Charge migration on hydrophobic and hydrophilic silicon dioxide

Experimental results are presented which shed light on the properties of thin discontinuous metal films as chemical sensing elements. They demonstrate further some interesting differences between hydrophilic and hydrophobic sensing structures. Two different methods are used to study the migration of charges out onto the oxide surface outside the metal gate of metal–oxide–semiconductor capacitors after treatment of the surface with hydrochloric acid. The charge migration is observed either as a time dependent increase of the inversion capacitance or as a possibility to generate a photocapacitive current by a chopped light beam hitting the oxide surface at a distance from the contact. It is concluded that the charge migration occurs only if the surface was hydrophilic before the HCl-treatment. For a hydrophobic surface neither the inversion capacitance nor the photocapacitive current changed upon ion-treatment. An explanation for an observed increase of the capacitance level of hydrophilic structures immersed in electrolytes is also given.     

Investigation of the effect of substrata on the surface free energy components of silica gel determined by thin layer wicking method

The components of surface free energy of silica gel deposited on glass plates, aluminium or plastic sheets (commercial Merck's plates for TLC) were determined by applying two theoretical approaches: the Lifshitz-van der Waals acid-base approach (LWAB), the geometric mean of apolar and polar interactions approach (GM). The thin layer wicking method was applied. Besides, from the measured contact angles of probe liquid (diiodomethane, -bromonaphthalene, water, formamide, glycerol and ethylene glycol) surface free energy components were calculated for the substrata on which the silica gel was deposited. In this case the equation of state (ES) was additional by applied. The study has shown that both the kind of substratum and that of the chambers used for measuring the penetration rate of the liquid do not influence the calculated values of the surface free energy components of silica gel. The components calculated from the two models of interfacial interactions: ^LW _s and ^AB _s or ^d _s and ^p _s appeared to be practically the same if diiodomethane and -bromonaphthalene were considered as weakly polar liquids, i.e. donor-acceptor interactions in the surface tension were taken into account. However, when _l ⁺ and _l ^– of these liquids are neglected, considerable differences occur, particularly in the determined value of Lifshitz-van der Waals component. The values of the total surface free energy of substrata calculated by applying three thermodynamic approaches are very similar, but if diiodomethane and -bromonaphthalene are considered as weakly polar liquids this similarity is more distinct.     

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

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.     

Heterogeneous nucleation and growth mechanism on hydrophilic and hydrophobic surface

Heterogeneous nucleation and nucleation period of calcium carbonate on the mica and the highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) substrate have been investigated. Calcium carbonate was prepared by the reaction of calcium nitrate solution with sodium carbonate solution. In the reaction crystallization of calcium carbonate, calcite and vaterite were nucleated on the both substrates. We counted the number of crystalline calcium carbonate on the substrates obtained from various initial supersaturations of calcium carbonate. The number of crystals on the mica surface was much higher than on the HOPG surface. Additionally, the number of crystals on the mica was greatly affected by changing of initial supersaturation. In order to explain the difference between the mica and the HOPG surface, a possible model for the nucleation period of calcium carbonate has been discussed. The surface crystallization on the mica and the HOPG could be described by considering the supersaturation in the bulk solution and in the vicinity of substrate, separately.     

亲/疏水改性温敏凝胶最新研究进展

温度敏感性聚异丙基丙烯酰胺凝胶是一类具有广泛应用前景的软湿材料,但存在功能单一、响应速率慢、粒度分布宽和机械性能差等缺点,因而温敏凝胶的化学和物理改性成为凝胶研究的热点之一。综述了近5年温敏凝胶的亲疏水改性的最新研究进展。     

