Colloids and Interfaces

6 pages, 2179 KiB

Open AccessBrief Report

A Simple Method to Synthesize Lignin Nanoparticles

by Pawan Kumar Mishra and Adam Ekielski

Colloids Interfaces 2019, 3(2), 52; https://doi.org/10.3390/colloids3020052 - 10 Jun 2019

Cited by 33 | Viewed by 5342

The self-assembly of lignin (molecular and supramolecular) is driven mainly by non-covalent interactions, and the nature of the solvents and antisolvents directly affect the driving forces. The lignin particle is usually formed by noncovalently bonded cylindrical subunits. In this paper, we report a [...] Read more.

The self-assembly of lignin (molecular and supramolecular) is driven mainly by non-covalent interactions, and the nature of the solvents and antisolvents directly affect the driving forces. The lignin particle is usually formed by noncovalently bonded cylindrical subunits. In this paper, we report a simple method which can be used to synthesize lignin nanoparticles by using spray freezing. The method is based on two properties of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) that are excellent lignin solubility and a high melting point. Based on these two properties, kraft lignin solution in DMSO was sprayed onto liquid nitrogen-cooled copper plates using a handheld spray. The high melting point of DMSO caused immediate freezing and particle formation. The obtained particles were characterized for their size and morphology using dynamic light scattering (DLS), as well as scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Nano-range polydispersed particles were obtained by spraying 0.05% of lignin onto DMSO. This method can avoid lignin–solvent–antisolvent interactions, and can also be used to study lignin–lignin (subunits) and lignin–DMSO interactions. Full article

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13 pages, 5384 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Superspreading on Hydrophobic Substrates: Effect of Glycerol Additive

by Nina M. Kovalchuk, Jacques Dunn, Jack Davies and Mark J. H. Simmons

Colloids Interfaces 2019, 3(2), 51; https://doi.org/10.3390/colloids3020051 - 31 May 2019

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 8246

Abstract

The spreading of solutions of three trisiloxane surfactants on two hydrophobic substrates, polyethylene and polyvinylidenefluoride, was studied with the addition of 0–40 mass % of glycerol. It was found that all the surfactant solutions spread faster than silicone oil of the same viscosity, [...] Read more.

The spreading of solutions of three trisiloxane surfactants on two hydrophobic substrates, polyethylene and polyvinylidenefluoride, was studied with the addition of 0–40 mass % of glycerol. It was found that all the surfactant solutions spread faster than silicone oil of the same viscosity, confirming the existence of a mechanism which accelerates the spreading of the surfactant solutions. For the non-superspreading surfactant, BT-233, addition of glycerol improved the spreading performance on polyvinylidenefluoride and resulted in a transition from partial to complete wetting on polyethylene. The fastest spreading was observed for BT-233 at a concentration of 2.5 g/L, independent of glycerol content. For the superspreading surfactants, BT-240 and BT-278, the concentration at which the fastest spreading occurs systematically increased with concentration of glycerol on both substrates from 1.25 g/L for solutions in water to 10 g/L for solutions in 40% glycerol/water mixture. Thus, the surfactant equilibration rate (and therefore formation of surface tension gradients) and Marangoni flow are important components of a superspreading mechanism. De-wetting of the solutions containing glycerol, once spread on the substrates, resulted in the formation of circular drop patterns. This is in contrast to the solely aqueous solutions where the spread film shrank due to evaporation, without any visible traces being left behind. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wetting on Micro/Nano-Scale: From Fundamentals to Application)

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3 pages, 161 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Colloids and Interfaces in Oil Recovery

by Spencer E. Taylor

Colloids Interfaces 2019, 3(2), 50; https://doi.org/10.3390/colloids3020050 - 31 May 2019

Viewed by 2890

Abstract

The role of surface and colloid chemistry in the petroleum industry is of great importance to the many current and future challenges confronting this sector [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Colloids and Interfaces in Oil Recovery)

20 pages, 4450 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Adsorption of Hyperbranched Arabinogalactan-Proteins from Plant Exudate at the Solid–Liquid Interface

by Athénaïs Davantès, Michaël Nigen, Christian Sanchez, Angelina d’Orlando and Denis Renard

Colloids Interfaces 2019, 3(2), 49; https://doi.org/10.3390/colloids3020049 - 17 May 2019

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4462

Abstract

Adsorption of hyperbranched arabinogalactan-proteins (AGPs) from two plant exudates, A. senegal and A. seyal, was thoroughly studied at the solid–liquid interface using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Isotherms of the adsorption [...] Read more.

