulk water. Protein's hydration free energy within the first hydration shell is dominated by the protein-water electrostatic interactions and acts as an energy barrier for protein adsorption. On the other hand, the surface tension, especially that from the hydrophobic graphene, can effectively weaken the barrier to promote adsorption.

Recruiting physisorbed water in surface polymerization for bio-inspired materials of tunable hydrophobicity

DOE PAGES

Oyola-Reynoso, S.; Tevis, I. D.; Chen, J.; ...

2016-08-18

Here, chemical grafting has been widely used to modify the surface properties of materials, especially surface energy for controlled wetting, because of the resilience of such coatings/modifications. Reagents with multiple reactive sites have been used with the expectation that a monolayer will form. The step-growth polymerization mechanism, however, suggests the possibility of gel formation for hydrolyzable moieties in the presence of physisorbed water. In this report, we demonstrated that using alkyltrichlorosilanes (trivalent [i.e., 3 reactive sites]) in the surface modification of a cellulosic material (paper) does not yield a monolayer but rather gives surface-bound particles. We infer that the presencemore » of physisorbed (surface-bound) water allows for polymerization (or oligomerization) of the silane prior to its attachment on the surface. Surface energy mismatch between the hydrophobic tails of the growing polymer and any unreacted bound water leads to the assembly of the polymerizing material into spherical particles to minimize surface tension. By varying paper grammage (16.2–201.4 g m –2), we varied the accessible surface area and thus the amount of surface-adsorbed water, allowing us to control the ratio of the silane to the bound water. Using this approach, polymeric particles were formed on the surface of cellulose fibers ranging from ~70 nm to a film. The hydrophobicity of the surface, as determined by water contact angles, correlates with particle sizes (p < 0.001, Student's t-test), and, hence, the hydrophobicity can be tuned (contact angle between 94° and 149°). Using a model structure of a house, we demonstrated that as a result of this modification, paper-based houses can be rendered self-cleaning or tolerant to surface running water. In another application, we demonstrated that the felicitous choice of architectural design allows for the hydrophobic paper to be used for water harvesting.« less

RF plasma based selective modification of hydrophilic regions on super hydrophobic surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jaehyun; Hwang, Sangyeon; Cho, Dae-Hyun; Hong, Jungwoo; Shin, Jennifer H.; Byun, Doyoung

2017-02-01

Selective modification and regional alterations of the surface property have gained a great deal of attention to many engineers. In this paper, we present a simple, a cost-effective, and amendable reforming method for disparate patterns of hydrophilic regions on super-hydrophobic surfaces. Uniform super-hydrophobic layer (Contact angle; CA > 150°, root mean square (RMS) roughness ∼0.28 nm) can be formed using the atmospheric radio frequency (RF) plasma on top of the selective hydrophilic (CA ∼ 70°, RMS roughness ∼0.34 nm) patterns imprinted by electrohydrodynamic (EHD) jet printing technology with polar alcohols (butyl carbitol or ethanol). The wettability of the modified surface was investigated qualitatively utilizing scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and wavelength scanning interferometer (WSI). Secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) analysis showed that the alcohol addiction reaction changed the types of radicals on the super-hydrophobic surface. The wettability was found to depend sensitively on chemical radicals on the surface, not on surface morphology (particle size and surface roughness). Furthermore, three different kinds of representative hydrophilic samples (polystyrene nano-particle aqueous solution, Salmonella bacteria medium, and poly(3,4-ethylenediocythiophene) ink) were tested for uniform deposition onto the desired hydrophilic regions. This simple strategy would have broad applications in various research fields that require selective deposition of target materials.

Hydrophobic Surface Modification of Silk Fabric Using Plasma-Polymerized Hmdso

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rani, K. Vinisha; Chandwani, Nisha; Kikani, Purvi; Nema, S. K.; Sarma, Arun Kumar; Sarma, Bornali

In this work, we study the hydrophobic properties of silk fabrics by deposition of plasma-polymerized (pp) hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) using low-pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Recently, hydrophobic properties are under active research in textile industry. The effects of coating time and power on the HMDSO-coated silk fabrics are investigated. Water contact angle of pp-HMDSO-coated silk fabric surface is measured as a function of power and coating time. Fabric surface shows an enhancement in hydrophobicity after coating. Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy reveals the surface chemistry, and scanning electron microscopy shows the surface morphology of the uncoated and HMDSO-coated fabrics, respectively. In the case of uncoated fabric, water droplet absorbs swiftly, whereas in the case of HMDSO-coated fabric, water droplet remains on the fabric surface with a maximum contact angle of 140∘. The HMDSO-deposited silk surface is found to be durable after detergent washing. Common stains such as ink, tea, milk, turmeric and orange juice are tested on the surface of both fabrics. In HMDSO-coated fabrics, all the stains are bedded like ball droplet. In order to study the self-cleaning property, the fabric is tilted to 45∘ angle; stain droplets easily roll off from the fabric.

Influences of surface hydrophilicity on frost formation on a vertical cold plate under natural convection conditions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Zhongliang; Zhang, Xinghua; Wang, Hongyan

2007-07-15

Surface hydrophilicity has a strong influence on frost nucleation according to phase transition theory. To study this effect, a close observation of frost formation and deposition processes on a vertical plate was made under free convection conditions. The formation and shape variation of frost crystals during the initial period are described and the frost thickness variation with time on both hydrophobic and plain copper cold surfaces are presented. The various influencing factors are discussed in depth. The mechanism of surface hydrophilicity influence on frost formation was analyzed theoretically. This revealed that increasing the contact angle can increase the potential barriermore » and restrain crystal nucleation and growth and thus frost deposition. The experimental results show that the initial water drops formed on a hydrophobic surface are smaller and remain in the liquid state for a longer time compared with ones formed on a plain copper surface. It is also observed that the frost layer deposited on a hydrophobic surface is loose and weak. Though the hydrophobic surface can retard frost formation to a certain extent and causes a looser frost layer, our experimental results show that it does not depress the growth of the frost layer. (author)« less

Effect of increased surface hydrophobicity via drug conjugation on the clearance of inhaled PEGylated polylysine dendrimers.

PubMed

Haque, Shadabul; McLeod, Victoria M; Jones, Seth; Fung, Sandy; Whittaker, Michael; McIntosh, Michelle; Pouton, Colin; Owen, David J; Porter, Christopher J H; Kaminskas, Lisa M

2017-10-01

PEGylated polylysine dendrimers are attractive and well tolerated inhalable drug delivery platforms that have the potential to control the release, absorption kinetics and lung retention time of conjugated drugs. The clinical application of these systems though, would likely require partial substitution of surface PEG groups with drug molecules that are anticipated to alter their lung clearance kinetics and clearance pathways. In the current study, we therefore evaluated the impact of increased surface hydrophobicity via substitution of 50% surface PEG groups with a model hydrophobic drug (α-carboxyl OtButylated methotrexate) on the lung clearance of a Generation 5 PEGylated polylysine dendrimer in rats. PEG substitution with OtBu-methotrexate accelerated lung clearance of the dendrimer by increasing polylysine scaffold catabolism, improving systemic absorption of the intact dendrimer and low molecular weight products of scaffold catabolism, and enhancing mucociliary clearance. These results suggest that the conjugation of hydrophobic drug on the surface of a PEGylated dendrimer is likely to accelerate lung clearance when compared to a fully PEGylated dendrimer. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Shaping Nanoparticles with Hydrophilic Compositions and Hydrophobic Properties as Nanocarriers for Antibiotic Delivery

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Inspired by the lotus effect in nature, surface roughness engineering has led to novel materials and applications in many fields. Despite the rapid progress in superhydrophobic and superoleophobic materials, this concept of Mother Nature’s choice is yet to be applied in the design of advanced nanocarriers for drug delivery. Pioneering work has emerged in the development of nanoparticles with rough surfaces for gene delivery; however, the preparation of nanoparticles with hydrophilic compositions but with enhanced hydrophobic property at the nanoscale level employing surface topology engineering remains a challenge. Herein we report for the first time the unique properties of mesoporous hollow silica (MHS) nanospheres with controlled surface roughness. Compared to MHS with a smooth surface, rough mesoporous hollow silica (RMHS) nanoparticles with the same hydrophilic composition show unusual hydrophobicity, leading to higher adsorption of a range of hydrophobic molecules and controlled release of hydrophilic molecules. RMHS loaded with vancomycin exhibits an enhanced antibacterial effect. Our strategy provides a new pathway in the design of novel nanocarriers for diverse bioapplications. PMID:27162988

Mechanism of formation of humus coatings on mineral surfaces 2. Attenuated total reflectance spectra of hydrophobic and hydrophilic fractions of organic acids from compost leachate on alumina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wershaw, R. L.; Llaguno, E.C.; Leenheer, J.A.; Sperline, R.P.; Song, Y.

1996-01-01

Hydrophobic and hydrophilic fractions were isolated from a compost leachate. The adsorption isotherms of both fractions on alumina were measured by attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy. The shapes of the adsorption isotherms of the two fractions were different. The isotherms for the hydrophilic fraction showed little change in surface excess with increasing solution concentration above 4 mg L-1. The isotherms for the hydrophobic fraction, on the other hand, displayed a marked increase in surface excess with increasing solution concentration. This increase is evidence for the formation of aggregates (admicelles or hemimicelles) on the alumina surface. Linear dichroism calculations indicated that more of the carboxylate groups in the adsorbed hydrophobic molecules than in the absorbed hydrophilic fraction were free to rotate. The hindered rotation of the carboxylate groups in the adsorbed hydrophilic-fraction molecules probably indicates that these groups are bound to surface aluminum ions by a bidentate mechanism in which the two oxygen atoms of a single carboxylate group bind to separate aluminum ions.

Proof-of-concept switchable hydrophobic/hydrophilic patterned surfaces from thermo-mechanically tailored acrylate systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laursen, Christopher M.

A novel, proof-of-concept, switchable hydrophobic/hydrophilic structured surface targeted to assist in antifouling of materials in aqueous environments was created through the development of a multi-tiered platform. The understructure consists of a thermo-mechanically tailored acrylate based polymer patterned in a pillared array, which was then overlaid with spatially tailored hydrophobic/hydrophilic surface chemistry treatments. Development focused on the synthesis of a ternary acrylate system displaying proper thermo-mechanical behavior in submerged conditions for the understructure, creation of a sufficient soft molding technique, and methods to chemically alter water-surface wetting interactions. The final acrylate based polymer constituents were chosen based on expected low-toxicity and the ability to be photopolymerized, while the final system displayed appropriate mechanical toughness, water absorption, and material stiffness over a select temperature window. This was important as alteration in wettability characteristics relied upon a stark transition in the polymeric materials stiffness within a narrow temperature range. The material qualitatively displayed a more hydrophobic state with the pillared surface structures erect, and a more hydrophilic state with the pillars bent over.

The fabrication and property of hydrophilic and hydrophobic double functional bionic chitosan film.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaohong; Xi, Zhen; Liu, Zhongxin; Yang, Liang; Cao, Yang

2011-11-01

A new kind of hydrophobic bionic chitosan film was fabricated by simulating the surface structure of lotus leaf. The titanium oxide nanotube array was used as templates. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images show that one side of this films have nano-scale rough surface with spherical protrusions alike the surface of lotus leaf. The diameter of the protrusions is about 100 nm, which is equal to diameter of the titanium oxide nanotube. The water contact angle of chitosan films is up to 120 degrees and it is hydrophobic. The other side of the film is flat and the contact angle is 70 degrees. That indicated that the hydrophilism of natural materials is connected with the surface structures. The double functional chitosan films, one side is hydrophilic, the other is hydrophobic, can be made by an easy method. This method is non-toxic and clean. The double functional chitosan film will improve the application of chitosan films in medicine.

Preservation of York Minster historic limestone by hydrophobic surface coatings

PubMed Central

Walker, Rachel A.; Wilson, Karen; Lee, Adam F.; Woodford, Julia; Grassian, Vicki H.; Baltrusaitis, Jonas; Rubasinghege, Gayan; Cibin, Giannantonio; Dent, Andrew

2012-01-01

Magnesian limestone is a key construction component of many historic buildings that is under constant attack from environmental pollutants notably by oxides of sulfur via acid rain, particulate matter sulfate and gaseous SO2 emissions. Hydrophobic surface coatings offer a potential route to protect existing stonework in cultural heritage sites, however, many available coatings act by blocking the stone microstructure, preventing it from ‘breathing' and promoting mould growth and salt efflorescence. Here we report on a conformal surface modification method using self-assembled monolayers of naturally sourced free fatty acids combined with sub-monolayer fluorinated alkyl silanes to generate hydrophobic (HP) and super hydrophobic (SHP) coatings on calcite. We demonstrate the efficacy of these HP and SHP surface coatings for increasing limestone resistance to sulfation, and thus retarding gypsum formation under SO2/H2O and model acid rain environments. SHP treatment of 19th century stone from York Minster suppresses sulfuric acid permeation. PMID:23198088

High hydrostatic pressure inactivation of Lactobacillus plantarum cells in (O/W)-emulsions is independent from cell surface hydrophobicity and lipid phase parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kafka, T. A.; Reitermayer, D.; Lenz, C. A.; Vogel, R. F.

2017-07-01

Inactivation efficiency of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) processing of food is strongly affected by food matrix composition. We investigated effects of fat on HHP inactivation of spoilage-associated Lactobacillus (L.) plantarum strains using defined oil-in-water (O/W)-emulsion model systems. Since fat-mediated effects on HHP inactivation could be dependent on interactions between lipid phase and microbial cells, three major factors possibly influencing such interactions were considered, that is, cell surface hydrophobicity, presence and type of surfactants, and oil droplet size. Pressure tolerance varied noticeably among L. plantarum strains and was independent of cell surface hydrophobicity. We showed that HHP inactivation of all strains tended to be more effective in presence of fat. The observation in both, surfactant-stabilized and surfactant-free (O/W)-emulsion, indicates that cell surface hydrophobicity is no intrinsic pressure resistance factor. In contrast to the presence of fat per se, surfactant type and oil droplet size did not affect inactivation efficiency.

Controllable stearic acid crystal induced high hydrophobicity on cellulose film surface.

PubMed

He, Meng; Xu, Min; Zhang, Lina

2013-02-01

A novel, highly hydrophobic cellulose composite film (RCS) with biodegradability was fabricated via solvent-vaporized controllable crystallization of stearic acid in the porous structure of cellulose films (RC). The interface structure and properties of the composite films were investigated with wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), FT-IR, solid-state (13)C NMR, water uptake, tensile testing, water contact angle, and biodegradation tests. The results indicated that the RCS films exhibited high hydrophobicity (water contact angle achieved to 145°), better mechanical properties in the humid state and lower water uptake ratio than RC. Interestingly, the stearic acid crystallization was induced by the pore wall of the cellulose matrix to form a micronano binary structure, resulting in a rough surface. The rough surface with a hierarchical structure containing micronanospace on the RCS film surface could trap abundant air, leading to the high hydrophobicity. Moreover, the RCS films were flexible, biodegradable, and low-cost, showing potential applications in biodegradable water-proof packaging.

Adsorption of dextrin on hydrophobic minerals.

PubMed

Beaussart, Audrey; Mierczynska-Vasilev, Agnieszka; Beattie, David A

2009-09-01

The adsorption of dextrin on talc, molybdenite, and graphite (three naturally hydrophobic minerals) has been compared. Adsorption isotherms and in situ tapping mode atomic force microscope (TMAFM) imaging have enabled polymer adsorbed amount and morphology of the adsorbed layer (area coverage and polymer domain size) to be determined and also the amount of hydration water in the structure of the adsorbed layer. The effect of the polymer on the mineral contact angles, measured by the captive bubble method on cleaved mineral surfaces, indicates clear correlations between the hydrophobicity reduction of the minerals, the adsorbed amount, and the surface coverage of the adsorbed polymer. Predictions of the flotation recovery of the treated mineral phases have been confirmed by performing batch flotation experiments. The influence of the polymer surface coverage on flotation recovery has highlighted the importance of this key parameter in the predictions of depressant efficiency. The roles of the initial hydrophobicity and the surface structure of the mineral basal plane in determining adsorption parameters and flotation response of the polymer-treated minerals are also discussed.

Effect of manufacturing and experimental conditions on the mechanical and surface properties of silicone elastomer scaffolds used in endothelial mechanobiological studies.

PubMed

Campeau, Marc-Antoine; Lortie, Audrey; Tremblay, Pierrick; Béliveau, Marc-Olivier; Dubé, Dominic; Langelier, Ève; Rouleau, Léonie

2017-07-14

Mechanobiological studies allow the characterization of cell response to mechanical stresses. Cells need to be supported by a material with properties similar to the physiological environment. Silicone elastomers have been used to produce various in vitro scaffolds of different geometries for endothelial cell studies given its relevant mechanical, optical and surface properties. However, obtaining defined and repeatable properties is a challenge as depending on the different manufacturing and processing steps, mechanical and surface properties may vary significantly between research groups. The impact of different manufacturing and processing methods on the mechanical and surface properties was assessed by measuring the Young's modulus and the contact angle. Silicone samples were produced using different curing temperatures and processed with different sterilization techniques and hydrophilization conditions. Different curing temperatures were used to obtain materials of different stiffness with a chosen silicone elastomer, i.e. Sylgard 184 ® . Sterilization by boiling had a tendency to stiffen samples cured at lower temperatures whereas UV and ethanol did not alter the material properties. Hydrophilization using sulphuric acid allowed to decrease surface hydrophobicity, however this effect was lost over time as hydrophobic recovery occurred. Extended contact with water maintained decreased hydrophobicity up to 7 days. Mechanobiological studies require complete cell coverage of the scaffolds used prior to mechanical stresses exposure. Different concentrations of fibronectin and collagen were used to coat the scaffolds and cell seeding density was varied to optimize cell coverage. This study highlights the potential bias introduced by manufacturing and processing conditions needed in the preparation of scaffolds used in mechanobiological studies involving endothelial cells. As manufacturing, processing and cell culture conditions are known to influence cell adhesion and function, they should be more thoroughly assessed by research groups that perform such mechanobiological studies using silicone.