基于表面自由能理论研究改性沥青-集料复合材料黏附性能

基于表面自由能理论,首先测定不同沥青、集料与已知试剂的接触角,然后通过相关公式计算得到沥青-集料复合材料的黏附功、剥落功及水稳定性指标ER,并分析老化前后沥青-集料复合材料的黏附性变化。研究结果表明:沥青-集料复合材料的黏附过程和剥落过程均对外放热且自发进行;同种沥青不同集料的复合材料黏附性和抵抗水损害能力排序为沥青-石灰岩沥青-玄武岩沥青-花岗岩,不同沥青同种集料复合材料黏附性强弱和抵抗水损害能力排序为复合改性沥青(CM)-集料胶粉改性沥青(CRM)-集料苯乙烯-丁二烯-苯乙烯改性沥青(SBSM)-集料复合材料;老化后沥青-集料复合材料的黏附性能和抵抗水损害能力均呈现下降趋势,且压力老化(PAV)比旋转薄膜烘箱老化(RTFOT)更为明显,但老化过程并未改变沥青与集料间的配伍性;对三种改性沥青的SEM图像进行分析,发现老化后沥青与集料界面黏结特性发生变化,导致沥青-集料复合材料黏附能力下降。     

Controlled effect of ultrasonic cavitation on hydrophobic/hydrophilic surfaces

Controlling cavitation at the solid surface is of increasing interest, as it plays a major role in many physical and chemical processes related to the modification of solid surfaces and formation of multicomponent nanoparticles. Here, we show a selective control of ultrasonic cavitation on metal surfaces with different hydrophobicity. By applying a microcontact printing technique we successfully formed hydrophobic/hydrophilic alternating well-defined microstructures on aluminium surfaces. Fabrication of patterned surfaces provides the unique opportunity to verify a model of heterogeneous nucleation of cavitation bubbles near the solid/water interface by varying the wettability of the surface, temperature and ultrasonic power. At the initial stage of sonication (up to 30 min), microjets and shock waves resulting from the collapsing bubbles preferably impact the hydrophobic surface, whereas the hydrophilic areas of the patterned Al remain unchanged. Longer sonication periods affect both surfaces. These findings confirm the expectation that higher contact angle causes a lower energy barrier, thus cavitation dominates at the hydrophobic surfaces. Experimental results are in good agreement with expectations from nucleation theory. This paper illustrates a new approach to ultrasound induced modification of solid surfaces resulting in the formation of foam-structured metal surfaces.     

A semi-empirical correlation for predicting the frost density on hydrophilic and hydrophobic substrates

A new semi-empirical correlation for the prediction of frost density on hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces is proposed. The proposed correlation is a function of the modified Jakob number and contains two correction terms, one for surface contact angle and another for relative humidity. Whereas most frost correlations exclude surface wettability as a parameter, our research has shown that the surface contact angle can be important when trying to accurately predict the properties of a growing frost layer. The correlation was developed using data from three different surfaces. On each surface, the frost was grown for three hours and then defrosted. The proposed correlation predicted more than 93% of the data to within a ±20% error band and is proposed for use on surfaces with contact angles 45° < θ < 160°, relative humidity 0.40 < ϕ < 0.80, and plate temperatures −13 °C < T_w < −5 °C under natural convection conditions.     

The fabrication and property of hydrophilic and hydrophobic double functional bionic chitosan film

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.     

Performance evaluation of a biotrickling filter degrading mixtures of hydrophobic and hydrophilic compounds

The removal of a mixture of painting solvents from waste air using a biofiltration process was evaluated in this project. The pollutants removed included hydrophobic (aromatic hydrocarbons) and hydrophilic (water soluble ketones and esters) compounds. A trickle bed reactor with a defined immobilized mixed culture on polyethylene Pall rings was utilized in this biodegradation study. The removal efficiencies (RE) of the individual groups of pollutants during loading experiments were determined. An increase of the aromatic hydrocarbons loading resulted in a drop of their RE_AROM with no effect on the RE value of ketones. The overloading of ketones caused a rapid drop in RE_AROM and a small drop in RE_KET. To achieve a restoration of the biocatalyst degradation properties after the increase in loading, an addition of phosphate to the aqueous medium was implemented which successfully restored the removal efficiency.     