Adsorption of hyperbranched arabinogalactan-proteins (AGPs) from two plant exudates, A. senegal and A. seyal, was thoroughly studied at the solid–liquid interface using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Isotherms of the adsorption reveal that 3.3 fold more AGPs from A. seyal (500 ppm) are needed to cover the gold surface compared to A. senegal (150 ppm). The pH and salt concentration of the environment greatly affected the adsorption behavior of both gums, with the surface density ranging from 0.92 to 3.83 mg m⁻² using SPR (i.e., “dry” mass) and from 1.16 to 19.07 mg m⁻² using QCM-D (wet mass). Surprisingly, the mass adsorbed was the highest in conditions of strong electrostatic repulsions between the gold substrate and AGPs, i.e., pH 7.0, highlighting the contribution of other interactions involved in the adsorption process. Structural changes of AGPs induced by pH would result in swelling of the polysaccharide blocks and conformational changes of the polypeptide backbone, therefore increasing the protein accessibility and hydrophobic interactions and/or hydrogen bonds with the gold substrate. Full article

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16 pages, 2637 KiB

Open AccessReview

Mammalian Cell Behavior on Hydrophobic Substrates: Influence of Surface Properties

by Michele Ferrari, Francesca Cirisano and M. Carmen Morán

Colloids Interfaces 2019, 3(2), 48; https://doi.org/10.3390/colloids3020048 - 07 May 2019

Cited by 141 | Viewed by 10137

Abstract

The influence of different surface properties holding to a modification of the substrate towards hydrophobic or superhydrophobic behavior was reviewed in this paper. Cell adhesion, their communication, and proliferation can be strongly manipulated, acting on interfacial relationship involving stiffness, surface charge, surface chemistry, [...] Read more.

The influence of different surface properties holding to a modification of the substrate towards hydrophobic or superhydrophobic behavior was reviewed in this paper. Cell adhesion, their communication, and proliferation can be strongly manipulated, acting on interfacial relationship involving stiffness, surface charge, surface chemistry, roughness, or wettability. All these features can play mutual roles in determining the final properties of biomedical applications ranging from fabrics to cell biology devices. The focus of this work is the mammalian cell viability in contact with moderate to highly water repellent coatings or materials and also in combination with hydrophilic areas for more specific application. Few case studies illustrate a range of examples in which these surface properties and design can be fruitfully matched to the specific aim. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wetting on Micro/Nano-Scale: From Fundamentals to Application)

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15 pages, 626 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Self-Assembly of the Bio-Surfactant Aescin in Solution: A Small-Angle X-ray Scattering and Fluorescence Study

by Carina Dargel, Ramsia Geisler, Yvonne Hannappel, Isabell Kemker, Norbert Sewald and Thomas Hellweg

Colloids Interfaces 2019, 3(2), 47; https://doi.org/10.3390/colloids3020047 - 25 Apr 2019

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 6233

Abstract

This work investigates the temperature-dependent micelle formation as well as the micellar structure of the saponin aescin. The critical micelle concentration (

c m c

) of aescin is determined from the concentration-dependent autofluorescence (AF) of aescin. Values between [...] Read more.