Atomic layer deposition of TiO2 on surface modified nanoporous low-k films.

PubMed

Levrau, Elisabeth; Devloo-Casier, Kilian; Dendooven, Jolien; Ludwig, Karl F; Verdonck, Patrick; Meersschaut, Johan; Baklanov, Mikhail R; Detavernier, Christophe

2013-10-01

This paper explores the effects of different plasma treatments on low dielectric constant (low-k) materials and the consequences for the growth behavior of atomic layer deposition (ALD) on these modified substrates. An O2 and a He/H2 plasma treatment were performed on SiCOH low-k films to modify their chemical surface groups. Transmission FTIR and water contact angle (WCA) analysis showed that the O2 plasma changed the hydrophobic surface completely into a hydrophilic surface, while the He/H2 plasma changed it only partially. In a next step, in situ X-ray fluorescence (XRF), ellipsometric porosimetry (EP), and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) were used to characterize ALD growth of TiO2 on these substrates. The initial growth of TiO2 was found to be inhibited in the original low-k film containing only Si-CH3 surface groups, while immediate growth was observed in the hydrophilic O2 plasma treated film. The latter film was uniformly filled with TiO2 after 8 ALD cycles, while pore filling was delayed to 17 ALD cycles in the hydrophobic film. For the He/H2 plasma treated film, containing both Si-OH and Si-CH3 groups, the in situ XRF data showed that TiO2 could no longer be deposited in the He/H2 plasma treated film after 8 ALD cycles, while EP measurements revealed a remaining porosity. This can be explained by the faster deposition of TiO2 in the hydrophilic top part of the film than in the hydrophobic bulk which leaves the bulk porous, as confirmed by RBS depth profiling. The outcome of this research is not only of interest for the development of advanced interconnects in ULSI technology, but also demonstrates that ALD combined with RBS analysis is a handy approach to analyze the modifications induced by a plasma treatment on a nanoporous thin film.

Light-Guided Surface Engineering for Biomedical Applications

PubMed Central

Jayagopal, Ashwath; Stone, Gregory P.; Haselton, Frederick R.

2010-01-01

Free radical species generated through fluorescence photobleaching have been reported to effectively couple a water-soluble species to surfaces containing electron-rich sites (1). In this report, we expand upon this strategy to control the patterned attachment of antibodies and peptides to surfaces for biosensing and tissue engineering applications. In the first application, we compare hydrophobic attachment and photobleaching methods to immobilize FITC-labeled anti-M13K07 bacteriophage antibodies to the SiO2 layer of a differential capacitive biosensor and to the polyester filament of a feedback-controlled filament array. On both surfaces, antibody attachment and function were superior to the previously employed hydrophobic attachment. Furthermore, a laser scanning confocal microscope could be used for automated, software-guided photoattachment chemistry. In a second application, the cell-adhesion peptide RGDS was site-specifically photocoupled to glass coated with fluorescein-conjugated poly(ethylene glycol). RGDS attachment and bioactivity were characterized by a fibroblast adhesion assay. Cell adhesion was limited to sites of RGDS photocoupling. These examples illustrate that fluorophore-based photopatterning can be achieved by both solution-phase fluorophores or surface-adhered fluorophores. The coupling preserves the bioactivity of the patterned species, is amenable to a variety of surfaces, and is readily accessible to laboratories with fluorescence imaging equipment. The flexibility offered by visible light patterning will likely have many useful applications in bioscreening and tissue engineering where the controlled placement of biomolecules and cells is critical, and should be considered as an alternative to chemical coupling methods. PMID:18314938

From petal effect to lotus effect: a facile solution immersion process for the fabrication of super-hydrophobic surfaces with controlled adhesion.

PubMed

Cheng, Zhongjun; Du, Ming; Lai, Hua; Zhang, Naiqing; Sun, Kening

2013-04-07

In this paper, a convenient approach based on the reaction between an alkyl thiol and hierarchical structured Cu(OH)2 substrates is reported for the fabrication of super-hydrophobic surfaces with controlled adhesion. This reaction can etch the Cu(OH)2 microstructures and simultaneously introduce a coating with low surface energy. By simply controlling the reaction time or the chain length of the thiol, super-hydrophobic surfaces with controlled adhesion can be achieved, and the adhesive force between the surface and the water droplet can be adjusted from extreme low (∼14 μN) to very high (∼65 μN). The tunable effect of the adhesion is ascribed to the different wetting states for the droplet on the surface that results from the change of the morphology and microstructure scale after the thiolate reaction. Noticeably, the as-prepared surfaces are acid/alkali-resisting; the acidic and basic water droplets have similar contact angles and adhesive forces to that of the neutral water droplet. Moreover, we demonstrate a proof of water droplet transportation for application in droplet-based microreactors via our surfaces. We believe that the results reported here would be helpful for the further understanding of the effect of wetting states on the surface adhesion and the fabrication principle for a super-hydrophobic surface with controlled adhesion.

Switchable hydrophobic/hydrophilic surface of electrospun poly (l-lactide) membranes obtained by CF₄microwave plasma treatment

DOE PAGES

Yue, Mengyao; Zhou, Baoming; Jiao, Kunyan; ...

2014-11-29

A switchable surface that promotes either hydrophobic or hydrophilic wettability of poly (L-lactide) (PLLA) microfibrous membranes is obtained by CF₄ microwave plasma treatment in this paper. The results indicated that both etching and grafting process occurred during the CF₄ plasma treatment and these two factors synergistically affected the final surface wettability of PLLA membranes. When plasma treatment was taken under a relatively low power, the surface wettability of PLLA membranes turned from hydrophobic to hydrophilic. Especially when CF₄ plasma treatment was taken under 100 W for 10 min and 150 W for 5 min, the water contact angle sharply decreasedmore » from 116 ± 3.0° to ~0°. According to Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) results, the PLLA fibers were notably etched by CF₄ plasma treatment. Combined with the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements, only a few fluorine-containing groups were grafted onto the surface, so the etching effect directly affected the surface wettability of PLLA membranes in low plasma power condition. However, with the plasma power increasing to 200 W, the PLLA membrane surface turned to hydrophobic again. In contrast, the morphology changes of PLLA fiber surfaces were not obvious while a large number of fluorine-containing groups grafted onto the surface. So the grafting effect gradually became the major factor for the final surface wettability.« less

Effect of water content on the water repellency for hydrophobized sands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subedi, S.; Kawamoto, K.; Kuroda, T.; Moldrup, P.; Komatsu, T.

2011-12-01

Alternative earthen covers such as capillary barriers (CBs) and evapotranspirative covers are recognized as useful technical and low-cost solutions for limiting water infiltration and controlling seepage flow at solid waste landfills in semi-arid and arid regions. However, their application to the landfills at wet regions seems to be matter of concern due to loss of their impending capability under high precipitation. One of the possible techniques to enhance the impermeable properties of CBs is to alter soil grain surfaces to be water-repellent by mixing/coating hydrophobic agents (HAs). In order to examine a potential use of model sands hydrophobized with locally available and environmental-friendly HAs such as oleic acid (OA) and stearic acid (SA) for hydrophobic CBs. In the present study, we first characterized the effect of water content on the degree of water repellency (WR) for hydrophobized sands and volcanic ash soil at different depth. Secondly, the time dependency of the contact angle in hydrophobized sands and volcanic ash soils at different water content was evaluated. Further, the effects of hydrophobic organic matter contents on the WR of hydrophobized sands were investigated by horizontal infiltration test. We investigated the degree of WR as functions of volumetric water content (θ) of a volcanic ash soil samples from different depth and water adjusted hydrophobized sand samples with different ratio of HAs by using sessile drop method (SDM). The initial contact angle (αi) measured from SDM decreased gradually with increasing water content in OA and SA coated samples. Measured αi values for volcanic ash soils increased with increasing water content and reached a peak values of 111.7o at θ= 0.325 cm3 cm-3, where-after αi gradually decreased. Each test sample exhibited sharp decrease in contact angle with time at higher water content. Sorptivity values for oleic acid coated samples decreased with increasing HA content and reached the minimum value of 0.068 cm s-1/2 at 1 g HA kg-1 sand, and then gradually increased.

Adsorption of human fibrinogen and albumin onto hydrophobic and hydrophilic Ti6Al4V powder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez-Sánchez, Jesús; Gallardo-Moreno, Amparo M.; Bruque, José M.; González-Martín, M. Luisa

2016-07-01

Adsorption of proteins on solid surfaces has been widely studied because of its importance in various biotechnological, medical and technical applications, such as medical implants or biosensors. One of the main problems is the adsorption-induced conformational changes because they often modify the biological activity of the proteins, which is believed to be a key factor on the subsequent cellular adhesion. The aim of this work is the study of the adsorption of human fibrinogen (Fg) and human serum albumin (HSA) onto Ti6Al4V particles, commercially available on different size, that are used to elaborate scaffolds to provide structural support to cell proliferation, promoting tissue development and bone regeneration among others. The study was done through the analysis of the adsorption isotherms and the electrical characterization of surfaces after adsorption in terms of the zeta potential (ζ). From this analysis it seems that Fg adsorbs preferentially vertically oriented (end-on) and HSA moves sequentially over the surface of the Ti6Al4V particles through dimmer formation, allowing adsorption progress over this initial bilayer. The zeta potential values of both proteins remain constant when the monolayer is formed. The study also extends the analysis of both adsorption behaviour and ζ potential characterization factors to the influence of the substrate hydrophobicity as this property can be modified for the Ti6Al4V by irradiating it with ultraviolet light (UV-C) without changes on its chemical composition [1,2]. Differences at low protein concentrations were found for both isotherms and zeta-potential values.

Conductive super-hydrophobic surfaces of polyaniline modified porous anodic alumina membranes.

PubMed

Chen, Xinhua; Chen, Guangming; Ma, Yongmei; Li, Xinhong; Jiang, Lei; Wang, Fosong

2006-03-01

A conductive polymer polyaniline (PANI) was employed to achieve surfaces of both super-hydrophobic and conductive on NaOH etched porous anodic alumina (PAA) membranes. The surfaces exhibit micro- and nanostructures. In the PANI modified PAA membrane, PANI is mainly emeraldine. After the membrane was immersed in HCl, the content of the protonated nitrogen increased, which increased the conductivity.

Durable hydrophobic coating composition for metallic surfaces and method for the preparation of the composition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Jiong

A durable hydrophobic coating composition containing fluorinated silanes for metallic surfaces, such as stainless steel surfaces. The composition includes at least one fluorine-containing silane compound, at least one phosphorus-containing silane compound, and at least one hydrolysable compound. This coating is suitable for condenser tubes, among other applications, to promote dropwise condensation.

Fabrication of nano-structured super-hydrophobic film on aluminum by controllable immersing method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Ruomei; Liang, Shuquan; Pan, Anqiang; Yuan, Zhiqing; Tang, Yan; Tan, Xiaoping; Guan, Dikai; Yu, Ya

2012-06-01

Aluminum alloy surface can be etched easily in acid environment, but the microstructure of alloy surface hardly meets the customers' demand. In this work, a facile acidic-assistant surface oxidation technique has been employed to form reproducible super-hydrophobic surfaces on aluminum alloy plates. The samples immersed in three different acid solutions at ambient temperatures are studied and the results demonstrated that the aqueous mixture solution of oxalic acid and hydrochloric is easier to produce better faces and better stability. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectrometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and water contact angle measurement are used to investigate the morphologies, microstructures, chemical compositions and hydrophobicity of the produced films on aluminum substrates. The surfaces, configured of a labyrinth structure with convexity and concavity, are in different roughness and gloss because of the different recipe acid solutions used. Better roughness of the surface can be obtained by adjusting the concentration of Clˉ and oxalate ions in acid solutions. The present research work provides a new strategy for the controllable preparation super-hydrophobic films of general materials on aluminum alloy for practical industrial applications.

Spreading of dispersions of lipid nanoparticles on hydrophobic and superhydrophobic surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumaraswamy, Guruswamy; Kumar, Manoj; Kulkarni, Mayuresh; Narendiran, Cg; Orpe, Ashish; Banpurkar, Arun

Glycerol monooleate is a hydrophobic lipid that exhibits a rich phase behavior. At high water concentrations, it organizes to form a bicontinuous phase with Pn3m symmetry that is stable with excess water. It is therefore possible to obtain stable aqueous dispersions of polymer stabilized, lipid nanoparticles with internal Pn3m symmetry. Such particles, termed cubosomes, can carry payloads of both hydrophobic as well as hydrophilic molecules and hold promise for delivery of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, etc. We describe the behaviour of aqueous drops of cubosome dispersions as they impinge on hydrophobic and superhydrophobic surfaces. On impingement, the spreading of these drop is similar to that of water drops. However, while water drops retract and rebound from the surface, cubosome dispersions do not retract. We demonstrate that this can be attributed to rapid adsorption of cubosomes on the surface and their reorganization to form a thin, approximately 3 nm layer on the substrate. Remarkably, we show that while drops of water roll off inclined superhydrophobic lotus leaf surfaces, drops of cubosome dispersions do not. These results have implications for the delivery of agrochemicals to plant surfaces. Funding from DST, India is acknowledged.

The water-hydrophobic interface: neutral and charged solute adsorption at fluorocarbon and hydrocarbon self-assembled monolayers (SAMs).

PubMed

Hopkins, Adam J; Richmond, Geraldine L

2013-03-01

Adsorption of small molecular solutes in an aqueous solution to a soft hydrophobic surface is a topic relevant to many fields. In biological and industrial systems, the interfacial environment is often complex, containing an array of salts and organic compounds in the solution phase. Additionally, the surface itself can have a complex structure that can interact in unpredictable ways with small solutes in its vicinity. In this work, we studied model adsorption processes on hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon self-assembled monolayers by using vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy, with methanol and butylammonium chloride as adsorbates. The results indicate that differences in surface functionality have a significant impact on the organization of adsorbed organic species at hydrophobic surfaces.

Two liquids wetting and low hysteresis electrowetting on dielectric applications.

PubMed

Maillard, Mathieu; Legrand, Julien; Berge, Bruno

2009-06-02

This study focuses on electrowetting using two immmiscible liquids on a dielectric coating. It is demonstrated that low contact angle of oil on the hydrophobic surfaces is a key parameter to obtain a low hysteresis system, below 2 degrees . On the basis of these results, three aspects of the wetting properties have been studied: the influence of the surface hydrophobic properties, the design of the liquids according to the hydrophobic surface, and a graphical method to solve the Bartell-Osterhof equation and predict the wetting properties of two liquids on a surface. These results define clear design rules to obtain a low hysteresis system, useful for many applications from liquid lenses to displays and laboratory-on-a-chip.

Extrinsic Fluorescent Dyes as Tools for Protein Characterization

PubMed Central

Hawe, Andrea; Sutter, Marc

2008-01-01

Noncovalent, extrinsic fluorescent dyes are applied in various fields of protein analysis, e.g. to characterize folding intermediates, measure surface hydrophobicity, and detect aggregation or fibrillation. The main underlying mechanisms, which explain the fluorescence properties of many extrinsic dyes, are solvent relaxation processes and (twisted) intramolecular charge transfer reactions, which are affected by the environment and by interactions of the dyes with proteins. In recent time, the use of extrinsic fluorescent dyes such as ANS, Bis-ANS, Nile Red, Thioflavin T and others has increased, because of their versatility, sensitivity and suitability for high-throughput screening. The intention of this review is to give an overview of available extrinsic dyes, explain their spectral properties, and show illustrative examples of their various applications in protein characterization. PMID:18172579

Effect of Ambient Temperature on Hydrophobic Recovery Behavior of Silicone Rubber Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Xiangyang; Li, Zijian; Zheng, Feng; Zhang, Ni; Huang, Zhen; Fang, Pengfei

A series of silicone rubber samples with different cyclosiloxanes contents have been successfully prepared, and their hydrophobic recovery behaviors and mechanism were investigated in detail. The gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy technique after Soxhlet extraction was utilized to examine the low molecular weight siloxanes in the sample, SEM was used to observe the surface morphology of the silicone rubber influenced by plasma treatment, and contact angle measurement was applied to probe the hydrophobic recovery of the sample surface after plasma treatment at different storage temperatures. The storage time-dependent contact angle of water can be well fitted by the diffusion model calculated from Fick’s second law. The results imply that the hydrophobic recovery of silicone rubber is related to the diffusion of low molecular weight siloxanes, while larger content or higher temperature can induce faster hydrophobic recovery.

Surface wettability of plasma SiOx:H nanocoating-induced endothelial cells' migration and the associated FAK-Rho GTPases signalling pathways

PubMed Central

Shen, Yang; Wang, Guixue; Huang, Xianliang; Zhang, Qin; Wu, Jiang; Tang, Chaojun; Yu, Qingsong; Liu, Xiaoheng

2012-01-01

Vascular endothelial cell (EC) adhesion and migration are essential processes in re-endothelialization of implanted biomaterials. There is no clear relationship and mechanism between EC adhesion and migration behaviour on surfaces with varying wettabilities. As model substrates, plasma SiOx:H nanocoatings with well-controlled surface wettability (with water contact angles in the range of 98.5 ± 2.3° to 26.3 ± 4.0°) were used in this study to investigate the effects of surface wettability on cell adhesion/migration and associated protein expressions in FAK-Rho GTPases signalling pathways. It was found that EC adhesion/migration showed opposite behaviour on the hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces (i.e. hydrophobic surfaces promoted EC migration but were anti-adhesions). The number of adherent ECs showed a maximum on hydrophilic surfaces, while cells adhered to hydrophobic surfaces exhibited a tendency for cell migration. The focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibitor targeting the Y-397 site of FAK could significantly inhibit cell adhesion/migration, suggesting that EC adhesion and migration on surfaces with different wettabilities involve (p)FAK and its downstream signalling pathways. Western blot results suggested that the FAK-Rho GTPases signalling pathways were correlative to EC migration on hydrophobic plasma SiOx:H surfaces, but uncertain to hydrophilic surfaces. This work demonstrated that surface wettability could induce cellular behaviours that were associated with different cellular signalling events. PMID:21715399

New Element Organic Frameworks Based on Sn, Sb, and Bi, with Permanent Porosity and High Catalytic Activity

PubMed Central

Fritsch, Julia; Rose, Marcus; Wollmann, Philipp; Böhlmann, Winfried; Kaskel, Stefan

2010-01-01

We present new element organic frameworks based on Sn, Sb and Bi atoms connected via organic linkers by element-carbon bonds. The open frameworks are characterized by specific surface areas (BET) of up to 445 m2 g-1 and a good stability under ambient conditions resulting from a highly hydrophobic inner surface. They show good performance as heterogeneous catalysts in the cyanosylilation of benzaldehyde as a test reaction. Due to their catalytic activity, this class of materials might be able to replace common homogeneous element-organic and often highly toxic catalysts especially in the food industry.