Meniscus and viscous forces during separation of hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces with liquid-mediated contacts

Adhesion due to the formation of meniscus bridges has been of interest since the early 20th century. Extensive studies have been carried out analytically and numerically. Adhesive or repulsive forces contributed by meniscus and adhesive viscous forces can be significant and become one of the main reliability issues when the contacting surfaces are smooth and/or when the normal load is small, as is common for micro/nanodevices. Previous numerical studies mainly focus on static meniscus analysis for hydrophilic surfaces. More recently, analysis of meniscus and viscous forces during separation of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces with symmetric and asymmetric contact angles have been carried out. These studies are useful to understand the relative roles of meniscus and viscous forces during the separation process. In this paper, a comprehensive review of analytical and numerical modeling of the meniscus and viscous forces are presented. The analyses for both forces during normal and tangential separation of hydrophilic and hydrophobic smooth or rough surfaces with symmetric and asymmetric contact angles, and viscous forces during tangential separation are presented. The analyses provide a fundamental understanding of the physics of the separation process and insight into the relationships between meniscus and viscous forces. Implications of these analyses in macro/micro/nanotechnologies are discussed.     

Comparison of two polymeric carrier formulations for controlled release of hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs

Two temperature sensitive drug carriers, poly (N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) (PNIPA-co-AA) and poly (N-isopropylacrylamide-vinyl pyrrolidone-acrylic acid) (PNIPA-VP-AA), were successfully synthesized through free radical mechanism. The diameters of PNIPA-co-AA and PNIPA-VP-AA particles can be regulated to be less than 100 nm, which were related to surfactant sodiumdodecyl sulfate and initiator ferrous ammonium sulfate, respectively. The lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of them can be manipulated to be higher than 40 °C, which was correlated to amount of acrylic acid (AA) that was copolymerized with NIPA. Hydrophilic anti-tumor drugs, 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) and hydrophobic drug thalidomide were entrapped into PNIPA-co-AA and PNIPA-VP-AA, respectively. For different interaction mechanism between drug and carrier, 5-Fu was prone to be entrapped in PNIPA-co-AA with loading efficiency larger than 10% (w/w), while thalidomide was entrapped in PNIPA-VP-AA up to 80% (w/w). Fluorescein, an angiography agent, was used to evaluate the drug loading mechanism between PNIPA-VP-AA and poor water-soluble drug. In vitro drug release behavior from these two drug carriers were significantly different and showed temperature dependent, which demonstrated that PNIPA-co-AA and PNIPA-VP-AA are promising candidates for different controlled drug delivery system.     

Surfactant-aided, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry of hydrophobic and hydrophilic peptides

The analysis of hydrophobic and hydrophilic peptides in an aqueous medium using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) is reported. The key development allowing for simultaneous analysis of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic components of the sample mixture is the use of surfactants to solubilize the hydrophobic components in the MALDI matrix solution. A wide variety of anionic, cationic, zwitterionic, and nonionic surfactants were evaluated for their ability to assist in the generation of an abundant pseudomolecular ion from a model hydrophobic peptide ([tert-butoxycarbonyl]Glu[gamma-O-benzyl]-Ala-Leu-Ala[O-phenacyl ester]). The results indicate that the most successful surfactant among those studied for analyzing the model hydrophobic peptide is sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). SDS exhibited no interfering surfactant background ions, little to no loss of the acid-labile protecting groups from the model hydrophobic peptide, and an abundant pseudomolecular ion of the analyte. In addition, the use of surfactants is shown to be compatible with hydrophilic peptides as well. Mixtures of hydrophobic and hydrophilic peptides were characterized using surfactant-aided (SA) MALDI-MS, and it is demonstrated that all components are detectable once the surfactant is included in the sample solution. We conclude that the key benefit of using SA-MALDI-MS is its ability to simultaneously analyze hydrophobic and hydrophilic peptides from a single sample mixture, including synthetic peptides containing acid- and base-labile protecting groups.     

Dual delivery of hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs from chitosan/diatomaceous earth composite membranes

Oral administration of drugs presents important limitations, which are frequently not granted the importance that they really have. For instance, hepatic metabolism means an important drug loss, while some patients have their ability to swell highly compromised (i.e. unconsciousness, cancer…). Sublingual placement of an accurate Pharmaceutical Dosage Form is an attractive alternative. This work explores the use of the β-chitosan membranes, from marine industry residues, composed with marine sediments for dual sublingual drug delivery. As proof of concept, the membranes were loaded with a hydrophilic (gentamicin) and a hydrophobic (dexamethasone) drug. The physico-chemical and morphological characterization indicated the successful incorporated of diatomaceous earth within the chitosan membranes. Drug delivery studies showed the potential of all formulations for the immediate release of hydrophilic drugs, while diatomaceous earth improved the loading and release of the hydrophobic drug. These results highlight the interest of the herein developed membranes for dual drug delivery.

