A microtensiometer to probe the effect of radius of curvature on surfactant transport to a spherical interface

Diffusion of surfactant to a spherical interface depends on the radius of curvature of the interface; the smaller the radius of curvature is, the faster the dynamics. This paper presents and validates an experimental apparatus, denoted a "microtensiometer", to study the dependence of surfa...

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Veröffentlicht in:Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids. - 1992. - 26(2010), 16 vom: 17. Aug., Seite 13310-9
1. Verfasser: Alvarez, Nicolas J (VerfasserIn)
Weitere Verfasser: Walker, Lynn M, Anna, Shelley L
Format: Online-Aufsatz
Sprache:English
Veröffentlicht: 2010
Zugriff auf das übergeordnete Werk:Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids
Schlagworte:Journal Article
Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:Diffusion of surfactant to a spherical interface depends on the radius of curvature of the interface; the smaller the radius of curvature is, the faster the dynamics. This paper presents and validates an experimental apparatus, denoted a "microtensiometer", to study the dependence of surfactant dynamics on radius of curvature. Dynamic surface tension is monitored for a range of bubble radii from 17 to 150 microm, and the dynamics are compared with those obtained using the classic pendant drop experiment for a nonionic surfactant at the air-water interface. Experiments reveal that dynamic surface tension follows a diffusion-limited scaling, in which radius of curvature is a key parameter. Despite the clear scaling behavior of the experimental equilibration time, the full dynamic curve for an initially clean interface cannot be predicted by a diffusion-limited transport model using the molecular diffusion coefficient and a single isotherm. However, the same model is shown to correctly predict compression-expansion experiments. Aside from elucidation of surfactant transport, this device provides a tool for rapid measurements of interfacial properties using a significantly lower volume of sample than current methods
Beschreibung:Date Completed 22.11.2010
Date Revised 10.08.2010
published: Print
Citation Status PubMed-not-MEDLINE
ISSN:1520-5827
DOI:10.1021/la101870m