Spray-coating process in preparing PTFE-PPS composite super-hydrophobic coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weng, Rui; Zhang, Haifeng; Liu, Xiaowei

2014-03-01

In order to improve the performance of a liquid-floated rotor micro-gyroscope, the resistance of the moving interface between the rotor and the floating liquid must be reduced. Hydrophobic treatment can reduce the frictional resistance between such interfaces, therefore we proposed a method to prepare a poly-tetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-poly-phenylene sulphide (PPS) composite super-hydrophobic coating, based on a spraying process. This method can quickly prepare a continuous, uniform PTFE-PPS composite super-hydrophobic surface on a 2J85 material. This method can be divided into three steps, namely: pre-treatment; chemical etching; and spraying. The total time for this is around three hours. When the PTFE concentration is 4%, the average contact angle of the hydrophobic coating surface is 158°. If silicon dioxide nanoparticles are added, this can further improve the adhesion and mechanical strength of the super-hydrophobic composite coating. The maximum average contact angle can reach as high as 164° when the mass fraction of PTFE, PPS and silicon dioxide is 1:1:1.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ren, Hongbo; Qiao, Zemin; Liu, Xiao

Highlights: • Sol–gel route is combined with polymerization without using modifier. • Supercritical drying control is the key to obtain super-hydrophobic surfaces. • The whole fabrication is technologically controllable and with low costs. • The production rate is higher than 90%. • The method provides a cost-effective way for industry applications. - Abstract: We successfully synthesized one type of cheap super-hydrophobic hybrid porous materials in a sol–gel process. In this route, hydrophilic polymers and TEOS-base sol are used as precursors, the ultraviolet ray-initiated polymerization and supercritical fluid drying techniques are combined together to fulfill this task. All fabricated samples exhibitmore » lotus-leaf-like surface structures with super-hydrophobicity. The underlying mechanisms are carefully investigated using a field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). We found that a well-controlled drying process is crucial to the formation of such super-hydrophobic surfaces. As high as 90% production rate is obtained in our route and thus, it might provide a cost-effective way to produce super-hydrophobic hybrid materials for industry applications.« less

Characterization of heat-induced interaction of neutral liposome with lipid membrane of Streptomyces griseus cell.

PubMed

Ngo, Kien Xuan; Umakoshi, Hiroshi; Shimanouchi, Toshinori; Kuboi, Ryoichi

2009-10-15

The interaction between the neutral 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (POPC) liposomes and cell membrane of Streptomyces griseus induced by the heat treatment at specific temperature was investigated, focusing on the internalization of the neutral POPC liposomes with S. griseus cells. In an attempt to clarify the modes of liposome internalization, various kinds of inhibitors of endocytotic pathways were used to treat S. griseus cells. The efficiency of the heat treatment on liposome-cell membrane interactions was finally characterized based on the hydrophobic, electrostatic interactions and hydration effect. In fact, the internalization of the neutral liposomes into these cells was found to show higher rate and greater amount at higher temperatures. The kinetic study showed that the maximum amount of the internalized liposomes was, respectively, 469 x 10(5) and 643 x 10(5) liposomes/cell at 37 and 41 degrees C. The internalization of the neutral liposomes induced by the heat treatment was characterized, implying that the endocytosis occurred. The interactions involving the internalization, adsorption, and fusion of these liposomes with S. griseus cells were mainly contributed by the hydrophobic interaction and the unstable hydrogen bonds caused by the loss of water of surface hydration of cell membrane rather than the electrostatic interaction under the specific heat condition.

A script to highlight hydrophobicity and charge on protein surfaces

PubMed Central

Hagemans, Dominique; van Belzen, Ianthe A. E. M.; Morán Luengo, Tania; Rüdiger, Stefan G. D.

2015-01-01

The composition of protein surfaces determines both affinity and specificity of protein-protein interactions. Matching of hydrophobic contacts and charged groups on both sites of the interface are crucial to ensure specificity. Here, we propose a highlighting scheme, YRB, which highlights both hydrophobicity and charge in protein structures. YRB highlighting visualizes hydrophobicity by highlighting all carbon atoms that are not bound to nitrogen and oxygen atoms. The charged oxygens of glutamate and aspartate are highlighted red and the charged nitrogens of arginine and lysine are highlighted blue. For a set of representative examples, we demonstrate that YRB highlighting intuitively visualizes segments on protein surfaces that contribute to specificity in protein-protein interfaces, including Hsp90/co-chaperone complexes, the SNARE complex and a transmembrane domain. We provide YRB highlighting in form of a script that runs using the software PyMOL. PMID:26528483

Supramolecular Complex Antioxidant Consisting of Vitamins C, E and Hydrophilic-Hydrophobic Silica Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laguta, I. V.; Kuzema, P. O.; Stavinskaya, O. N.; Kazakova, O. A.

Samples with varied amount of surface trimethylsilyl groups were obtained via gas-phase chemical modification of silica nanoparticles. The biocompatibility tests conducted in erythrocyte suspension have shown that hydrophobization of silica decreases its damaging effect to the cells. Being wettable in aqueous media, partially silylated silicas have higher affinity to hydrophobic bioactive molecules in comparison with the initial silica. Novel antioxidant consisting of vitamins C and E and silica with 40% of surface trimethylsilyl groups was formulated. It was found that supramolecular complexes are formed on the silica surface due to the affinity of water- and fat-soluble antioxidants to hydrophilic silanol and hydrophobic trimethylsilyl groups, respectively. Test reactions (total phenolic index determination, DPPH test) and in vitro studies (spectral analysis of erythrocyte suspensions undergoing UV irradiation) revealed the correlation between antioxidant activity of the complex antioxidant and the vitamins’ content. The antioxidant remained active during long-term storage under standard conditions.

Supramolecular Complex Antioxidant Consisting of Vitamins C, E and Hydrophilic-Hydrophobic Silica Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laguta, I. V.; Kuzema, P. O.; Stavinskaya, O. N.; Kazakova, O. A.

Samples with varied amount of surface trimethylsilyl groups were obtained via gas-phase chemical modification of silica nanoparticles. The biocompatibility tests conducted in erythrocyte suspension have shown that hydrophobization of silica decreases its damaging effect to the cells. Being wettable in aqueous media, partially silylated silicas have higher affinity to hydrophobic bioactive molecules in comparison with the initial silica. Novel antioxidant consisting of vitamins C and E and silica with 40% of surface trimethylsilyl groups was formulated. It was found that supramolecular complexes are formed on the silica surface due to the affinity of water- and fat-soluble antioxidants to hydrophilic silanol and hydrophobic trimethylsilyl groups, respectively. Test reactions (total phenolic index determination, DPPH test) and in vitro studies (spectral analysis of erythrocyte suspensions undergoing UV irradiation) revealed the correlation between antioxidant activity of the complex antioxidant and the vitamins' content. The antioxidant remained active during long-term storage under standard conditions.

Molecular weight distribution characterization of hydrophobe-modified hydroxyethyl cellulose by size-exclusion chromatography.

PubMed

Li, Yongfu; Meunier, David M; Partain, Emmett M

2014-09-12

Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) of hydrophobe-modified hydroxyethyl cellulose (HmHEC) is challenging because polymer chains are not isolated in solution due to association of hydrophobic groups and hydrophobic interaction with column packing materials. An approach to neutralize these hydrophobic interactions was developed by adding β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) to the aqueous eluent. SEC mass recovery, especially for the higher molecular weight chains, increased with increasing concentration of β-CD in the eluent. A β-CD concentration of 0.75wt% in the eluent was determined to be optimal for the HmHEC polymers studied. These conditions enabled precise determinations of apparent molecular weight distributions exhibiting less than 2% relative standard deviation in the measured weight-average molecular weight (MW) for five injections on three studied samples and showed no significant differences in MW determined on two different days. The developed technology was shown to be very robust for characterizing HmHEC having MW from 500kg/mol to 2000kg/mol, and it can be potentially applied to other hydrophobe-modified polymers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The method of synthesizing of superhydrophobic surfaces by PECVD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orazbayev, Sagi; Gabdullin, Maratbek; Ramazanov, Tlekkabul; Dosbolayev, Merlan; Zhunisbekov, Askar; Omirbekov, Dulat; Otarbay, Zhuldyz

2018-03-01

The aim of this work was to obtain superhydrophobic surfaces in a plasma medium. The experiment was carried out using the PECVD method in two different modes: constant and pulsing. The surface roughness was obtained by applying nanoparticles synthesized in plasma in a mixture of argon and methane. The resulting particles were deposited on the surface of silicon and glass materials. The contact angle increased linearly depending on the number of cycles, until it reached 160° at 150-160th cycles, after that the increase in cycles does not affect the contact angle, since the saturation process is in progress. Also the effect of the working gas composition on the hydrophobicity of the surface was studied. At low concentrations of methane (1%) only particles are synthesized in the working gas, and hydrophobicity is unstable, with an increase in methane concentration (7%) nanofilms are synthesized from nanoclusters, and surface hydrophobicity is relatively stable. In addition, a pulsing plasma mode was used to obtain superhydrophobic surfaces. The hydrophobicity of the sample showed that the strength of the nanofilm was stable in comparison with the sample obtained in the first mode, but the contact angle was lower. The obtained samples were examined using SEM, SPM, optical analysis, and their contact angles were determined.

Construction of super - hydrophobic copper alloy surface by one - step mixed solution immersion method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Qiang; Chen, Ying; Chen, Dong; Zhang, Zeting

2018-01-01

This paper presents a method for preparing a super hydrophobic surface with a fast, simple, low-cost, one-step reaction by immersing copper alloy in an ethanol solution containing silver nitrate and myristic acid. The effects of reaction time, reaction temperature, reactant concentration and reaction time on the wettability of the material were studied. The surface wettability, appearance, chemical composition, durability and chemical stability of the prepared samples was measured by water contact angle (CA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results show that when the reaction time is only 10min, the surface WCA of the prepared material can reach 154.9. This study provides an effective method for the rapid preparation of stable super hydrophobic surfaces.

Study of lysozyme mobility and binding free energy during adsorption on a graphene surface

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nakano, C. Masato; Ma, Heng; Wei, Tao, E-mail: twei@lamar.edu

Understanding protein adsorption is a key to the development of biosensors and anti-biofouling materials. Hydration essentially controls the adsorption process on hydrophobic surfaces, but its effect is complicated by various factors. Here, we present an ideal model system to isolate hydration effects—lysozyme adsorption on a flat hydrophobic graphene surface. Our all-atom molecular dynamics and molecular-mechanics/Poisson-Boltzmann surface area computation study reveal that lysozyme on graphene displays much larger diffusivity than in bulk water. Protein's hydration free energy within the first hydration shell is dominated by the protein-water electrostatic interactions and acts as an energy barrier for protein adsorption. On the othermore » hand, the surface tension, especially that from the hydrophobic graphene, can effectively weaken the barrier to promote adsorption.« less

Peptide adsorption on a hydrophobic surface results from an interplay of solvation, surface, and intrapeptide forces.

PubMed

Horinek, D; Serr, A; Geisler, M; Pirzer, T; Slotta, U; Lud, S Q; Garrido, J A; Scheibel, T; Hugel, T; Netz, R R

2008-02-26

The hydrophobic effect, i.e., the poor solvation of nonpolar parts of molecules, plays a key role in protein folding and more generally for molecular self-assembly and aggregation in aqueous media. The perturbation of the water structure accounts for many aspects of protein hydrophobicity. However, to what extent the dispersion interaction between molecular entities themselves contributes has remained unclear. This is so because in peptide folding interactions and structural changes occur on all length scales and make disentangling various contributions impossible. We address this issue both experimentally and theoretically by looking at the force necessary to peel a mildly hydrophobic single peptide molecule from a flat hydrophobic diamond surface in the presence of water. This setup avoids problems caused by bubble adsorption, cavitation, and slow equilibration that complicate the much-studied geometry with two macroscopic surfaces. Using atomic-force spectroscopy, we determine the mean desorption force of a single spider-silk peptide chain as F = 58 +/- 8 pN, which corresponds to a desorption free energy of approximately 5 k(B)T per amino acid. Our all-atomistic molecular dynamics simulation including explicit water correspondingly yields the desorption force F = 54 +/- 15 pN. This observation demonstrates that standard nonpolarizable force fields used in classical simulations are capable of resolving the fine details of the hydrophobic attraction of peptides. The analysis of the involved energetics shows that water-structure effects and dispersive interactions give contributions of comparable magnitude that largely cancel out. It follows that the correct modeling of peptide hydrophobicity must take the intimate coupling of solvation and dispersive effects into account.

Impact dynamics of liquid marbles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marston, Jeremy; Supakar, Tinku

2016-11-01

The impact of particle coated droplets (a.k.a. liquid marbles or armored droplets) onto solid substrates is assessed experimentally with high-speed video. The impact is characterized by the maximum spread diameter, which conforms to scaling laws in terms of the impact Weber number, meaning that the marbles behave similar to water droplets during this stage. However, the motion of the particles across the surface allows us to observe both clustering and divergence of the particle shell and, in particular, we observe the formation of arrested shapes (i.e. jammed interfaces) after impact onto hydrophobic surfaces, from an initially spherical shape. In this case, we postulate that the speed of retraction and rate of change of surface coverage is a key ingredient leading to arrested shapes.

USE OF CATIONIC SURFACTANTS TO MODIFY SOIL SURFACES TO PROMOTE SORPTION AND RETARD MIGRATION OF HYDROPHOBIC ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

EPA Science Inventory

Cationic surfactants can be used to modify surfaces of soils and subsurface materials to promote adsorption of hydrophobic organic compounds (HOC). Batch and column experiments were performed to investigate this phenomenon with the cationic surfactant dodecylpyridinium (DP), a se...

Molecular dynamics simulations study of nano bubble attachment at hydrophobic surfaces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jin, Jiaqi; Dang, Liem X.; Miller, Jan D.

Bubble attachment phenomena are examined using Molecular Dynamics Simulations (MDS) for the first time. The simulation involves a nitrogen nano bubble containing 906 nitrogen molecules in a water phase with 74,000 water molecules at molybdenite surfaces. During a simulation period of 1 ns, film rupture and displacement occurs. The attached nanobubble at the hydrophobic molybdenite face surface results in a contact angle of about 90º. This spontaneous attachment is due to a “water exclusion zone” at the molybdenite face surface and can be explained by a van der Waals (vdW) attractive force, as discussed in the literature. In contrast, themore » film is stable at the hydrophilic quartz (001) surface and the bubble does not attach. Contact angles determined from MD simulations are reported, and these results agree well with experimental and MDS sessile drop results. In this way, film stability and bubble attachment are described with respect to interfacial water structure for surfaces of different polarity. Interfacial water molecules at the hydrophobic molybdenite face surface have relatively weak interactions with the surface when compared to the hydrophilic quartz (001) surface, as revealed by the presence of a 3 Å “water exclusion zone” at the molybdenite/water interface. The molybdenite armchair-edge and zigzag-edge surfaces show a comparably slow process for film rupture and displacement when compared to the molybdenite face surface, which is consistent with their relatively weak hydrophobic character.« less

Incorporation of hydrophobized mineral particles in activated sludge flocs: a way to assess ballasting efficiency.

PubMed

Defontaine, G; Thormann, J; Lartiges, B S; El Samrani, A G; Barrs, O

2005-01-01

The role of mineral surface hydrophobicity in attachment to activated sludge flocs was investigated. Fluorite and quartz particles of similar granulometry were hydrophobized by adsorbing sodium oleate and dodecylamine chloride, respectively. Mineral hydrophobicity was assessed by flotation expriments. The attachment of particles to microbial flocs was determined by optical microscopy. The results indicate that hydrophobized particles are always better incorporated within activated sludge flocs than non-coated particles. A comparison with Aquatal particles used as sludge ballast reveals that hydrophobized minerals are associated with microbial flocs to the same extent.

Hydrophobic properties of a wavy rough substrate.

PubMed

Carbone, G; Mangialardi, L

2005-01-01

The wetting/non-wetting properties of a liquid drop in contact with a chemically hydrophobic rough surface (thermodynamic contact angle theta(e)>pi/2) are studied for the case of an extremely idealized rough profile: the liquid drop is considered to lie on a simple sinusoidal profile. Depending on surface geometry and pressure values, it is found that the Cassie and Wenzel states can coexist. But if the amplitude h of the substrate is sufficiently large the only possible stable state is the Cassie one, whereas if h is below a certain critical value hcr a transition to the Wenzel state occurs. Since in many potential applications of such super-hydrophobic surfaces, liquid drops often collide with the substrate (e.g. vehicle windscreens), in the paper the critical drop pressure pW is calculated at which the Cassie state is no longer stable and the liquid jumps into full contact with the substrate (Wenzel state). By analyzing the asymptotic behavior of the systems in the limiting case of a large substrate corrugation, a simple criterion is also proposed to calculate the minimum height asperity h necessary to prevent the Wenzel state from being formed, to preserve the super-hydrophobic properties of the substrate, and, hence, to design a robust super-hydrophobic surface.