This work investigates the temperature-dependent micelle formation as well as the micellar structure of the saponin aescin. The critical micelle concentration (

c m c

) of aescin is determined from the concentration-dependent autofluorescence (AF) of aescin. Values between

c m c_{aescin, AF}

(10

^{\circ}

C) = 0.38 ± 0.09 mM and

c m c_{aescin, AF}

(50

^{\circ}

C) = 0.32 ± 0.13 mM were obtained. The significance of this method is verified by tensiometry measurements. The value determined from this method is within the experimental error identical with values obtained from autofluorescence (

c m c_{aescin, T (WP)}

(23

^{\circ}

C) = 0.33 ± 0.02 mM). The structure of the aescin micelles was investigated by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) at 10 and 40

^{\circ}

C. At low temperature, the aescin micelles are rod-like, whereas at high temperature the structure is ellipsoidal. The radii of gyration were determined to ≈31 Å (rods) and ≈21 Å (ellipsoid). The rod-like shape of the aescin micelles at low temperature was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). All investigations were performed at a constant pH of 7.4, because the acidic aescin has the ability to lower the pH value in aqueous solution. Full article

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15 pages, 4878 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Direct Cryo Writing of Aerogels via 3D Printing of Aligned Cellulose Nanocrystals Inspired by the Plant Cell Wall

by Doron Kam, Michael Chasnitsky, Chen Nowogrodski, Ido Braslavsky, Tiffany Abitbol, Shlomo Magdassi and Oded Shoseyov

Colloids Interfaces 2019, 3(2), 46; https://doi.org/10.3390/colloids3020046 - 19 Apr 2019

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 7179

Abstract

Aerogel objects inspired by plant cell wall components and structures were fabricated using extrusion-based 3D printing at cryogenic temperatures. The printing process combines 3D printing with the alignment of rod-shaped nanoparticles through the freeze-casting of aqueous inks. We have named this method direct [...] Read more.

Aerogel objects inspired by plant cell wall components and structures were fabricated using extrusion-based 3D printing at cryogenic temperatures. The printing process combines 3D printing with the alignment of rod-shaped nanoparticles through the freeze-casting of aqueous inks. We have named this method direct cryo writing (DCW) as it encompasses in a single processing step traditional directional freeze casting and the spatial fidelity of 3D printing. DCW is demonstrated with inks that are composed of an aqueous mixture of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and xyloglucan (XG), which are the major building blocks of plant cell walls. Rapid fixation of the inks is achieved through tailored rheological properties and controlled directional freezing. Morphological evaluation revealed the role of ice crystal growth in the alignment of CNCs and XG. The structure of the aerogels changed from organized and tubular to disordered and flakey pores with an increase in XG content. The internal structure of the printed objects mimics the structure of various wood species and can therefore be used to create wood-like structures via additive manufacturing technologies using only renewable wood-based materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Colloids and Interfaces in Printing Technology)

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16 pages, 2390 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Surface Modification with Different Acids on the Functional Groups of AF 5 Catalyst and Its Catalytic Effect on the Atmospheric Leaching of Enargite

by Fazel G. Jahromi and Ahmad Ghahreman

Colloids Interfaces 2019, 3(2), 45; https://doi.org/10.3390/colloids3020045 - 17 Apr 2019

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4196

Abstract

Carbon-based catalysts can assist the oxidative leaching of sulfide minerals. Recently, we presented that AF 5 Lewatit^® is among the catalysts with superior enargite oxidation capacity and capability to collect elemental sulfur on its surface. Herein, the effect of acid pre-treatment of [...] Read more.

Carbon-based catalysts can assist the oxidative leaching of sulfide minerals. Recently, we presented that AF 5 Lewatit^® is among the catalysts with superior enargite oxidation capacity and capability to collect elemental sulfur on its surface. Herein, the effect of acid pre-treatment of the AF 5 catalyst was studied on the AF 5 surface, to further enhance the catalytic properties of AF 5. The AF 5 catalyst was pretreated by hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and sulfuric acid. The results showed that the acid treatment drastically changes the surface properties of AF 5. For instance, the concentration of quinone-like functional groups, which are ascribed to the catalytic properties of AF 5, is 45.4% in the sulfuric acid pre-treatment AF 5 and only 29.8% in the hydrochloric acid-treated AF 5. Based on the C 1s X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results the oxygenated carbon is 30.6% in the sulfuric acid-treated AF 5, 29.2% in the nitric acid-treated AF 5 and 28.3% in the hydrochloric acid-treated AF 5. The nitric acid pre-treated AF 5 resulted in the highest copper recovery during the oxidative enargite leaching process, recovering 98.8% of the copper. The sulfuric acid-treated AF 5 recovered 97.1% of the enargite copper into the leach solution. Among different leaching media and pre-treatment the lowest copper recovery was achieved with the HCl pre-treated AF 5 which was 88.6%. The pre-treatment of AF 5 with acids also had modified its elemental sulfur adsorption capacity, where the sulfur adsorption on AF 5 was increased from 30.9% for the HCl treated AF 5 to 51.1% for the sulfuric acid-treated AF 5. Full article