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Fluidized Bed Medium Separation (FBMS) using the particles with different hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties

Three kinds of particles with different hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties were used as fluidized particles of Fluidized Bed Medium Separation (FBMS). A minimum fluidization velocity, an apparent specific gravity of fluidized bed and floating-sinking behaviors of dry and wet coals were measured in the range of relative humidity from 50% to 80%. In a hydrophilic particle, the fluidization became unstable with increasing relative humidity because particle aggregation took place at a high humidity, and hence floating-sinking behaviors depend on changes in a relative humidity. On the other hand, in a highly hydrophobic particle, the fluidization was stable and floating-sinking behaviors based on the specific gravity difference were obtained even for wet coals and at a high relative humidity. Therefore, the FBMS using a highly hydrophobic particle is applicable at a high relative humidity without a control device of relative humidity.     

Influence of compacted hydrophobic and hydrophilic colloidal silicon dioxide on tableting properties of pharmaceutical excipients

The effect of noncompacted and compacted hydrophilic as well as hydrophobic colloidal silicon dioxide (CSD) on tableting properties of three different pharmaceutical excipients used for direct compression, namely, Avicel® PH 101, Starch 1500®®, and Tablettose® 80, was investigated. Binary powder mixtures containing 0.5% CSD and 99.5% excipient were compressed on an instrumented single-punch tablet press, and the radial tensile strength/compaction load profiles were examined. The Ryshkewitch-Duckworth relationship shows that the influence of CSD on tablet strength was dependent on the hydrophobic and hydrophilic nature of the CSD and on the compaction characteristics of the excipients. Tablets from each excipient with and without CSDs were subjected to different levels of relative humidity at 20°C for 7 days. The sorption isotherms and the radial tensile strengths of the tablets after the storage period showed that neither hydrophilic nor hydrophobic CSD influenced the tablet properties of Avicel® PH 101, Starch 1500®®, and Tablettose® 80. Moreover, ternary powder mixtures containing magnesium stearate as a third component were compressed in order to study the influence of CSD on the deleterious effect of magnesium stearate on the interparticle bonding. The radial tensile strength/compaction load profiles and the residual and ejection forces of tablets made from ternary mixtures showed that CSD eliminated the negative effect of magnesium stearate on interparticle bonding while maintaining the lubrication action, in a manner that was affected by its hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity and by the particle deformation properties of the excipient upon compression.     

Reduction in the initial-burst release by surface crosslinking of PLGA microparticles containing hydrophilic or hydrophobic drugs

Sustained-release approaches are emerging for the delivery of drugs from polymer encapsulation. However, the most persistent problem that remains is the initial burst release of the drug, which can exceed the toxic limits. Dexamethasone, a hydrophobic drug, was encapsulated in poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microparticles using the solvent evaporation method. The drug release profile of these microparticles was studied and the initial burst was reduced by crosslinking of the microparticle surface using ethylene glycol dimethacrylate and tri(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate. Due to surface crosslinking, an additional diffusional resistance was created, which prevented easy dissolution of the drug into the release medium and brought about a substantial reduction in the initial burst release. Moreover, the time required for reaching a stationary-state release was also observed to be delayed, prolonging the sustained drug delivery. This concept was further tested with a hydrophilic drug, the sodium salt of dexamethasone phosphate, encapsulated in PLGA polymer microparticles and was observed to reduce the burst release as well. For synthesizing the polymer microparticles containing dexamethasone, an o/w microemulsion and solvent evaporation technique was used; whereas, for those containing dexamethasone phosphate, w/o/o/o phase separation/coacervation technique was used. The surface crosslinking was performed by ultraviolet radiation.