Reducing Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation on stainless steel 316L using functionalized self-assembled monolayers

PubMed Central

Kruszewski, Kristen M; Nistico, Laura; Longwell, Mark J; Hynes, Matthew J; Maurer, Joshua A

2013-01-01

Stainless steel 316L (SS316L) is a common material used in orthopedic implants. Bacterial colonization of the surface and subsequent biofilm development can lead to refractory infection of the implant. Since the greatest risk of infection occurs perioperatively, strategies that reduce bacterial adhesion during this time are important. As a strategy to limit bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation on SS316L, self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) were used to modify the SS316L surface. SAMs with long alkyl chains terminated with hydrophobic (-CH3) or hydrophilic (oligoethylene glycol) tail groups were used to form coatings and in an orthogonal approach, SAMs were used to immobilize gentamicin or vancomycin on SS316L for the first time to form an “active” antimicrobial coating to inhibit early biofilm development. Modified SS316L surfaces were characterized using surface infrared spectroscopy, contact angles, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and atomic force microscopy. The ability of SAM-modified SS316L to retard biofilm development by Staphylococcus aureus was functionally tested using confocal scanning laser microscopy with COMSTAT image analysis, scanning electron microscopy and colony forming unit analysis. Neither hydrophobic nor hydrophilic SAMs reduced biofilm development. However, gentamicin-linked and vancomycin-linked SAMs significantly reduced S. aureus biofilm formation for up to 24 and 48 hours, respectively. PMID:23498233

Reducing Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation on stainless steel 316L using functionalized self-assembled monolayers.

PubMed

Kruszewski, Kristen M; Nistico, Laura; Longwell, Mark J; Hynes, Matthew J; Maurer, Joshua A; Hall-Stoodley, Luanne; Gawalt, Ellen S

2013-05-01

Stainless steel 316L (SS316L) is a common material used in orthopedic implants. Bacterial colonization of the surface and subsequent biofilm development can lead to refractory infection of the implant. Since the greatest risk of infection occurs perioperatively, strategies that reduce bacterial adhesion during this time are important. As a strategy to limit bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation on SS316L, self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) were used to modify the SS316L surface. SAMs with long alkyl chains terminated with hydrophobic (-CH3) or hydrophilic (oligoethylene glycol) tail groups were used to form coatings and in an orthogonal approach, SAMs were used to immobilize gentamicin or vancomycin on SS316L for the first time to form an "active" antimicrobial coating to inhibit early biofilm development. Modified SS316L surfaces were characterized using surface infrared spectroscopy, contact angles, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and atomic force microscopy. The ability of SAM-modified SS316L to retard biofilm development by Staphylococcus aureus was functionally tested using confocal scanning laser microscopy with COMSTAT image analysis, scanning electron microscopy and colony forming unit analysis. Neither hydrophobic nor hydrophilic SAMs reduced biofilm development. However, gentamicin-linked and vancomycin-linked SAMs significantly reduced S. aureus biofilm formation for up to 24 and 48 h, respectively. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A catalytic surface for amyloid fibril formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammarström, P.; Ali, M. M.; Mishra, R.; Svensson, S.; Tengvall, P.; Lundström, I.

2008-03-01

A hydrophobic surface incubated in a solution of protein molecules (insulin monomers) was made into a catalytic surface for amyloid fibril formation by repeatedly incubate, rinse and dry the surface. The present contribution describes how this unexpected transformation occurred and its relation to rapid fibrillation of insulin solutions in contact with the surface. A tentative model of the properties of the catalytic surface is given, corroborated by ellipsometric measurements of the thickness of the organic layer on the surface and by atomic force microscopy. The surfaces used were spontaneously oxidized silicon made hydrophobic through treatment in dichlorodimethylsilane.

Quantitative Analysis of Fullerene Nanomaterials in Environmental Systems: A Critical Review

PubMed Central

Isaacson, Carl W.; Kleber, Markus; Field, Jennifer A.

2009-01-01

The increasing production and use of fullerene nanomaterials has led to calls for more information regarding the potential impacts that releases of these materials may have on human and environmental health. Fullerene nanomaterials, which are comprised of both fullerenes and surface-functionalized fullerenes, are used in electronic, optic, medical and cosmetic applications. Measuring fullerene nanomaterial concentrations in natural environments is difficult because they exhibit a duality of physical and chemical characteristics as they transition from hydrophobic to polar forms upon exposure to water. In aqueous environments, this is expressed as their tendency to initially (i) self assemble into aggregates of appreciable size and hydrophobicity, and subsequently (ii) interact with the surrounding water molecules and other chemical constituents in natural environments thereby acquiring negative surface charge. Fullerene nanomaterials may therefore deceive the application of any single analytical method that is applied with the assumption that fullerenes have but one defining characteristic (e.g., hydrophobicity). [1] We find that analytical procedures are needed to account for the potentially transitory nature of fullerenes in natural environments through the use of approaches that provide chemically-explicit information including molecular weight and the number and identity of surface functional groups. [2] We suggest that sensitive and mass-selective detection, such as that offered by mass spectrometry when combined with optimized extraction procedures, offers the greatest potential to achieve this goal. [3] With this review, we show that significant improvements in analytical rigor would result from an increased availability of well characterized authentic standards, reference materials, and isotopically-labeled internal standards. Finally, the benefits of quantitative and validated analytical methods for advancing the knowledge on fullerene occurrence, fate, and behavior are indicated. PMID:19764203

Origins of protein denatured state compactness and hydrophobic clustering in aqueous urea: inferences from nonpolar potentials of mean force.

PubMed

Shimizu, Seishi; Chan, Hue Sun

2002-12-01

Free energies of pairwise hydrophobic association are simulated in aqueous solutions of urea at concentrations ranging from 0-8 M. Consistent with the expectation that hydrophobic interactions are weakened by urea, the association of relatively large nonpolar solutes is destabilized by urea. However, the association of two small methane-sized nonpolar solutes in water has the opposite tendency of being slightly strengthened by the addition of urea. Such size effects and the dependence of urea-induced stability changes on the configuration of nonpolar solutes are not predicted by solvent accessible surface area approaches based on energetic parameters derived from bulk-phase solubilities of model compounds. Thus, to understand hydrophobic interactions in proteins, it is not sufficient to rely solely on transfer experiment data that effectively characterize a single nonpolar solute in an aqueous environment but not the solvent-mediated interactions among two or more nonpolar solutes. We find that the m-values for the rate of change of two-methane association free energy with respect to urea concentration is a dramatically nonmonotonic function of the spatial separation between the two methanes, with a distance-dependent profile similar to the corresponding two-methane heat capacity of association in pure water. Our results rationalize the persistence of residual hydrophobic contacts in some proteins at high urea concentrations and explain why the heat capacity signature (DeltaC(P)) of a compact denatured state can be similar to DeltaC(P) values calculated by assuming an open random-coil-like unfolded state. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Modification and investigation of silica particles as a foam stabilizer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Qian; Zhou, Hua-lei; Song, Ying-xiao; Chang, Zhi-dong; Li, Wen-jun

2017-02-01

As a solid foam stabilizer, spherical silica particles with diameters ranging from 150 to 190 nm were prepared via an improved Stöber method and were subsequently modified using three different silane coupling agents to attain the optimum surface hydrophobicity of the particles. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra and the measured contact angles were used to characterize the surface properties of the prepared particles. The foam stability was investigated by the foam drainage half-life and the expansion viscoelastic modulus of the liquid film. The results demonstrate that all of the modified silica nanoparticles effectively improve the foam stability. The surface hydrophobicity of the modified particles is found to be a key factor influencing the foam stability. The optimum contact angle of the particles lies in the approximate range from 50° to 55°. The modifier molecular structure used can also influence the stabilizing foam property of the solid particles. The foam system stabilized by (CH3)2SiCl2-modified silica particles exhibits the highest stability; its drainage half-life at maximum increases by 27% compared to that of the blank foam system and is substantially greater than those of the foam systems stabilized by KH570- and KH550-modified particles.

Electrowetting on plasma-deposited fluorocarbon hydrophobic films for biofluid transport in microfluidics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bayiati, P.; Tserepi, A.; Petrou, P. S.

2007-05-15

The present work focuses on the plasma deposition of fluorocarbon (FC) films on surfaces and the electrostatic control of their wettability (electrowetting). Such films can be employed for actuation of fluid transport in microfluidic devices, when deposited over patterned electrodes. Here, the deposition was performed using C{sub 4}F{sub 8} and the plasma parameters that permit the creation of films with optimized properties desirable for electrowetting were established. The wettability of the plasma-deposited surfaces was characterized by means of contact angle measurements (in the static and dynamic mode). The thickness of the deposited films was probed in situ by means ofmore » spectroscopic ellipsometry, while the surface roughness was provided by atomic force microscopy. These plasma-deposited FC films in combination with silicon nitride, a material of high dielectric constant, were used to create a dielectric structure that requires reduced voltages for successful electrowetting. Electrowetting experiments using protein solutions were conducted on such optimized dielectric structures and were compared with similar structures bearing commercial spin-coated Teflon registered amorphous fluoropolymer (AF) film as the hydrophobic top layer. Our results show that plasma-deposited FC films have desirable electrowetting behavior and minimal protein adsorption, a requirement for successful transport of biological solutions in 'digital' microfluidics.« less

Fabrication and characterization of superhydrophobic copper fiber sintered felt with a 3D space network structure and their oil-water separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Jinyi; Yuan, Wei; Chen, Wenjun; Xu, Xiaotian; Tang, Yong

2016-12-01

This study reports the fabrication of a novel stable superhydrophobic and superoleophylic porous metal material on a copper fiber sintered felt (CFSF) substrate via a simple solution-immersion method. Oxidation and modification times are two important factors related to the level of hydrophobicity; oxidation for 1 h and modification for 24 h are appropriate to build a superhydrophobic CFSF surface with a water contact angle of 152.83° and a kerosene contact angle of 0°. The stability and high temperature resistance of superhydrophobic CFSF were studied. A novel device was designed to measure the water repellent ability of the treated CFSF. The results indicated that the water repellent ability of superhydrophobic CFSF was almost constant after 40 cycles of sanding. Both the water contact angle and the microstructure of the modified CFSF surface remained nearly unchanged after experiencing ultrasonic vibration for 1 min. The modified CFSF surface maintains super hydrophobicity after being treated at 180 °C for 1 h. The separation efficiencies for different types of oils and organic solvents (kerosene, chloroform, n-hexane and gasoline) are more than 96%. The modified CFSF retains a high robustness of separation efficiency even after it is recycled for the separation of kerosene and water for more than 10 times.

β-Cyclodextrin polymer brushes decorated magnetic colloidal nanocrystal clusters for the release of hydrophobic drugs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lv, Shaonan; Zhao, Meiqin; Cheng, Changjing; Zhao, Zhigang

2014-05-01

β-Cyclodextrin (β-CD) polymer brushes decorated magnetic Fe3O4 colloidal nanocrystal clusters (Fe3O4@PG-CD) were fabricated by a combination of surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization on the surface of Br-anchored Fe3O4 colloidal nanocrystal clusters (Fe3O4-Br) and ring-opening reaction of epoxy groups. The resulted Fe3O4@PG-CD hybrid nanoparticles were characterized by several methods including Fourier transform infrared, transmission electron microscope, dynamic light scattering instrument, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and vibrating sample magnetometer. Moreover, the potential of as-synthesized Fe3O4@PG-CD as a carrier of hydrophobic anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was also investigated. The results showed that the prepared Fe3O4@PG-CD have core/shell structure and high saturated magnetism. 5-FU could be loaded into the Fe3O4@PG-CD via the formation of β-CD/5-FU inclusion complex. Furthermore, the Fe3O4@PG-CD displayed a high loading capacity and pH-dependent release behavior for 5-FU. The release behavior demonstrated a simple Fickian diffusion in the acidic environment (pH 2.0 and 4.0) but neither non-Fickian nor anomalous when neutral. The results reveal that this nanosystem seems to be a very promising vehicle for the hydrophobic drugs for pH-dependent controlled release.

Virus removal by unsaturated wastewater filtration: effects of biofilm accumulation and hydrophobicity.

PubMed

Heistad, A; Scott, T; Skaarer, A M; Seidu, R; Hanssen, J F; Stenström, T A

2009-01-01

Enhanced treatment of septic tank effluent can improve the hydraulic function and performance of infiltration systems and constructed wetlands. By intermittent spray application of septic tank effluent onto a coarse-grained filter media, an unsaturated flow regime beneficial for pathogen removal is created. A column filtration study showed an increase in PRD-1 removal by time of operation with corresponding biofilm accumulation in the filter material. The same increased removal was observed for 1 mum polystyrene beads, irrespective of their hydrophilic/hydrophobic surface properties. A control experiment with sorption of 1 mum hydrophobic and hydrophilic polystyrene beads to different glass surfaces with hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties indicate that mechanisms other than hydrophobic interactions may govern the rate of attachment to the filter media. For a given volumetric flow-rate in the columns, the presence of biofilm altered the hydrodynamic characteristics and this resulted in increased retention time and particle removal.

Hydrophobic potential of mean force as a solvation function for protein structure prediction.

PubMed

Lin, Matthew S; Fawzi, Nicolas Lux; Head-Gordon, Teresa

2007-06-01

We have developed a solvation function that combines a Generalized Born model for polarization of protein charge by the high dielectric solvent, with a hydrophobic potential of mean force (HPMF) as a model for hydrophobic interaction, to aid in the discrimination of native structures from other misfolded states in protein structure prediction. We find that our energy function outperforms other reported scoring functions in terms of correct native ranking for 91% of proteins and low Z scores for a variety of decoy sets, including the challenging Rosetta decoys. This work shows that the stabilizing effect of hydrophobic exposure to aqueous solvent that defines the HPMF hydration physics is an apparent improvement over solvent-accessible surface area models that penalize hydrophobic exposure. Decoys generated by thermal sampling around the native-state basin reveal a potentially important role for side-chain entropy in the future development of even more accurate free energy surfaces.

Aromaticity/Bulkiness of Surface Ligands to Promote the Interaction of Anionic Amphiphilic Gold Nanoparticles with Lipid Bilayers.

PubMed

Gao, Jinhong; Zhang, Ouyang; Ren, Jing; Wu, Chuanliu; Zhao, Yibing

2016-02-16

The presence of large hydrophobic aromatic residues in cell-penetrating peptides or proteins has been demonstrated to be advantageous for their cell penetration. This phenomenon has also been observed when AuNPs were modified with peptides containing aromatic amino acids. However, it is still not clear how the presence of hydrophobic and aromatic groups on the surface of anionic AuNPs affects their interaction with lipid bilayers. Here, we studied the interaction of a range of anionic amphiphilic AuNPs coated by different combinations of hydrophobic and anionic ligands with four different types of synthetic lipid vesicles. Our results demonstrated the important role of the surface aromatic or bulky groups, relative to the hydrocarbon chains, in the interaction of anionic AuNPs with lipid bilayers. Hydrophobic interaction itself arising from the insertion of aromatic/bulky ligands on the surface of AuNPs into lipid bilayers is sufficiently strong to cause overt disruption of lipid vesicles and cell membranes. Moreover, by comparing the results obtained from AuNPs coated with aromatic ligands and cyclohexyl ligands lacking aromaticity respectively, we demonstrated that the bulkiness of the terminal groups in hydrophobic ligands instead of the aromatic character might be more important to the interaction of AuNPs with lipid bilayers. Finally, we further correlated the observation on model liposomes with that on cell membranes, demonstrating that AuNPs that are more disruptive to the more negatively charged liposomes are also substantially more disruptive to cell membranes. In addition, our results revealed that certain cellular membrane domains that are more susceptible to disruption caused by hydrophobic interactions with nanoparticle surfaces might determine the threshold of AuNP-mediated cytotoxicity.

Hydration level dependence of the microscopic dynamics of water adsorbed in ultramicroporous carbon

DOE PAGES

Mamontov, Eugene; Yue, Yanfeng; Bahadur, Jitendra; ...

2016-10-20

Even when not functionalized intentionally, most carbon materials are not hydrophobic and readily adsorb water molecules from atmospheric water vapor. We have equilibrated an ultramicroporous carbon at several levels of relative humidity, thereby attaining various hydration levels. The water molecules were adsorbed on the pore walls (but did not fill completely the pore volume) and thus could be better described as hydration, or surface, rather than confined, water. We used quasielastic neutron scattering to perform a detailed investigation of the dependence of microscopic dynamics of these adsorbed water species on the hydration level and temperature. The behavior of hydration watermore » in ultramicroporous carbon clearly demonstrates the same universal traits that characterize surface (hydration) water in other materials that are surface-hydrated. In addition, unless special treatment is intentionally applied to ultramicroporous carbon, the species filling its pores in various applications, ranging from hydrogen molecules to electrolytes, likely find themselves in contact with non-freezing water molecules characterized by rich microscopic dynamics.« less

Maltose conjugation to PCL: Advanced structural characterization and preliminary biological properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Secchi, Valeria; Guizzardi, Roberto; Russo, Laura; Pastori, Valentina; Lecchi, Marzia; Franchi, Stefano; Iucci, Giovanna; Battocchio, Chiara; Cipolla, Laura

2018-05-01

The emerging trends in regenerative medicine rely among others on biomaterial-based therapies, with the use of biomaterials as a central delivery system for biochemical and physical cues to manipulate transplanted or ingrowth cells and to orchestrate tissue regeneration. Cell adhesion properties of a biomaterial strongly depend on its surface characteristics. Among others poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) is a biocompatible and biodegradable material with low cytotoxicity that is widely adopted as synthetic polymer in several applications. However, it is hydrophobic, which limits its use in tissue engineering. In order to improve its hydrophilicity and cellular compatibility, PCL surface was grafted with maltose through a two-step procedure in which controlled aminolysis of PCL ester bonds by hexanediamine was followed by reductive amination with the carbohydrate reducing end. The modified PCL surface was then characterized in detail by x-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Near Edge x-ray Absorption Fine Structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopies. In addition, the biocompatibility of the proposed biomaterial was investigated in preliminary biological assays.

Identifying Mechanisms of Interfacial Dynamics Using Single-Molecule Tracking

PubMed Central

Kastantin, Mark; Walder, Robert; Schwartz, Daniel K.