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9 pages, 1003 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Diffusiophoresis of a Colloidal Cylinder at Small Finite Péclet Numbers

by Yu C. Chang and Huan J. Keh

Colloids Interfaces 2019, 3(2), 44; https://doi.org/10.3390/colloids3020044 - 15 Apr 2019

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2465

Abstract

The diffusiophoretic migration of a circular cylindrical particle in a nonelectrolyte solution with a solute concentration gradient normal to its axis is analytically studied for a small but finite Péclet number

P e

. The interfacial layer of interaction between the solute molecules [...] Read more.

The diffusiophoretic migration of a circular cylindrical particle in a nonelectrolyte solution with a solute concentration gradient normal to its axis is analytically studied for a small but finite Péclet number

P e

. The interfacial layer of interaction between the solute molecules and the particle is taken to be thin, but the polarization of its mobile molecules is allowed. Using a method of matched asymptotic expansions, we solve the governing equations of conservation of the system and obtain an explicit formula for the diffusiophoretic velocity of the cylinder correct to the order

P e^{2}

. It is found that the perturbed solute concentration and fluid velocity distributions have the order

P e

, but the leading correction to the particle velocity has the higher order

P e^{2} \ln P e

. The correction to the particle velocity to the order

P e^{2}

can be either positive or negative depending on the polarization parameter of the thin interfacial layer, establishing that the solute convection effect is complicated and can enhance or retard the diffusiophoretic motion. The particle velocity at

P e = 0.6

can be about 17% smaller or 0.2% greater than that at

P e = 0

. Under practical conditions, the solute convection effect on the diffusiophoretic velocity is much greater for a cylindrical particle than for a spherical particle, whose leading correction has the order

P e^{2}

. Full article

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25 pages, 935 KiB

Open AccessReview

Surface Modification of 3D Printed PLA Objects by Fused Deposition Modeling: A Review

by Eda Hazal Baran and H. Yildirim Erbil

Colloids Interfaces 2019, 3(2), 43; https://doi.org/10.3390/colloids3020043 - 29 Mar 2019

Cited by 118 | Viewed by 13403

Abstract

Polylactic acid (PLA) filaments are very popular as a thermoplastic source used in the 3D printing field by the “Fused Deposition Modeling” method in the last decade. The PLA market is expected to reach 5.2 billion US dollars in 2020 for all of [...] Read more.

Polylactic acid (PLA) filaments are very popular as a thermoplastic source used in the 3D printing field by the “Fused Deposition Modeling” method in the last decade. The PLA market is expected to reach 5.2 billion US dollars in 2020 for all of its industrial uses. On the other hand, 3D printing is an expanding technology that has a large economic potential in many industries where PLA is one of the main choices as the source polymer due to its ease of printing, environmentally friendly nature, glossiness and multicolor appearance properties. In this review, we first reported the chemical structure, production methods, general properties, and present market of the PLA. Then, the chemical modification possibilities of PLA and its use in 3D printers, present drawbacks, and the surface modification methods of PLA polymers in many different fields were discussed. Specifically, the 3D printing method where the PLA filaments are used in the extrusion-based 3D printing technologies is reviewed in this article. Many methods have been proposed for the permanent surface modifications of the PLA where covalent attachments were formed such as alkaline surface hydrolysis, atom transfer polymerization, photografting by UV light, plasma treatment, and chemical reactions after plasma treatment. Some of these methods can be applied for surface modifications of PLA objects obtained by 3D printing for better performance in biomedical uses and other fields. Some recent publications reporting the surface modification of 3D printed PLA objects were also discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Colloids and Interfaces in Printing Technology)

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Colloids Interfaces, Volume 3, Issue 2 (June 2019) – 10 articles

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