Surfactants have been widely employed to debundle, disperse and stabilize carbon nanotubes in aqueous solvents. Yet, a thorough understanding of the dispersing mechanisms at molecular level is still warranted. Herein, we investigated the influence of the molecular structure of gemini surfactants on the dispersibility of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs). We used dicationic n-s-n gemini surfactants, varying n and s, the number of alkyl tail and alkyl spacer carbons, respectively; for comparisons, single-tailed surfactant homologues were also studied. Detailed curves of dispersed MWNT concentration vs. surfactant concentration were obtained through a stringently controlled experimental procedure, allowing for molecular insight. The gemini are found to be much more efficient dispersants than their single-tailed homologues, i.e. lower surfactant concentration is needed to attain the maximum dispersed MWNT concentration. In general, the spacer length has a comparatively higher influence on the dispersing efficiency than the tail length. Further, scanning electron microscopy imaging shows a sizeable degree of MWNT debundling by the gemini surfactants in the obtained dispersions. Our observations also point to an adsorption process that does not entail the formation of micelle-like aggregates on the nanotube surface, but rather coverage by individual molecules, among which the ones that seem to be able to adapt best to the nanotube surface provide the highest efficiency. These studies are relevant for the rational design and choice of optimal dispersants for carbon nanomaterials and other similarly water-insoluble materials.

It is demonstrated that a phosphonium orthoborate ionic liquid may serve as a wear reducing additive in biodegradable oils at steel-steel surfaces in the boundary lubrication regime. Tribological tests were performed in a bail-on-three plate configuration. A set of surface characterization techniques-SEM/EDS, FIB and white light interferometry were used to characterize surfaces following the tribotests and to observe the formation of any tribofilms. B-11 NMR was used to follow changes in the composition of the ionic-liquid-oil blends and to identify boron-containing decomposition products after the tribotests. The ionic liquid reduces the wear of steel surfaces by up to 92% compared to the neat oil at 90 degrees C; it is shown that the reduction in wear can be correlated with the formation of boron enriched patches in the boundary films.

Propofol is an amphiphilic small molecule that strongly influences the function of cell membranes, yet data regarding interfacial properties of propofol remain scarce. Here we consider propofol adsorption at the air/water interface as elucidated by means of vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy (VSFS), neutron reflectometry (NR), and surface tensiometry. VSFS data show that propofol adsorbed at the air/ water interface interacts with water strongly in terms of hydrogen bonding and weakly in the proximity of the hydrocarbon parts of the molecule. In the concentration range studied there is almost no change in the orientation adopted at the interface. Data from NR show that propofol forms a dense monolayer with a thickness of 8.4 angstrom and a limiting area per molecule of 40 angstrom(2), close to the value extracted from surface tensiometry. The possibility that islands or multilayers of propofol form at the air/water interface is therefore excluded as long as the solubility limit is not exceeded. Additionally, measurements of the 1H NMR chemical shifts demonstrate that propofol does not form dimers or multimers in bulk water up to the solubility limit.

When using amphiphilic polymers to exfoliate and disperse carbon nanotubes in water, the balance between the hydrophobic and hydrophilic moieties is critical and nontrivial. Here, we investigate the mode of surface attachment of a triblock copolymer, Pluronics F127, composed of a central hydrophobic polypropylene oxide block flanked by hydrophilic polyethylene oxide blocks, onto single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). Crucially, we analyze the composition in dispersant of both the as-obtained dispersion (the supernatant) and the precipitate-containing undispersed materials. For this, we combine the carefully obtained data from H-1 NMR peak intensities and self-diffusion and thermogravimetric analysis. The molecular motions behind the observed NMR features are clarified. We find that the hydrophobic blocks attach to the dispersed SWNT surface and remain significantly immobilized leading to H-1 NMR signal loss. On the other hand, the hydrophilic blocks remain highly mobile and thus readily detectable by NMR. The dispersant is shown to possess significant block polydispersity that has a large effect on dispersibility. Polymers with large hydrophobic blocks adsorb on the surface of the carbonaceous particles that precipitate, indicating that although a larger hydrophobic block is good for enhancing adsorption, it may be less effective in dispersing the tubes. A model is also proposed that consistently explains our observations in SWNT dispersions and some contradicting findings obtained previously in carbon nanohorn dispersions. Overall, our findings help elucidating the molecular picture of the dispersion process for SWNTs and are of interest when looking for more effective (i.e., well-balanced) polymeric dispersants.

Debundling and dispersing single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) is essential for applications, but the process is not well understood. In this work, aqueous SWNT dispersions were produced by sonicating pristine SWNT powder in the presence of an amphiphilic triblock copolymer (Pluronic F127) as dispersant. Upon centrifugation, one obtains a supernatant with suspended individual tubes and thin bundles and a precipitate with large bundles (and impurities). In the supernatant, that constitutes the final dispersion, we determined the dispersed SWNT concentration by thermogravi-metric analysis (TGA) and UV-vis spectroscopy, and the dispersant concentration by NMR The fraction of dispersant adsorbed at the SWNT surface was obtained by H-1 diffusion NMR Sigmoidal dispersion curves recording the concentration of dispersed SWNTs as a function of supernatant dispersant concentration were obtained at different SWNT loadings and sonication times. As SWNT bundles are debundled into smaller and smaller ones, the essential role of the dispersant is to sufficiently quickly cover the freshly exposed surfaces created by shear forces induced during sonication. Primarily kinetic reasons are behind the need for dispersant concentrations required to reach a substantial SWNT concentration. Centrifugation sets the size threshold below which SWNT particles are retained in the dispersion and consequently determines the SWNT concentration as a function of sonication time.