2012-01-01

The “soft” (i.e. non-covalent) interactions between molecules and surfaces are complex and highly-varied (e.g. hydrophobic, hydrogen bonding, ionic) often leading to heterogeneous interfacial behavior. Heterogeneity can arise either from spatial variation of the surface/interface itself or from molecular configurations (i.e. conformation, orientation, aggregation state, etc.). By observing adsorption, diffusion, and desorption of individual fluorescent molecules, single-molecule tracking can characterize these types of heterogeneous interfacial behavior in ways that are inaccessible to traditional ensemble-averaged methods. Moreover, the fluorescence intensity or emission wavelength (in resonance energy transfer experiments) can be used to simultaneously track molecular configuration and directly relate this to the resulting interfacial mobility or affinity. In this feature article, we review recent advances involving the use of single-molecule tracking to characterize heterogeneous molecule-surface interactions including: multiple modes of diffusion and desorption associated with both internal and external molecular configuration, Arrhenius activated interfacial transport, spatially dependent interactions, and many more. PMID:22716995

Visualizing hydrophobic domains in silicone hydrogel lenses with Sudan IV.

PubMed

Jacob, Jean T; Levet, Jacques; Edwards, Tamika A; Dassanayake, Nissanke; Ketelson, Howard

2012-06-08

A lipophilic dye is used to investigate the degree to which the surface and bulk hydrophobic domains of the lenses can be imaged and to identify specific changes in the availability of those domains after in vitro wear and cleaning conditions. The effect of a multipurpose solution (MPS), OPTI-FREE RepleniSH, on lens hydrophobic domains was also investigated. Hydrophobic domains were determined using a saturated solution of Sudan IV. Staining periods of 30 minutes and 16 hours were used to determine surface versus bulk hydrophobic domains. Four types of silicone hydrogel lens materials were tested. The degree of staining was visually documented by photography and quantitatively determined by extraction and analysis of the total amount of dye adsorbed. Specific differences in staining were found for all control lenses. Exposure to in vitro wear conditions significantly decreased the staining response for all lens types as compared with unworn lenses (P = 0.001). However, the trend of staining remained the same: balafilcon A > galyfilcon A > senofilcon A > lotrafilcon B. MPS decreased the extent of staining; the degree of its effect varied with lens type. Hydrophobic staining with Sudan IV visualized domains on and within silicone hydrogel lenses. Differences in staining response after exposure to wear and cleaning conditions indicate the potential for protein and lipid deposition on the different lens types and the ability of MPS to affect that deposition. Hydrophobic staining may be useful for determining differences in surface modification and lipophilicity of silicone hydrogel lenses.

Selective hydrophobic derivatization on the surface of helical silica nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Sun-Mi; Sung, Ji Yeong; Sim, Eun-Kyung; Jo, Nam-Ju; Kim, Jong Wook; Lee, Sumin; Jin, Jong Sung

2018-02-01

The chiral 1,2-diphenylethylenediamine derivative that is capable of spontaneous self-assembly was employed as an organogel template to produce a helical mesoporous silica nanotube containing gelators therein by following sol-gel polycondensation of TEOS. The synthesis enabled the successful introduction of the hydrocarbon of octyl silane (hydrophobic functional group) onto the outer surface of the silica nanotube while preserving the hydrophilic silanol (Sisbnd OH) group on internal surface of silica nanotube free from the gelators. This synthetic condition consists of a pre-stage of the introduction of a hydrophobic hydrocarbon functional group onto the outer surface of the silica nanotube selectively, and the post-stage washing of the gelators was presented together with a method analyzing the actions of organogels in the respective experimental processes.

The search for the hydrophobic force law

PubMed Central

Hammer, Malte U.; Anderson, Travers H.; Chaimovich, Aviel; Scott Shell, M.

2010-01-01

After nearly 30 years of research on the hydrophobic interaction, the search for the hydrophobic force law is still continuing. Indeed, there are more questions than answers, and the experimental data are often quite different for nominally similar conditions, as well as, apparently, for nano-, micro-, and macroscopic surfaces. This has led to the conclusion that the experimentally observed force–distance relationships are either a combination of different ‘fundamental’ interactions, or that the hydrophobic force-law, if there is one, is complex – depending on numerous parameters. The only unexpectedly strong attractive force measured in all experiments so far has a range of D ≈ 100–200 Å, increasing roughly exponentially down to ~ 10–20 Å and then more steeply down to adhesive contact at D = 0 or, for power-law potentials, effectively at D ≈ 2 Å. The measured forces in this regime (100–200 Å) and especially the adhesive forces are much stronger, and have a different distance-dependence from the continuum VDW force (Lifshitz theory) for non-conducting dielectric media. We suggest a three-regime force-law for the forces observed between hydrophobic surfaces: In the first, from 100–200 Å to thousands of ångstroms, the dominating force is created by complementary electrostatic domains or patches on the apposing surfaces and/or bridging vapour cavities; a ‘pure’ but still not well-understood ‘long-range hydrophobic force’ dominates the second regime from ~ 150 to ~ 15 Å, possibly due to an enhanced Hamaker constant associated with the ‘proton-hopping’ polarizability of water; while below ~ 10–15 Å to contact there is another ‘pure short-range hydrophobic force’ related to water structuring effects associated with surface-induced changes in the orientation and/or density of water molecules and H-bonds at the water–hydrophobic interface. We present recent SFA and other experimental results, as well as a simplified model for water based on a spherically-symmetric potential that is able to capture some basic features of hydrophobic association. Such a model may be useful for theoretical studies of the HI over the broad range of scales observed in SFA experiments. PMID:21043428

The search for the hydrophobic force law.

PubMed

Hammer, Malte U; Anderson, Travers H; Chaimovich, Aviel; Shell, M Scott; Israelachvili, Jacob

2010-01-01

After nearly 30 years of research on the hydrophobic interaction, the search for the hydrophobic force law is still continuing. Indeed, there are more questions than answers, and the experimental data are often quite different for nominally similar conditions, as well as, apparently, for nano-, micro-, and macroscopic surfaces. This has led to the conclusion that the experimentally observed force-distance relationships are either a combination of different 'fundamental' interactions, or that the hydrophobic force-law, if there is one, is complex--depending on numerous parameters. The only unexpectedly strong attractive force measured in all experiments so far has a range of D approximately 100-200 angstroms, increasing roughly exponentially down to approximately 10-20 angstroms and then more steeply down to adhesive contact at D = 0 or, for power-law potentials, effectively at D approximately 2 angstroms. The measured forces in this regime (100-200 angstroms) and especially the adhesive forces are much stronger, and have a different distance-dependence from the continuum VDW force (Lifshitz theory) for non-conducting dielectric media. We suggest a three-regime force-law for the forces observed between hydrophobic surfaces: In the first, from 100-200 angstroms to thousands of angstroms, the dominating force is created by complementary electrostatic domains or patches on the apposing surfaces and/or bridging vapour cavities; a 'pure' but still not well-understood 'long-range hydrophobic force' dominates the second regime from approximately 150 to approximately 15 angstroms, possibly due to an enhanced Hamaker constant associated with the 'proton-hopping' polarizability of water; while below approximately 10-15 anstroms to contact there is another 'pure short-range hydrophobic force' related to water structuring effects associated with surface-induced changes in the orientation and/or density of water molecules and H-bonds at the water-hydrophobic interface. We present recent SFA and other experimental results, as well as a simplified model for water based on a spherically-symmetric potential that is able to capture some basic features of hydrophobic association. Such a model may be useful for theoretical studies of the HI over the broad range of scales observed in SFA experiments.

Adsorption and activity of Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase on hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces measured with dual polarization interferometry (DPI) and confocal microscopy.

PubMed

Sonesson, Andreas W; Callisen, Thomas H; Brismar, Hjalmar; Elofsson, Ulla M

2008-02-15

The adsorption and activity of Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase (TLL) was measured with dual polarization interferometry (DPI) and confocal microscopy at a hydrophilic and hydrophobic surface. In the adsorption isotherms, it was evident that TLL both had higher affinity for the hydrophobic surface and adsorbed to a higher adsorbed amount (1.90 mg/m(2)) compared to the hydrophilic surface (1.40-1.50mg/m(2)). The thickness of the adsorbed layer was constant (approximately 3.5 nm) on both surfaces at an adsorbed amount >1.0mg/m(2), but decreased on the hydrophilic surface at lower surface coverage, which might be explained by partially unfolding of the TLL structure. However, a linear dependence of the refractive index of the adsorbed layer on adsorbed amount of TLL on C18 surfaces indicated that the structure of TLL was similar at low and high surface coverage. The activity of adsorbed TLL was measured towards carboxyfluorescein diacetate (CFDA) in solution, which upon lipase activity formed a fluorescent product. The surface fluorescence intensity increase was measured in a confocal microscope as a function of time after lipase adsorption. It was evident that TLL was more active on the hydrophilic surface, which suggested that a larger fraction of adsorbed TLL molecules were oriented with the active site facing the solution compared to the hydrophobic surface. Moreover, most of the activity remained when the TLL surface coverage decreased. Earlier reports on TLL surface mobility on the same surfaces have found that the lateral diffusion was highest on hydrophilic surfaces and at low surface coverage of TLL. Hence, a high lateral mobility might lead to a longer exposure time of the active site towards solution, thereby increasing the activity against a water-soluble substrate.

Weakly Hydrated Surfaces and the Binding Interactions of Small Biological Solutes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brady, J. W.; Tavagnacco, L.; Ehrlich, L.

2012-04-01

Extended planar hydrophobic surfaces, such as are found in the side chains of the amino acids histidine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan, exhibit an affinity for the weakly hydrated faces of glucopyranose. In addition, molecular species such as these, including indole, caffeine, and imidazole, exhibit a weak tendency to pair together by hydrophobic stacking in aqueous solution. These interactions can be partially understood in terms of recent models for the hydration of extended hydrophobic faces and should provide insight into the architecture of sugar-binding sites in proteins.

Weakly hydrated surfaces and the binding interactions of small biological solutes.

PubMed

Brady, John W; Tavagnacco, Letizia; Ehrlich, Laurent; Chen, Mo; Schnupf, Udo; Himmel, Michael E; Saboungi, Marie-Louise; Cesàro, Attilio

2012-04-01

Extended planar hydrophobic surfaces, such as are found in the side chains of the amino acids histidine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan, exhibit an affinity for the weakly hydrated faces of glucopyranose. In addition, molecular species such as these, including indole, caffeine, and imidazole, exhibit a weak tendency to pair together by hydrophobic stacking in aqueous solution. These interactions can be partially understood in terms of recent models for the hydration of extended hydrophobic faces and should provide insight into the architecture of sugar-binding sites in proteins.

Movement of fine particles on an air bubble surface studied using high-speed video microscopy.

PubMed

Nguyen, Anh V; Evans, Geoffrey M

2004-05-01

A CCD high-speed video microscopy system operating at 1000 frames per second was used to obtain direct quantitative measurements of the trajectories of fine glass spheres on the surface of air bubbles. The glass spheres were rendered hydrophobic by a methylation process. Rupture of the intervening water film between a hydrophobic particle and an air bubble with the consequent formation of a three-phase contact was observed. The bubble-particle sliding attachment interaction is not satisfactorily described by the available theories. Surface forces had little effect on the particle sliding with a water film, which ruptured probably due to the submicrometer-sized gas bubbles existing at the hydrophobic particle-water interface.

Synthesis of a fluorine-free polymeric water-repellent agent for creation of superhydrophobic fabrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Keke; Yu, Miao; Li, Qianqian; Sun, Wei; Zhang, Xiting; Quan, Miao; Liu, Zhengtang; Shi, Suqing; Gong, Yongkuan

2017-12-01

A non-fluorinated polymeric alkylsilane, poly(isobutyl methacrylate-co-3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane) (PIT), is designed and synthesized to replace the commercial long-chain perfluoroalkylsilane (FAS) water-repellent agent. The superhydrophobic polyester fabrics are prepared by anchoring sol-gel derived silica nanoparticles onto alkali-treated polyester fabric surfaces and subsequently hydrophobilizing with PIT, using FAS as control. The surface chemical composition, surface morphology, wetting behavior and durability of the modified polyester fabrics are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectrophotometer (XPS) and video-based contact angle goniometer, respectively. The results show that a porous silica layer could be successfully fabricated onto the surface of polyester fabric through base-catalyzed sol-gel process with tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) as precursor, incorporating additional nanostructured roughness essential for superhydrophobicity. At the same time, such a silica primer layer could provide both secondary reactive moieties (-Si - OH) for the subsequent surface hydrophobization and acceptable adhesion at the silica-polyester fabric interface. When silica modified polyester fabric (SiO2@ fabric) is hydrophobized by PIT solution (10 mg/mL), excellent water-repellency could be obtained. The water contact angle is up to 154° and the sliding angle is about 5°. Compared with small molecule water-repellent agent FAS, PIT modified SiO2@ fabric exhibits greatly improved solvent resistance under ultra-sonication, abrasion and simulated laundering durability. The anti-stain property of PIT-modified SiO2@ fabric is also evaluated by using different aqueous colored solutions.

A Study of Drop-Microstructured Surface Interactions during Dropwise Condensation with Quartz Crystal Microbalance

PubMed Central

Su, Junwei; Charmchi, Majid; Sun, Hongwei

2016-01-01

Dropwise condensation (DWC) on hydrophobic surfaces is attracting attention for its great potential in many industrial applications, such as steam power plants, water desalination, and de-icing of aerodynamic surfaces, to list a few. The direct dynamic characterization of liquid/solid interaction can significantly accelerate the progress toward a full understanding of the thermal and mass transport mechanisms during DWC processes. This work reports a novel Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) based method that can quantitatively analyze the interaction between water droplets and micropillar surfaces during different condensation states such as filmwise, Wenzel, and partial Cassie states. A combined nanoimprinting lithography and chemical surface treatment approach was utilized to fabricate the micropillar based superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic surfaces on the QCM substrates. The normalized frequency shift of the QCM device together with the microscopic observation of the corresponding drop motion revealed the droplets growth and their coalescence processes and clearly demonstrated the differences between the three aforementioned condensation states. In addition, the transition between Cassie and Wenzel states was successfully captured by this method. The newly developed QCM system provides a valuable tool for the dynamic characterization of different condensation processes. PMID:27739452

Material- and feature-dependent effects on cell adhesion to micro injection moulded medical polymers.

PubMed

Choi, Seong Ying; Habimana, Olivier; Flood, Peter; Reynaud, Emmanuel G; Rodriguez, Brian J; Zhang, Nan; Casey, Eoin; Gilchrist, Michael D

2016-09-01

Two polymers, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and cyclic olefin copolymer (COC), containing a range of nano- to micron- roughness surfaces (Ra 0.01, 0.1, 0.4, 1.0, 2.0, 3.2 and 5.0μm) were fabricated using electrical discharge machining (EDM) and replicated using micro injection moulding (μIM). Polymer samples were characterized using optical profilometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and water surface contact angle. Cell adhesion tests were carried out using bacterial Pseudomonas fluorescens and mammalian Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells to determine the effect of surface hydrophobicity, surface roughness and stiffness. It is found that there are features which gave insignificant differences (feature-dependent effect) in cell adhesion, albeit a significant difference in the physicochemical properties (material-dependent effect) of substrata. In bacterial cell adhesion, the strongest feature-dependence is found at Ra 0.4μm surfaces, with material-dependent effects strongest at Ra 0.01μm. Ra 0.1μm surfaces exhibited strongest feature-dependent effects and Ra 5.0μm has strongest material-dependent effects on mammalian cell adhesion. Bacterial cell adhesion is found to be favourable to hydrophobic surfaces (COC), with the lowest adhesion at Ra 0.4μm for both materials. Mammalian cell adhesion is lowest in Ra 0.1μm and highest in Ra 1.0μm, and generally favours hydrophilic surfaces (PMMA). These findings can be used as a basis for developing medical implants or microfluidic devices using micro injection moulding for diagnostic purposes, by tuning the cell adhesion on different areas containing different surface roughnesses on the diagnostic microfluidic devices or medical implants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Attachment of Escherichia coli O157:H7 grown in tryptic soy broth and nutrient broth to apple and lettuce surfaces as related to cell hydrophobicity, surface charge, and capsule production.

PubMed

Hassan, A N; Frank, J F

2004-10-01

This study investigated the effect of growth in tryptic soy broth (TSB) and nutrient broth (NB) on the ability Escherichia coli O157:H7 to attach to lettuce and apple surfaces. In addition, cell surface hydrophobicity, charge and capsule production were determined on cells grown in these media. Cells grown in NB attached less to lettuce and apple surfaces than did those grown in TSB. TSB, but not NB, supported capsule production by E. coli O157:H7. Cells grown in TSB were more hydrophilic than those grown in NB. No difference was found in the electrokinetic properties of cells grown in these media. Electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions and surface proteins did not appear to play an important role in the attachment of E. coli O157:H7 to these surfaces. Of the factors studied, only capsule production was associated with attachment ability. Copyright 2003 Elsevier B.V.

Characterization of recombinant monoclonal antibody variants detected by hydrophobic interaction chromatography and imaged capillary isoelectric focusing electrophoresis.

PubMed

King, Cory; Patel, Rekha; Ponniah, Gomathinayagam; Nowak, Christine; Neill, Alyssa; Gu, Zhenyu; Liu, Hongcheng

2018-05-15

In-depth characterization of the commonly observed variants is critical to the successful development of recombinant monoclonal antibody therapeutics. Multiple peaks of a recombinant monoclonal antibody were observed when analyzed by hydrophobic interaction chromatography and imaged capillary isoelectric focusing. The potential modification causing the heterogeneity was localized to F(ab')2 region by analyzing the antibody after IdeS digestion using hydrophobic interaction chromatography. LC-MS analysis identified asparagine deamidation as the root cause of the observed multiple variants. While the isoelectric focusing method is expected to separate deamidated species, the similar profile observed in hydrophobic interaction chromatography indicates that the single site deamidation caused differences in hydrophobicity. Forced degradation demonstrated that the susceptible asparagine residue is highly exposed, which is expected as it is located in the light chain complementarity determining region. Deamidation of this single site decreased the mAb binding affinity to its specific antigen. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fractionation and characterization of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in refinery wastewater by revised phase retention and ion-exchange adsorption solid phase extraction followed by ESI FT-ICR MS.

