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Australian Journal of Chemistry Australian Journal of Chemistry Society
An international journal for chemical science
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Effect of Single/Mixed Surfactant Systems on Orientations of Liquid Crystals and Interaction of Proteins with Surfactants at Fluid Interfaces

Xiangrong Huang A , Zhicheng Ye A , Yazhuo Shang https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1555-3260 A D , Yifan He B D , Hong Meng B , Yinmao Dong B , Zhaohui Qu C , Youting Liu C , Shouhong Xu A and Honglai Liu A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.

B Key Laboratory of Cosmetic, China National Light Industry, School of Science, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China.

C Nutri-Woods Bio-Tech (Beijing) Co., Ltd, Beijing 102488, China.

D Corresponding authors. Email: shangyazhuo@ecust.edu.cn; heyifan@btbu.edu.cn

Australian Journal of Chemistry 74(8) 591-600 https://doi.org/10.1071/CH21063
Submitted: 8 March 2021  Accepted: 16 May 2021   Published: 7 June 2021

Abstract

A series of single surfactant systems, i.e, quaternary ammonium-based gemini surfactants with different spacers and alkyl chain lengths (m-n-m; m = 12, n = 2, 3, 4, 6; n = 3, m = 12, 14, 16), halogen-free surface-active ionic liquid (HF-SAILs) with different symmetries ([Cnmim][C12H25SO4]; n = 6, 8, 10, 12), and single-chain cationic surfactants including 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([C12mim]Br) and dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB), along with certain combinations of different surfactants (12-3-12/[C12mim]Br and 12-3-12/DTAB) were applied to an aqueous/liquid crystal interface (ALI). All the surfactants could induce an orientational transition of liquid crystals (LCs) from a planar to homeotropic state, which caused a bright-to-dark optical shift. It was proved that double-chain surfactants and the mixed surfactants inclined to adsorb at the ALI triggering the orientational transition. Inspiringly, a quicker and more sensitive dark-to-bright optical response was observed for mixed surfactant system-decorated interfaces in contact with proteins (such as bovine serum albumin (BSA), lysozyme, and trypsin) as opposed to the single surfactant systems. The ALI decorated by the 12-3-12/[C12mim]Br system was particularly efficient and exhibited the most sensitive optical response for BSA (0.01 ng mL−1). The order parameters (SCD) of surfactants tails at the interface and the free energy of proteins with 12-3-12 and [C12mim]Br were calculated, respectively. The results explain that the 12-3-12/[C12mim]Br-laden ALI shows a quicker and more sensitive optical response for BSA. This work inspired us to study mixed surfactant systems-decorated LC interfaces and further provides new insights for different chemical and biological applications.

Keywords: gemini surfactant, mixed surfactants, liquid crystals, proteins, order parameter, optical reorientation, interface, free energy.


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