Macromolecular dynamics in biological systems, which play a crucial role for biomolecular function and activity at ambient temperature, depend strongly on moisture content. Yet, a generally accepted quantitative model of hydration-dependent phenomena based on local relaxation and diffusive dynamics of both polymer and its adsorbed water is still missing. In this work, atomistic-scale spatial distributions of motional modes are calculated using molecular dynamics simulations of hydrated xyloglucan (XG). These are shown to reproduce experimental hydration-dependent C-13 NMR longitudinal relaxation times (T-1) at room temperature, and relevant features of their broad distributions, which are indicative of locally heterogeneous polymer reorientational dynamics. At low hydration, the self-diffusion behavior of water shows that water molecules are confined to particular locations in the randomly aggregated XG network while the average polymer segmental mobility remains low. Upon increasing water content, the hydration network becomes mobile and fully accessible for individual water molecules, and the motion of hydrated XG segments becomes faster. Yet, the polymer network retains a heterogeneous gel-like structure even at the highest level of hydration. We show that the observed distribution of relaxations times arises from the spatial heterogeneity of chain mobility that in turn is a result of heterogeneous distribution of water-chain and chain chain interactions. Our findings contribute to the picture of hydration-dependent dynamics in other macromolecules such as proteins, DNA, and synthetic polymers, and hold important implications for the mechanical properties of polysaccharide matrixes in plants and plant-based materials.

The integration of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into a polymer matrix strongly affects the rheological behavior that in turn may hamper the overall performance of the resulting composite. Research in this topic has focused on bulk rheological properties, while here we employ NMR diffusion experiments to explore the mobility (diffusivity) of epoxy molecules when loaded with CNTs. Rheology and light microscopy indicate percolation of CNT aggregates. Those aggregates cage a substantial amount of epoxy molecules while small angle X-ray scattering indicates some rearrangement of epoxy molecules in the vicinity of the nanotubes. NMR diffusion experiments distinguish between the slow diffusion of the caged molecules and that of the free ones, and relate the fraction of the former to the macroscopic system viscosity. The demonstrated surface-induced slowing-down of diffusion is attributed to strong intermolecular π-π interactions among the epoxy molecules, and between them and the CNT surface. These findings demonstrate the utility of NMR diffusion experiments as an additional method applied to nanocomposites. 

Size-exclusion quantification NMR spectroscopy (SEQNMR) is introduced for measuring equilibrium distribution coefficients, K-eq, in porous media. The porous medium is equilibrated with a polydisperse polymer solution. The original bulk polymer solution and the polymer solution after equilibration but in the absence of the porous medium are analyzed by NMR diffusion experiments. The joint evaluation of the two diffusion attenuation curves under suitable constraints provides the extent by which polymer fractions of particular size were depleted from the solution by pore access. This procedure yields K-eq versus polymer probe size, the selectivity curve that in turn can provide the pore size and its distribution. Simulations probe the performance of the method that is demonstrated experimentally in chromatographic media using dextran polymers. SEQ-NMR and inverse size- exclusion chromatography (ISEC) yield selectivity curves that virtually coincide. Crucial advantages with SEQ-NMR, such as versatility with regard to both the polymer used and porous system explored, high speed, potential for automation, and small required sample volume, are discussed.

The binding of K+ and Ba2+ cations to short poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) chains with ca. 4-25 monomeric units in methanol was studied by determining the effective charge of the polymer through a combination of electrophoretic NMR and diffusion NMR experiments. These cations were previously found to bind to long PEO chains in a similar strong manner. In addition, H-1 chemical shift and longitudinal spin relaxation rate changes upon binding were quantified. For both systems, binding was stronger for the short chains than that for the longer chains, which is attributed mainly to interactions between bound ions. For K+ ions, the equilibrium binding constant of a cation to a binding site was measured. For both cations, the binding site was estimated to consist of ca. six monomeric units that coordinated with the respective ions. For the systems with barium, a significant fraction of the bound ions are (BaAnion)(+) ion pairs. This leads to a strong anion effect in the effective charge of the oligomers acquired upon barium ion binding. For K+, the coordinating oligomer segment remains rather mobile and individual oligomers exchange rapidly (<<s) between their free and ion-complexing states. In contrast, segmental dynamics slows significantly for the oligomer section that coordinates with the barium species, and for individual oligomers, binding and nonbinding sections do not exchange on the time scale of seconds. Hence, oligomers also exchange slowly (>s) between their free and barium complexing states.