PubMed

Fang, Zhi; He, Chen; Li, Yongyong; Chung, Keng H; Xu, Chunming; Shi, Quan

2017-01-01

Although the progress of high resolution mass spectrometry in the past decade has enabled the molecular characterization of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in water as a whole, fractionation of DOM is necessary for a comprehensive characterization due to its super-complex nature. Here we proposed a method for the fractionation of DOM in a wastewater based on solubility and acidic-basic properties. Solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridges with reversed phase retention and ion-exchange adsorption capacities, namely MAX and MCX, were used in succession to fractionate a petroleum refinery wastewater into four fractions: hydrophobic acid (HOA), hydrophobic neutral (HON), hydrophobic base (HOB), and hydrophilic substance (HIS) fractions. According to the total organic carbon (TOC) analysis, 72.6% (in term of TOC) of DOM was extracted in hydrophobic fractions, in which HON was the most abundant. Hydrophobic extracts were characterized by negative and positive ion electrospray (ESI) Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS), respectively. Compounds with multiple oxygen atoms were predominant in the HOA, which were responded strongly in the negative ESI MS. Nitrogen containing compounds were the major detected species by positive ion ESI in all hydrophobic fractions. The molecular composition of the DOM were discussed based on the FT-ICR MS results. The fractionation provided salt free samples which enables the direct analysis of the fractions by ESI and a deep insight into the molecular composition of DOM in the wastewater. The method is potential for routine evaluation of DOM in industry wastewaters, as well as environmental water samples. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The Use of Bacterial Adherence to Hydrocarbons (BATH) Assay in Evaluation of the Hydrophobic Surface Characteristics of Potential Water Pathogens

EPA Science Inventory

Bacterial adherence to hydrocarbons, BATH, is a method for determining the hydrophobic surface characteristics of bacterial cells. The strain’s affinity for water is evaluated by thoroughly mixing a culture and hydrocarbon suspension and then evaluating the decrease in optical de...

Hydrophobic, ductile, and transparent nanocellulose films with quaternary alkylammonium carboxylates on nanofibril surfaces.

PubMed

Shimizu, Michiko; Saito, Tsuguyuki; Fukuzumi, Hayaka; Isogai, Akira

2014-11-10

Hydrophobic, ductile, and transparent nanocellulose films were prepared by casting and drying aqueous dispersions of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl-oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (TOCNs) with quaternary alkylammoniums (QAs) as counterions for the surface carboxylate groups. TOCN films with tetramethylammonium and tetraethylammonium carboxylates showed high optical transparencies, strain-to-failure values (14-22%), and work-of-fracture values (20-27 MJ m(-3)). The ductility of these films was likely caused by the alkyl chains of the QA groups densely covering the TOCN surfaces and being present at the interfaces between the TOCN elements in the films. The water contact angle of the TOCN-QA films increased to ∼100° by introducing tetra(n-butyl)ammonium groups as counterions. Thus, TOCN film properties can be controlled by changing the chemical structure of the counterions from Na to QAs. The hydrophilic TOCN surfaces can be changed to hydrophobic simply and efficiently by the conversion from TOCN-Na to TOCN-QA, when TOCNs are used as nanofillers in hydrophobic polymer matrices.

Fast enhancement on hydrophobicity of poplar wood surface using low-pressure dielectric barrier discharges (DBD) plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Weimin; Zhou, Xiaoyan; Zhang, Xiaotao; Bian, Jie; Shi, Shukai; Nguyen, Thiphuong; Chen, Minzhi; Wan, Jinglin

2017-06-01

The hydrophilicity of woody products leads to deformation and cracks, which greatly limits its applications. Low-pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma using hexamethyldisiloxane was applied in poplar wood surface to enhance the hydrophobicity. The chemical properties, micro-morphology, and contact angles of poplar wood surface before and after plasma treatment were investigated by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive analysis of X-ray (SEM-EDX), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and optical contact angle measurement (OCA). Moreover, tinfoil film was used as the base to reveal the enhancement mechanism. The results showed that hexamethyldisiloxane monomer is first broken into several fragments with active sites and hydrophobic chemical groups. Meanwhile, plasma treatment results in the formation of free radicals and active sites in the poplar wood surface. Then, the fragments are reacted with free radicals and incorporated into the active sites to form a network structure based on the linkages of Si-O-Si and Sisbnd Osbnd C. Plasma treatment also leads to the formation of acicular nano-structure in poplar wood surface. These facts synergistically enhance the hydrophobicity of poplar wood surface, demonstrating the dramatically increase in the equilibrium contact angle by 330%.

Influence of chemistry on wetting dynamics of nanotextured hydrophobic surfaces.

PubMed

Di Mundo, Rosa; Palumbo, Fabio; d'Agostino, Riccardo

2010-04-06

In this work, the role of a chemical parameter, such as the degree of fluorination, on the wetting behavior of nanotextured hydrophobic surfaces is investigated. Texture and chemistry tuning of the surfaces has been accomplished with single batch radiofrequency low-pressure plasma processes. Polystyrene substrates have been textured by CF(4) plasma etching and subsequently covered by thin films with a tunable F-to-C ratio, obtained in discharges fed with C(4)F(8)-C(2)H(4). Measurements of wetting dynamics reveal a regime transition from adhesive-hydrophobic to slippery-superhydrophobic, i.e., from wet to non wet states, as the F-to-C rises at constant topography. Such achievements are strengthened by calculation of the solid fraction of surface water contact area applying Cassie-Baxter advancing and receding equations to water contact angle data of textured and flat reference surfaces.

Fluorinated bottlebrush polymers based on poly(trifluoroethyl methacrylate): Synthesis and characterizations

DOE PAGES

Xu, Yuewen; Wang, Weiyu; Wang, Yangyang; ...

2015-11-25

Bottlebrush polymers are densely grafted polymers with long side-chains attached to a linear polymeric backbone. Their unusual structures endow them with a number of unique and potentially useful properties in solution, in thin films, and in bulk. Despite the many studies of bottlebrushes that have been reported, the structure–property relationships for this class of materials are still poorly understood. In this contribution, we report the synthesis and characterization of fluorinated bottlebrush polymers based on poly(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl methacrylate). The synthesis was achieved by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) using an α-bromoisobutyryl bromide functionalized norbornene initiator, followed by ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) usingmore » a third generation Grubbs’ catalyst (G3). Rheological characterization revealed that the bottlebrush polymer backbones remained unentangled as indicated by the lack of a rubbery plateau in the modulus. By tuning the size of the backbone of the bottlebrush polymers, near-spherical and elongated particles representing single brush molecular morphologies were observed in a good solvent as evidenced by TEM imaging, suggesting a semi-flexible nature of their backbones in dilute solutions. Thin films of bottlebrush polymers exhibited noticeably higher static water contact angles as compared to that of the macromonomer reaching the hydrophobic regime, where little differences were observed between each bottlebrush polymer. Further investigation by AFM revealed that the surface of the macromonomer film was relatively smooth; in contrast, the surface of bottlebrush polymers displayed certain degrees of nano-scale roughness (R q = 0.8–2.4 nm). The enhanced hydrophobicity of these bottlebrushes likely results from the preferential enrichment of the fluorine containing end groups at the periphery of the molecules and the film surface due to the side chain crowding effect. Furthermore, our results provide key information towards the design of architecturally tailored fluorinated polymers with desirable properties.« less

Preparation of plasmonic vesicles from amphiphilic gold nanocrystals grafted with polymer brushes

PubMed Central

Song, Jibin; Huang, Peng; Chen, Xiaoyuan

2016-01-01

Gold nanovesicles contain multiple nanocrystals within a polymeric coating. The strong plasmonic coupling between adjacent nanoparticles in their vesicular shell makes ultrasensitive biosensing and bioimaging possible. In our laboratory, multifunctional plasmonic vesicles are assembled from amphiphilic gold nanocrystals (such as gold nanoparticles and gold nanorods) coated with mixed hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymer brushes or amphiphilic diblock co-polymer brushes. To fulfill the different requirements of biomedical applications, different polymers that are either pH=responsive, photoactive or biodegradable can be used to form the hydrophobic brush, while the hydrophilicity is maintained by polyethylene glycol (PEG). This protocol covers the preparation, surface functionalization and self-assembly of amphiphilic gold nanocrystals grafted covalently with polymer brushes. The protocol can be completed within 2 d. The preparation of amphiphilic gold nanocrystals, coated with amphiphilic diblock polymer brushes using a ‘grafting to’ method or mixed hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymer brushes using tandem ‘grafting to’ and ‘grafting from’ methods, is described. We also provide detailed procedures for the preparation and characterization of pH-responsive plasmonic gold nanovesicles from amphiphilic gold nanocrystals using a film-rehydration method that can be completed within ~3 d. PMID:27763624

Smoothed particle hydrodynamics study of the roughness effect on contact angle and droplet flow

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shigorina, Elena; Kordilla, Jannes; Tartakovsky, Alexandre M.

We employ a pairwise force Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (PF-SPH) model to simulate sessile and transient droplets on rough hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces. PF-SPH allows for modeling of free surface flow without discretizing the air phase, which is achieved by imposing the surface tension and dynamic contact angles with pairwise interaction forces. We use the PF-SPH model to study the effect of surface roughness and microscopic contact angle on the effective contact angle and droplet dynamics. In the first part of this work, we investigate static contact angles of sessile droplets on rough surfaces in a shape of a sinusoidal functionmore » and made of rectangular bars placed on top of a flat surface. We find that the effective static contact angles of Cassie and Wenzel droplets on a rough surface are greater than the corresponding microscale static contact angles. As a result, microscale hydrophobic rough surfaces also show effective hydrophobic behavior. On the other hand, microscale hydrophilic surfaces may be macroscopically hydrophilic or hydrophobic, depending on the type of roughness. Next, we study the impact of the roughness orientation (i.e., an anisotropic roughness) and surface inclination on droplet flow velocities. Simulations show that droplet flow velocities are lower if the surface roughness is oriented perpendicular to the flow direction. If the predominant elements of surface roughness are in alignment with the flow direction, the flow velocities increase compared to smooth surfaces, which can be attributed to the decrease in fluid-solid contact area similar to the classical lotus effect. We demonstrate that linear scaling relationships between Bond and capillary number for droplet flow on flat surfaces also hold for flow on rough surfaces.« less

Combined surface hardening and laser patterning approach for functionalising stainless steel surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia-Giron, A.; Romano, J. M.; Liang, Y.; Dashtbozorg, B.; Dong, H.; Penchev, P.; Dimov, S. S.

2018-05-01

The paper reports a laser patterning method for producing surfaces with dual scale topographies on ferritic stainless steel plates that are hardened by low temperature plasma surface alloying. Nitrogen and carbon based gasses were used in the alloying process to obtain surface layers with an increased hardness from 172 HV to 1001 HV and 305 HV, respectively. Then, a nanosecond infrared laser was used to pattern the plasma treated surfaces and thus to obtain super-hydrophobicity, by creating cell- or channel-like surface structures. The combined surface hardening and laser patterning approach allowed super-hydrophobic surfaces to be produced on both nitrided and carburised stainless steel plates with effective contact angles higher than 150°. The hardened layers on nitrided samples had cracks and was delaminated after the laser patterning while on plasma carburised samples remained intact. The results showed that by applying the proposed combined approach it is possible to retain the higher hardness of the nitrided stainless steel plates and at the same time to functionalise them to obtain super-hydrophobic properties.

Mechanism of Cohesion of Monomolecular Water Film with the β-AgI Crystal Surface under Thermal Fluctuations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shevkunov, S. V.

2018-07-01

The growth of liquid phase nuclei on the surface of some crystals was shown to differ from that described in the classic theory of capillarity. The surface of the base face of a silver iodide crystal is completely covered with a monomolecular water film already in unsaturated vapors, and the wetting conditions of the substrate are determined by the hydrophobic properties of the film surface, but not the crystal surface itself. The mechanism by which the monomolecular film is held on the surface of crystalline silver iodide was studied by the Monte Carlo method at the molecular level. It was found that the adhesion of the film to the surface of the base face of the crystal was by hydrogen bonding with the ions of the second crystallographic layer of the substrate, and the film was thermodynamically stable even in unsaturated water vapor. The film hydrophobicity is due to the deficiency of hydrogen bond donors on its surface. The nanostructural elements on the surface of the aerosol particle can neutralize the hydrophobic properties of the film and thus serve as nucleation centers.

Effects of surface topography and vibrations on wetting: Superhydrophobicity, icephobicity and corrosion resistance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramachandran, Rahul

Concrete and metallic materials are widely used in construction and water industry. The interaction of both these materials with water and ice (or snow) produces undesirable results and is therefore of interest. Water that gets absorbed into the pores of dry concrete expands on freezing and can lead to crack formation. Also, the ice accretion on concrete surfaces such as roadways can have disastrous consequence. Metallic components used in the water industry undergo corrosion due to contact with aqueous corrosive solutions. Therefore, it is desirable to make concrete water/ice-repellent, and to make metallic surfaces corrosion-resistant. Recent advances in micro/nanotechnology have made it possible to design functional micro/nanostructured surfaces with micro/nanotopography providing low adhesion. Some examples of such surfaces are superhydrophobic surfaces, which are extremely water repellent, and icephobic surfaces, which have low ice adhesion, repel incoming water droplets before freezing, or delay ice nucleation. This dissertation investigates the effects of surface micro/nanotopography and small amplitude fast vibrations on the wetting and adhesion of concrete with the goal of producing hydrophobic and icephobic concrete, and on the wetting of metallic surfaces to prevent corrosion. The relationship between surface micro/nanotopography and small fast vibrations is established using the method of separation of motions. Both these small scale effects can be substituted by an effective force or energy. The structure-property relationships in materials and surfaces are established. Both vibrations as well as surface micro/nanopatterns can affect wetting properties such as contact angle and surface free energy. Hydrophobic engineered cementitious composite samples are produced by controlling their surface topography and surface free energy. The surface topography is controlled by varying the concrete mixture composition. The surface free energy of concrete is lowered using a hydrophobic emulsion. The hydrophobic concrete samples were able to repel incoming water droplets as well as resist droplet pinning. Corrosion resistance is achieved in cast iron samples by rendering them superhydrophobic. The corrosion resistance of superhydrophobic surfaces with micro/nanotopography may be explained by the low effective contact area with the electrolyte. The experimental results matched the theoretical predictions based on surface roughness and wettability. The icephobicity of engineered cementitious composite samples is achieved by hydrophobization, by using coatings containing dielectric material (such as polyvinyl alcohol fibers), and by controlling the surface topography. Two aspects of the icephobicity of concrete, namely, the repulsion of incoming water droplets before freezing and the ice adhesion strength, are investigated experimentally. It is found that icephobic performance of concrete depends on these parameters --- the hydrophobic emulsion concentration, the polyvinyl alcohol fiber content, the water to cement ratio, and the sand to cement ratio. The potential for biomimetic icephobicity of thermogenic skunk cabbage plant is investigated, and it is found that the surface topography of its leaves can affect the heat transfer from the plant to the surrounding snow. The hierarchical microstructure of the leaf surface coupled with its high adhesion to water suggests the presence of an impregnated wetting state, which can minimize the heat loss. Thus functional materials and surfaces, such as hydrophobic and icephobic engineered cementitious composites and corrosion resistant metallic surfaces, can be produced by controlling the surface micro/nanotopography.

Hydrophobic ultrathin films formed by fluorofunctional cage silsesquioxanes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wamke, Anna; Makowiecki, Jaroslaw; Dopierała, Katarzyna; Karasiewicz, Joanna; Prochaska, Krystyna

2018-06-01

The usefulness of fluorofunctional cage silsesquioxanes (POSS) as coating materials effectively changing the surface properties of model substrates was analyzed. Five fully condensed silsesquioxanes (containing two types of organic groups attached to the Si-O cage: octafluoropentyloxypropyl (OFP) and trimethoxysilylethyl (TMS) at different ratios, one monofunctional derivative with OFP groups only and one open cage POSS derivative with three OFP and seven isobutyl groups as organic substituents were investigated. All POSS derivatives were applied to enhance hydrophobicity of quartz or glass plates by deposition of thin LB film transferred from the water subphase. Then, by comparison of water contact angles (WCA) on modified surfaces the effect of silsesquioxane structure (i.e. the TMS and fluoroalkyl group contents as well as the structure of silicon-oxygen cage) on hydrophobic properties was determined. Moreover, the texture of LB films formed by POSS considered was analyzed using the AFM technique. It has been established that the hydrophobizing properties of silsesquioxanes are considerably influenced not only by the number of OFP groups, but also by the silsesquioxane structure. The most effective appeared to be the open cage OFP-POSS derivative which produced coatings with water contact angles (WCA) equal to about 100 deg. Additionally the POSS derivatives studied were also used for dip-coating and spin-coating surface modification. The study has shown that fluorofunctional POSS derivatives can be effective hydrophobizing agents. Additionally applying the LB technique for surface modification allows obtaining substrate of enhanced hydrophobicity by using vanishingly small amount of the modifying substance in comparison to the dip-coating and spin-coating method, which is especially important from the economic viewpoint.

Cell-surface properties of Vibrio ordalii strains isolated from Atlantic salmon Salmo salar in Chilean farms.

PubMed

Ruiz, P; Poblete, M; Yáñez, A J; Irgang, R; Toranzo, A E; Avendaño-Herrera, R

2015-02-10

Vibrio ordalii is the causative agent of atypical vibriosis and has the potential to cause severe losses in salmonid aquaculture, but the factors determining its virulence have not yet been elucidated. In this work, cell-surface-related properties of the isolates responsible for outbreaks in Atlantic salmon were investigated. We also briefly examined whether pathogenicity against fish varied for V. ordalii strains with differing cell-surface properties. Hydrocarbon adhesions indicated the hydrophobic character of V. ordalii, although only 4 of 18 isolates induced haemagglutination in Atlantic salmon erythrocytes. A minority of the studied isolates (6 of 18) and the type strain ATCC 33509T produced low-grade biofilm formation on polyethylene surface after 2 h post-inoculation (hpi), but no strains were slime producers. Interestingly, V. ordalii isolates showed wide differences in hydrophobicity. Therefore, we chose 3 V. ordalii isolates (Vo-LM-03, Vo-LM-18 and Vo-LM-16) as representative of each hydrophobicity group (strongly hydrophobic, relatively hydrophobic and quasi-hydrophilic, respectively) and ATCC 33509T was used in the pathogenicity studies. All tested V. ordalii strains except the type strain resisted the killing activity of Atlantic salmon mucus and serum, and could proliferate in these components. Moreover, all V. ordalii isolates adhered to SHK-1 cells, causing damage to fish cell membrane permeability after 16 hpi. Virulence testing using rainbow trout revealed that isolate Vo-LM-18 was more virulent than isolates Vo-LM-03 and Vo-LM-16, indicating some relationship between haemagglutination and virulence, but not with hydrophobicity.

Size-related bioconcentration kinetics of hydrophobic chemicals in fish

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sijm, D.T.H.M.; Linde, A. van der

1994-12-31

Uptake and elimination of hydrophobic chemicals by fish can be regarded as passive diffusive transport processes. Diffusion coefficients, lipid/water partitioning, diffusion pathlenghts, concentration gradients and surface exchange areas are key parameters describing this bioconcentration distribution process. In the present study two of these parameters were studied: the influence of lipid/water partitioning was studied by using hydrophobic chemicals of different hydrophobicity, and the surface exchange area by using different sizes of fish. By using one species of fish it was assumed that all other parameters were kept constant. Seven age classes of fish were exposed to a series of hydrophobic, formore » five days, which was followed by a deputation phase lasting up to 6 months. Bioconcentration parameters, such as uptake and elimination rate constants, and bioconcentration factors were determined. Uptake of the hydrophobic compounds was compared to that of oxygen. Uptake and elimination rates were compared to weight and estimated (gill) exchange areas. The role of weight and its implications for extrapolations of bioconcentration parameters to other species and sizes will be discussed.« less

Nano- and Micro-Patterned S-, H-, and X-PDMS for Cell-Based Applications: Comparison of Wettability, Roughness, and Cell-Derived Parameters

PubMed Central

Scharin-Mehlmann, Marina; Häring, Aaron; Rommel, Mathias; Dirnecker, Tobias; Friedrich, Oliver; Frey, Lothar; Gilbert, Daniel F.

2018-01-01

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is a promising biomaterial for generating artificial extracellular matrix (ECM) like patterned topographies, yet its hydrophobic nature limits its applicability to cell-based approaches. Although plasma treatment can enhance the wettability of PDMS, the surface is known to recover its hydrophobicity within a few hours after exposure to air. To investigate the capability of a novel PDMS-type (X-PDMS) for in vitro based assessment of physiological cell properties, we designed and fabricated plane as well as nano- and micrometer-scaled pillar-patterned growth substrates using the elastomer types S-, H- and X-PDMS, which were fabricated from commercially available components. Most importantly, we compared X-PDMS based growth substrates which have not yet been investigated in this context with H- as well as well-known S-PDMS based substrates. Due to its applicability to fabricating nanometer-sized topographic features with high accuracy and pattern fidelity, this material may be of high relevance for specific biomedical applications. To assess their applicability to cell-based approaches, we characterized the generated surfaces using water contact angle (WCA) measurement and atomic force microscopy (AFM) as indicators of wettability and roughness, respectively. We further assessed cell number, cell area and cellular elongation as indirect measures of cellular viability and adhesion by image cytometry and phenotypic profiling, respectively, using Calcein and Hoechst 33342 stained human foreskin fibroblasts as a model system. We show for the first time that different PDMS types are differently sensitive to plasma treatment. We further demonstrate that surface hydrophobicity changes along with changing height of the pillar-structures. Our data indicate that plane and structured X-PDMS shows cytocompatibility and adhesive properties comparable to the previously described elastomer types S- and H-PDMS. We conclude that nanometer-sized structuring of X-PDMS may serve as a powerful method for altering surface properties toward production of biomedical devices for cell-based applications. PMID:29765941

In situ crystallized zirconium phenylphosphonate films with crystals vertically to the substrate and their hydrophobic, dielectric, and anticorrosion properties.

PubMed

Cui, Zhaohui; Zhang, Fazhi; Wang, Lei; Xu, Sailong; Guo, Xiaoxiao

2010-01-05

The in situ crystallization technique has been utilized to fabricate zirconium phenylphosphonate (ZrPP) films with their hexagonal crystallite perpendicular to the copper substrate. The micro/nano roughness surface structure, as well as the intrinsic hydrophobic characteristic of the surface functional groups, affords ZrPP films excellent hydrophobicity with water contact angle (CA) ranging from 134 degrees to 151 degrees , without any low-surface-energy modification. Particularly, in the corrosive solutions such as acidic or basic solutions over a wide pH from 2 to 12, no obvious fluctuation in CA was observed for all the ZrPP film. The k values of the hydrophobic ZrPP films are in the low-k range (k < 3.0), meeting the development of ultra-large-scale integration (ULSI) circuits. The hydrophobicity feature is proposed to bear ZrPP film a more stable low-k value in an ambient atmosphere. Besides, the polarization current of ZrPP films is reduced by 2 orders of magnitude, compared to that of the untreated copper substrate. Even deposited in a vacuum oven for 30 days at room temperature, ZrPP films also show excellent corrosion resistance, indicating a stable anticorrosion property.

Surface characterization and cytocompatibility evaluation of silanized magnesium alloy AZ91 for biomedical applications

PubMed Central

Witecka, Agnieszka; Yamamoto, Akiko; Dybiec, Henryk; Swieszkowski, Wojciech

2012-01-01

Mg alloys with high Al contents have superior corrosion resistance in aqueous environments, but poor cytocompatibility compared to that of pure Mg. We have silanized the cast AZ91 alloy to improve its cytocompatibility using five different silanes: ethyltriethoxysilane (S1), 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (S2), 3-isocyanatopyltriethoxysilane (S3), phenyltriethoxysilane (S4) and octadecyltriethoxysilane (S5). The surface hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity was evaluated by water contact angle measurements. X-ray photoelectron analysis was performed to investigate the changes in surface states and chemical composition. All silane reagents increased adsorption of the albumin to the modified surface. In vitro cytocompatibility evaluation revealed that silanization improved cell growth on AZ91 modified by silane S1. Measurement of the concentration of Mg2+ ions released during the cell culture indicated that silanization does not affect substrate degradation. PMID:27877541

Alternative Fluoropolymers to Avoid the Challenges Associated with Perfluorooctanoic Acid

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guo,J.; Resnick, P.; Efimenko, K.

2008-01-01

The degradation of stain-resistant coating materials leads to the release of biopersistent perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) to the environment. In order to find the environmentally friendly substitutes, we have designed and synthesized a series of nonbiopersistant fluorinated polymers containing perfluorobutyl groups in the side chains. The surface properties of the new coating materials were characterized by static and dynamic contact angle measurements. The new coating materials demonstrate promising hydrophobic and oleophobic properties with low surfaces tensions. The wetting properties and surface structure of the polymers were tuned by varying the 'spacer' structures between the polymer backbones and the perfluorinated groups ofmore » the side chains. The relationship between orientations of the fluorinated side chains and performances of polymer surfaces were further investigated by near-edge X-ray fine absorption structure (NEXAFS) experiments and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).« less

Surface characterization and cytocompatibility evaluation of silanized magnesium alloy AZ91 for biomedical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Witecka, Agnieszka; Yamamoto, Akiko; Dybiec, Henryk; Swieszkowski, Wojciech

2012-12-01

Mg alloys with high Al contents have superior corrosion resistance in aqueous environments, but poor cytocompatibility compared to that of pure Mg. We have silanized the cast AZ91 alloy to improve its cytocompatibility using five different silanes: ethyltriethoxysilane (S1), 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (S2), 3-isocyanatopyltriethoxysilane (S3), phenyltriethoxysilane (S4) and octadecyltriethoxysilane (S5). The surface hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity was evaluated by water contact angle measurements. X-ray photoelectron analysis was performed to investigate the changes in surface states and chemical composition. All silane reagents increased adsorption of the albumin to the modified surface. In vitro cytocompatibility evaluation revealed that silanization improved cell growth on AZ91 modified by silane S1. Measurement of the concentration of Mg2+ ions released during the cell culture indicated that silanization does not affect substrate degradation.

Validation of a Novel Technique and Evaluation of the Surface Free Energy of Food

PubMed Central

Senturk Parreidt, Tugce; Schmid, Markus; Hauser, Carolin

2017-01-01

Characterizing the physical properties of a surface is largely dependent on determining the contact angle exhibited by a liquid. Contact angles on the surfaces of rough and irregularly-shaped food samples are difficult to measure using a contact angle meter (goniometer). As a consequence, values for the surface energy and its components can be mismeasured. The aim of this work was to use a novel contact angle measurement method, namely the snake-based ImageJ program, to accurately measure the contact angles of rough and irregular shapes, such as food samples, and so enable more accurate calculation of the surface energy of food materials. In order to validate the novel technique, the contact angles of three different test liquids on four different smooth polymer films were measured using both the ImageJ software with the DropSnake plugin and the widely used contact angle meter. The distributions of the values obtained by the two methods were different. Therefore, the contact angles, surface energies, and polar and dispersive components of plastic films obtained using the ImageJ program and the Drop Shape Analyzer (DSA) were interpreted with the help of simple linear regression analysis. As case studies, the superficial characteristics of strawberry and endive salad epicarp were measured with the ImageJ program and the results were interpreted with the Drop Shape Analyzer equivalent according to our regression models. The data indicated that the ImageJ program can be successfully used for contact angle determination of rough and strongly hydrophobic surfaces, such as strawberry epicarp. However, for the special geometry of droplets on slightly hydrophobic surfaces, such as salad leaves, the program code interpolation part can be altered. PMID:28425932

Photografting of perfluoroalkanes onto polyethylene surfaces via azide/nitrene chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siegmann, Konstantin; Inauen, Jan; Villamaina, Diego; Winkler, Martin

2017-02-01

The purpose of this study is to render polyethylene surfaces strongly and permanently hydrophobic. Polyethylene is a common plastic and, because of its inertness, difficult to graft. We chose polyethylene as example because of its ubiquity and model character. As graft chains linear perfluoroalkyl residues (-C4F9, -C6F13, -C8F17 and -C10F21) were chosen, and photografting was selected as grafting method. Photolytically generated nitrenes can insert into carbon-hydrogen bonds and are therefore suited for binding to polyethylene. Hydrophobic photo reactive surface modifiers based on azide/nitrene chemistry are designed, synthesized in high yield and characterized. Four new molecules are described. Water contact angles exceeding 110° were achieved on grafted polyethylene. One problem is to demonstrate that the photografted surface modifiers are bound covalently to the polyethylene. Abrasion tests show that all new molecules, when photografted to polyethylene, have a higher abrasion resistance than a polyethylene surface coated with a long-chain perfluoroalkane. Relative abrasion resitances of 1.4, 2.0, 2.1 and 2.5 compared to the fluoroalkane coating were obtained for the four compounds. An abrasion model using ice is developed. Although all four compounds have the same λmax of 266 nm in acetonitrile solution, their molar extincition coefficients increase from 1.6·104 to 2.2·104 with increasing length of the fluorotelomer chain. Exitonic coupling of the chromophores of the surface modifiers is observed for specific molecules in the neat state. A linear correlation of water contact angle with fluorine surface content, as measured by photoelectron spectroscopy, in grafted polyethylene surfaces is established.

Behavior of a Liquid Bridge between Nonparallel Hydrophobic Surfaces.

PubMed

Ataei, Mohammadmehdi; Chen, Huanchen; Amirfazli, Alidad

2017-12-26

When a liquid bridge is formed between two nonparallel identical surfaces, it can move along the surfaces. Literature indicates that the direction of bridge movement is governed by the wettability of surfaces. When the surfaces are hydrophilic, the motion of the bridge is always toward the cusp (intersection of the plane of the two bounding surfaces). On the other hand, the movement is hitherto thought to be always pointing away from the cusp when the surfaces are hydrophobic. In this study, through experiments, numerical simulations, and analytical reasoning, we demonstrate that for hydrophobic surfaces, wettability is not the only factor determining the direction of the motion. A new geometrical parameter, i.e., confinement (cf), was defined as the ratio of the distance of the farthest contact point of the bridge to the cusp, and that of the closest contact point to the cusp. The direction of the motion depends on the amount of confinement (cf). When the distance between the surfaces is large (resulting in a small cf), the bridge tends to move toward the cusp through a pinning/depinning mechanism of contact lines. When the distance between the surfaces is small (large cf), the bridge tends to move away from the cusp. For a specific system, a maximum cf value (cf max ) exists. A sliding behavior (i.e., simultaneous advancing on the wider side and receding on the narrower side) can also be seen when a liquid bridge is compressed such that the cf exceeds the cf max . Contact angle hysteresis (CAH) is identified as an underpinning phenomenon that together with cf fundamentally explains the movement of a trapped liquid between two hydrophobic surfaces. If there is no CAH, however, i.e., the case of ideal hydrophobic surfaces, the cf will be a constant; we show that the bridge slides toward the cusp when it is stretched, while it slides away from the cusp when it is compressed (note sliding motion is different from motion due to pinning/depinning mechanism of contact lines). As such, the displacement is only related to geometrical parameters such as the amount of compression (or stretching) and the dihedral angle between the surfaces.

Self-discharge performance of Ni-MH battery by using electrodes with hydrophilic/hydrophobic surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiaofeng; Wang, Xiaojie; Dong, Huichao; Xia, Tongchi; Wang, Lizhen; Song, Yanhua

2013-12-01

The polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) film is separately coated on the surface of the metal hydride (MH) and Ni(OH)2 electrodes to obtain the electrodes with hydrophobic or hydrophilic surface. The effects of the surface treatment on the oxygen and hydrogen evolution from the electrodes are studied by using cyclic voltammetry tests. Although the positive and negative active materials of the Ni-MH batteries show a lower self-decomposition rate after the CMC treatment, the self-discharge rate of the batteries show little change. On the contrary, the self-discharge rate of the batteries decreases from 35.9% to 27.1% by using the PTFE-treated Ni(OH)2 electrodes, which might be related to the suppression of the reaction between NiOOH and H2 by the hydrophobic film.

Hexadimethrine-montmorillonite nanocomposite: Characterization and application as a pesticide adsorbent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gámiz, B.; Hermosín, M. C.; Cornejo, J.; Celis, R.

2015-03-01

The goal of this work was to prepare and characterize a novel functional material by the modification of SAz-1 montmorillonite with the cationic polymer hexadimethrine (SA-HEXAD), and to explore the potential use of this nanocomposite as a pesticide adsorbent. Comparative preparation and characterization with the well-known hexadecyltrimethylammonium-modified SAz-1 montmorillonite (SA-HDTMA) was also assessed. The characterization was performed by elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), physisorption of N2, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Z potential measurements. The characterization and adsorption experiments showed that the extent of pesticide adsorption was markedly subjected to the structure and features of the surface of each organo-clay and also to the nature of the considered pesticide. SA-HEXAD displayed a high affinity for anionic pesticides which, presumably, were adsorbed by electrostatic attraction on positively-charged ammonium groups of the polymer not directly interacting with the clay. In contrast, SA-HDTMA displayed great adsorption of both uncharged and anionic pesticides with predominance of hydrophobic interactions. This work provided information about the surface properties of a new organic-inorganic nanohybrid material, SA-HEXAD, and its potential as an adsorbent for the removal of anionic organic pollutants from aqueous solutions.

Reduction of DOM fractions and their trihalomethane formation potential in surface river water by in-line coagulation with ceramic membrane filtration.

PubMed

Rakruam, Pharkphum; Wattanachira, Suraphong

2014-03-01

This research was aimed at investigating the reduction of DOM fractions and their trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP) by in-line coagulation with 0.1 μm ceramic membrane filtration. The combination of ceramic membrane filtration with a coagulation process is an alternative technology which can be applied to enhance conventional coagulation processes in the field of water treatment and drinking water production. The Ping River water (high turbidity water) was selected as the raw surface water because it is currently the main raw water source for water supply production in the urban and rural areas of Chiang Mai Province. From the investigation, the results showed that the highest percent reductions of DOC, UV-254, and THMFP (47.6%, 71.0%, and 67.4%, respectively) were achieved from in-line coagulation with ceramic membrane filtration at polyaluminum chloride dosage 40 mg/L. Resin adsorption techniques were employed to characterize the DOM in raw surface water and filtered water. The results showed that the use of a ceramic membrane with in-line coagulation was able to most efficiently reduce the hydrophobic fraction (HPOA) (68.5%), which was then followed by the hydrophilic fraction (HPIA) (49.3%). The greater mass DOC reduction of these two fractions provided the highest THMFP reductions (55.1% and 37.2%, respectively). Furthermore, the in-line coagulation with ceramic membrane filtration was able to reduce the hydrophobic (HPOB) fraction which is characterized by high reactivity toward THM formation. The percent reduction of mass DOC and THMFP of HPOB by in-line coagulation with ceramic membrane filtration was 45.9% and 48.0%, respectively. Copyright © 2014 The Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Engineering of the E. coli outer membrane protein FhuA to overcome the hydrophobic mismatch in thick polymeric membranes.

PubMed

Muhammad, Noor; Dworeck, Tamara; Fioroni, Marco; Schwaneberg, Ulrich

2011-03-17

Channel proteins like the engineered FhuA Δ1-159 often cannot insert into thick polymeric membranes due to a mismatch between the hydrophobic surface of the protein and the hydrophobic surface of the polymer membrane. To address this problem usually specific block copolymers are synthesized to facilitate protein insertion. Within this study in a reverse approach we match the protein to the polymer instead of matching the polymer to the protein. To increase the FhuA Δ1-159 hydrophobic surface by 1 nm, the last 5 amino acids of each of the 22 β-sheets, prior to the more regular periplasmatic β-turns, were doubled leading to an extended FhuA Δ1-159 (FhuA Δ1-159 Ext). The secondary structure prediction and CD spectroscopy indicate the β-barrel folding of FhuA Δ1-159 Ext. The FhuA Δ1-159 Ext insertion and functionality within a nanocontainer polymeric membrane based on the triblock copolymer PIB(1000)-PEG(6000)-PIB(1000) (PIB = polyisobutylene, PEG = polyethyleneglycol) has been proven by kinetic analysis using the HRP-TMB assay (HRP = Horse Radish Peroxidase, TMB = 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine). Identical experiments with the unmodified FhuA Δ1-159 report no kinetics and presumably no insertion into the PIB(1000)-PEG(6000)-PIB(1000) membrane. Furthermore labeling of the Lys-NH(2) groups present in the FhuA Δ1-159 Ext channel, leads to controllability of in/out flux of substrates and products from the nanocontainer. Using a simple "semi rational" approach the protein's hydrophobic transmembrane region was increased by 1 nm, leading to a predicted lower hydrophobic mismatch between the protein and polymer membrane, minimizing the insertion energy penalty. The strategy of adding amino acids to the FhuA Δ1-159 Ext hydrophobic part can be further expanded to increase the protein's hydrophobicity, promoting the efficient embedding into thicker/more hydrophobic block copolymer membranes.

Surface-directed capillary system; theory, experiments and applications.

PubMed

Bouaidat, Salim; Hansen, Ole; Bruus, Henrik; Berendsen, Christian; Bau-Madsen, Niels Kristian; Thomsen, Peter; Wolff, Anders; Jonsmann, Jacques

2005-08-01

We present a capillary flow system for liquid transport in microsystems. Our simple microfluidic system consists of two planar parallel surfaces, separated by spacers. One of the surfaces is entirely hydrophobic, the other mainly hydrophobic, but with hydrophilic pathways defined on it by photolithographic means. By controlling the wetting properties of the surfaces in this manner, the liquid can be confined to certain areas defined by the hydrophilic pathways. This technique eliminates the need for alignment of the two surfaces. Patterned plasma-polymerized hexafluoropropene constitutes the hydrophobic areas, whereas the untreated glass surface constitutes the hydrophilic pathways. We developed a theoretical model of the capillary flow and obtained analytical solutions which are in good agreement with the experimental results. The capillarity-driven microflow system was also used to pattern and immobilize biological material on planar substrates: well-defined 200 microm wide strips of human cells (HeLa) and fluorescence labelled proteins (fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled bovine serum albumin, i.e., FITC-BSA) were fabricated using the capillary flow system presented here.

Adhesion of Salmonella Enteritidis and Listeria monocytogenes on stainless steel welds.

PubMed

Casarin, Letícia Sopeña; Brandelli, Adriano; de Oliveira Casarin, Fabrício; Soave, Paulo Azevedo; Wanke, Cesar Henrique; Tondo, Eduardo Cesar

2014-11-17

Pathogenic microorganisms are able to adhere on equipment surfaces, being possible to contaminate food during processing. Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes are important pathogens that can be transmitted by food, causing severe foodborne diseases. Most surfaces of food processing industry are made of stainless steel joined by welds. However currently, there are few studies evaluating the influence of welds in the microorganism's adhesion. Therefore the purpose of the present study was to investigate the adhesion of Salmonella Enteritidis and L. monocytogenes on surface of metal inert gas (MIG), and tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding, as well as to evaluate the cell and surface hydrophobicities. Results demonstrated that both bacteria adhered to the surface of welds and stainless steel at same levels. Despite this, bacteria and surfaces demonstrated different levels of hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity, results indicated that there was no correlation between adhesion to welds and stainless steel and the hydrophobicity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hydrophobic durability characteristics of butterfly wing surface after freezing cycles towards the design of nature inspired anti-icing surfaces

PubMed Central

Choy, Kwang-Leong

2018-01-01

The hydrophobicity and anti-icing performance of the surfaces of some artificial hydrophobic coatings degraded after several icing and de-icing cycles. In this paper, the frost formation on the surfaces of butterfly wings from ten different species was observed, and the contact angles were measured after 0 to 6 frosting/defrosting cycles. The results show that no obvious changes in contact angle for the butterfly wing specimens were not obvious during the frosting/defrosting process. Further, the conclusion was inferred that the topography of the butterfly wing surface forms a special space structure which has a larger space inside that can accommodate more frozen droplets; this behavior prevents destruction of the structure. The findings of this study may provide a basis and new concepts for the design of novel industrially important surfaces to inhibit frost/ice growth, such as durable anti-icing coatings, which may decrease or prevent the socio-economic loss. PMID:29385390

Hydrophobic durability characteristics of butterfly wing surface after freezing cycles towards the design of nature inspired anti-icing surfaces.

PubMed

Chen, Tingkun; Cong, Qian; Qi, Yingchun; Jin, Jingfu; Choy, Kwang-Leong

2018-01-01

The hydrophobicity and anti-icing performance of the surfaces of some artificial hydrophobic coatings degraded after several icing and de-icing cycles. In this paper, the frost formation on the surfaces of butterfly wings from ten different species was observed, and the contact angles were measured after 0 to 6 frosting/defrosting cycles. The results show that no obvious changes in contact angle for the butterfly wing specimens were not obvious during the frosting/defrosting process. Further, the conclusion was inferred that the topography of the butterfly wing surface forms a special space structure which has a larger space inside that can accommodate more frozen droplets; this behavior prevents destruction of the structure. The findings of this study may provide a basis and new concepts for the design of novel industrially important surfaces to inhibit frost/ice growth, such as durable anti-icing coatings, which may decrease or prevent the socio-economic loss.

Surface/Fluid Interactions in Micro and Nano-Channels

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-15

is highly dependent on the nanobubble or gas layer. However, further work with an array of gasses is necessary to fully elucidate the effects of...microchannels". Physics of Fluids 15, 2897 (2003). VJi J. Tyrell and P. Attard, "Images of nanobubbles on hydrophobic surfaces and their interactions...34 Nanobubbles and their precursor layer at the interface of water against a hydrophobic surface". Langmuir, 19, 2409-2418 (2003)."ix . K. Lum, D

The effects of tether placement on antibody stability on surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grawe, Rebecca W.; Knotts, Thomas A.

2017-06-01

Despite their potential benefits, antibody microarrays have fallen short of performing reliably and have not found widespread use outside of the research setting. Experimental techniques have been unable to determine what is occurring on the surface of an atomic level, so molecular simulation has emerged as the primary method of investigating protein/surface interactions. Simulations of small proteins have indicated that the stability of the protein is a function of the residue on the protein where a tether is placed. The purpose of this research is to see whether these findings also apply to antibodies, with their greater size and complexity. To determine this, 24 tethering locations were selected on the antibody Protein Data Bank (PDB) ID: 1IGT. Replica exchange simulations were run on two different surfaces, one hydrophobic and one hydrophilic, to determine the degree to which these tethering sites stabilize or destabilize the antibody. Results showed that antibodies tethered to hydrophobic surfaces were in general less stable than antibodies tethered to hydrophilic surfaces. Moreover, the stability of the antibody was a function of the tether location on hydrophobic surfaces but not hydrophilic surfaces.

The interfacial structure of water droplets in a hydrophobic liquid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smolentsev, Nikolay; Smit, Wilbert J.; Bakker, Huib J.; Roke, Sylvie

2017-05-01

Nanoscopic and microscopic water droplets and ice crystals embedded in liquid hydrophobic surroundings are key components of aerosols, rocks, oil fields and the human body. The chemical properties of such droplets critically depend on the interfacial structure of the water droplet. Here we report the surface structure of 200 nm-sized water droplets in mixtures of hydrophobic oils and surfactants as obtained from vibrational sum frequency scattering measurements. The interface of a water droplet shows significantly stronger hydrogen bonds than the air/water or hexane/water interface and previously reported planar liquid hydrophobic/water interfaces at room temperature. The observed spectral difference is similar to that of a planar air/water surface at a temperature that is ~50 K lower. Supercooling the droplets to 263 K does not change the surface structure. Below the homogeneous ice nucleation temperature, a single vibrational mode is present with a similar mean hydrogen-bond strength as for a planar ice/air interface.

Hydrophobicity of hemp shiv treated with sol-gel coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussain, Atif; Calabria-Holley, Juliana; Schorr, Diane; Jiang, Yunhong; Lawrence, Mike; Blanchet, Pierre

2018-03-01

This is the first time sol-gel technology is used in the treatment of hemp shiv to develop sustainable thermal insulation building materials. The impact on the hydrophobicity of hemp shiv by depositing functionalised sol-gel coatings using hexadecyltrimethoxysilane (HDTMS) has been investigated. Bio-based materials have tendency to absorb large amounts of water due to their hydrophilic nature and highly porous structure. In this work, the influence of catalysts, solvent dilution and HDTMS loading in the silica sols on the hydrophobicity of hemp shiv surface has been reported. The hydrophobicity of sol-gel coated hemp shiv increased significantly when using acid catalysed sols which provided water contact angles of up to 118° at 1% HDTMS loading. Ethanol diluted sol-gel coatings enhanced the surface roughness of the hemp shiv by 36% as observed under 3D optical profilometer. The XPS results revealed that the surface chemical composition of the hemp shiv was altered by the sol-gel coating, blocking the hydroxyl sites responsible for hydrophilicity.

Replication of surface nano-structure of the wing of dragonfly ( Pantala Flavescens) using nano-molding and UV nanoimprint lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Joong-Yeon; Kim, Gyutae; Kim, Sungwook; Lee, Heon

2013-07-01

The hydrophobicity of a dragonfly's wing originates from the naturally occurring nano-structure on its surface. The nano-structure on a dragonfly's wing consists of an array of nano-sized pillars, 100 nm in diameter. We re-create this hydrophobicity on various substrates, such as Si, glass, curved acrylic polymer, and flexible PET film, by replicating the nano-structure using UV curable nano-imprint lithography (NIL) and PDMS molding. The success of the nano-structure duplication was confirmed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The hydrophobicity was measured by water-based contact angle measurements. The water contact angle of the replica made of UV cured polymer was 135° ± 2°, which was slightly lower than that of the original dragonfly's wing (145° ± 2°), but much higher than that of the UV cured polymer surface without any nano-sized pillars (80°). The hydrophobicity was further improved by applying a coating of Teflon-like material.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oyola-Reynoso, S.; Tevis, I. D.; Chen, J.

Here, chemical grafting has been widely used to modify the surface properties of materials, especially surface energy for controlled wetting, because of the resilience of such coatings/modifications. Reagents with multiple reactive sites have been used with the expectation that a monolayer will form. The step-growth polymerization mechanism, however, suggests the possibility of gel formation for hydrolyzable moieties in the presence of physisorbed water. In this report, we demonstrated that using alkyltrichlorosilanes (trivalent [i.e., 3 reactive sites]) in the surface modification of a cellulosic material (paper) does not yield a monolayer but rather gives surface-bound particles. We infer that the presencemore » of physisorbed (surface-bound) water allows for polymerization (or oligomerization) of the silane prior to its attachment on the surface. Surface energy mismatch between the hydrophobic tails of the growing polymer and any unreacted bound water leads to the assembly of the polymerizing material into spherical particles to minimize surface tension. By varying paper grammage (16.2–201.4 g m –2), we varied the accessible surface area and thus the amount of surface-adsorbed water, allowing us to control the ratio of the silane to the bound water. Using this approach, polymeric particles were formed on the surface of cellulose fibers ranging from ~70 nm to a film. The hydrophobicity of the surface, as determined by water contact angles, correlates with particle sizes (p < 0.001, Student's t-test), and, hence, the hydrophobicity can be tuned (contact angle between 94° and 149°). Using a model structure of a house, we demonstrated that as a result of this modification, paper-based houses can be rendered self-cleaning or tolerant to surface running water. In another application, we demonstrated that the felicitous choice of architectural design allows for the hydrophobic paper to be used for water harvesting.« less

Chitosan/lecithin liposomal nanovesicles as an oral insulin delivery system.

PubMed

Al-Remawi, Mayyas; Elsayed, Amani; Maghrabi, Ibrahim; Hamaidi, Mohammad; Jaber, Nisrein

2017-05-01

In the present work, insulin-chitosan polyelectrolyte complexes associated to lecithin liposomes were investigated as a new carrier for oral delivery of insulin. The preparation was characterized in terms of particle size, zeta potential and encapsulation efficiency. Surface tension measurements revealed that insulin-chitosan polyelectrolyte complexes have some degree of hydrophobicity and should be added to lecithin liposomal dispersion and not the vice versa to prevent their adsorption on the surface. Stability of insulin was enhanced when it was associated to liposomes. Significant reduction of blood glucose levels was noticed after oral administration of liposomal preparation to streptozotocin diabetic rats compared to control. The hypoglycemic activity was more prolonged compared to subcutaneously administered insulin.

Inactivation of Clostridium perfringens spores adhered onto stainless steel surface by agents used in a clean-in-place procedure.

PubMed

Alzubeidi, Yasmeen S; Udompijitkul, Pathima; Talukdar, Prabhat K; Sarker, Mahfuzur R

2018-07-20

Enterotoxigenic Clostridium perfringens, a leading foodborne pathogen can be cross-contaminated from food processing stainless steel (SS) surfaces to the finished food products. This is mostly due to the high resistance of C. perfringens spores adhered onto SS surfaces to various disinfectants commonly used in food industries. In this study, we aimed to investigate the survivability and adherence of C. perfringens spores onto SS surfaces and then validate the effectiveness of a simulated Clean-in-Place (CIP) regime on inactivation of spores adhered onto SS surfaces. Our results demonstrated that, 1) C. perfringens spores adhered firmly onto SS surfaces and survived for at-least 48 h, unlike their vegetative cells who died within 30 min, after aerobic incubation at refrigerated and ambient temperatures; 2) Spores exhibited higher levels of hydrophobicity than vegetative cells, suggesting a correlation between cell surface hydrophobicity and adhesion to solid surfaces; 3) Intact spores were more hydrophobic than the decoated spores, suggesting a positive role of spore coat components on spores' hydrophobicity and thus adhesion onto SS surfaces; and finally 4) The CIP regime (NaOH + HNO 3 ) successfully inactivated C. perfringens spores adhered onto SS surfaces, and most of the effect of CIP regime appeared to be due to the NaOH. Collectively, our current findings may well contribute towards developing a strategy to control cross-contamination of C. perfringens spores into food products, which should help reducing the risk of C. perfringens-associated food poisoning outbreaks. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In vitro adherence of oral streptococci to zirconia core and veneering glass-ceramics.

PubMed

Rosentritt, Martin; Behr, Michael; Bürgers, Ralf; Feilzer, Albert J; Hahnel, Sebastian

2009-10-01

Plaque formation on dental ceramics may cause gingival inflammation and secondary caries. This in vitro study compared the susceptibility of various dental ceramics to adhere oral streptococci, and verified the influence of substratum surface roughness and surface hydrophobicity. Three zirconia ceramic materials and three veneering glass-ceramics were investigated. Fifteen test specimens were prepared for each material, polished, and surface roughness and hydrophobicity were determined. After incubation with artificial saliva (2 h, 37 degrees C) for pellicle formation, specimens were incubated with suspensions of Streptococcus gordonii DSMZ 6777, Streptococcus mutans DSMZ 20523, Streptococcus oralis DSMZ 20627, or Streptococcus sanguinis DSMZ 20068, respectively, for 2.5 h at 37 degrees C. Adherent bacteria were quantified using a fluorescence dye for viable cell quantification (Alamar Blue/Resazurin). Statistical analysis was performed using one- and two-way ANOVA and the Tukey-Kramer multiple comparison test for post hoc analysis (alpha < 0.05). Surface roughness and surface hydrophobicity differed significantly among the various ceramics; protein coating hydrophilized the surfaces, and led to a homogenization of the surface hydrophobicity of the various ceramics. Before protein coating, almost similar relative fluorescence intensities indicating similar adhesion of streptococci were found for the various ceramics; more distinct differences were observed after protein coating. Correlations between surface parameters and streptococcal adhesion were poor. Within the limitations of these experiments, the findings of this in vitro study indicate only little differences between zirconia and glass ceramic with regard to streptococcal adhesion. Judging from these results, it is unlikely that exposed zirconia surfaces yield more plaque than glass ceramic surfaces in vivo. (c) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Development of fibrin-free intraocular lens with photochemical surface modification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Yuji; Tanizawa, Katsuya; Anai, Hiroyuki; Sato, Nobuhiro; Sato, Yuki; Ajiki, Tooru; Parel, Jean-Marie; Murahara, Masataka

2004-07-01

Having substituted the hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups alternately on the soft acrylic resin intraocular lens (IOL) surface by using an ArF excimer laser and a Xe2 excimer lamp, we have developed the IOL that is free from fibrin. Acrylic resin or PMMA lens has been used as an intraocular lens for 50 years. However, protein and fat are stuck onto the IOL surface after a long implantation, which opacifies the surface (after-cataract). Thus, we designed the micro domain structures of hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups on the IOL surface for fibrin-free. Firstly, the IOL was irradiated with the Xe2 excimer lamp in the presence of perfluoropolyether in order to make it hydrophobic. By this photochemical reaction, the CF3 functional groups were substituted on the IOL surface. Secondly, the ArF laser was projected on the IOL through the mask pattern in reduced size in the presence of water in order to be hydrophilic. With the photochemical reaction, the OH groups were substituted at the part exposed. The fibrin adsorption test of the modified IOL surface was carried out with FT-IR; which revealed that the fibrin-sticking rate of the treated sample has decreased by 23% compared with that of the non-treated sample. As a result, the fibrin-free IOL has been made by modifying the surface of the IOL to have the micro domain structures of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups that are arrayed alternately. In conclusion, the ideal intraocular lens has been demonstrated.