Abstract
We describe the synthesis of sulfothetin (ST)-containing polymer zwitterions and their use as polymer surfactants for stabilizing emulsion droplets and for capturing and transporting nanoparticles (NPs) through a flowing aqueous fluid. In contrast to conventional zwitterions, which are chemically inert, the multifunctional ST-containing copolymers we describe both participate in droplet stabilization and embed reactive functionality directly into the zwitterionic framework. Advantageously including these ST zwitterions in phosphorylcholine (PC)-containing copolymers proved particularly useful for producing surfactants that contributed characteristics of droplet stabilization and interfacial reactivity. This was demonstrated by NP pickup, or "capture", experiments that were performed by circulating ST-coated emulsion droplets across a substrate, in a flow cell, containing amine-functionalized silica NPs. The resultant NP adherence to the fluid-fluid interface of the droplets hinged on the available reactivity of both the electrophilic (from ST) and nucleophilic (from the NPs) components as well as the solution pH and extent of amine functionality on the NPs.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 21898-21904 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces |
Volume | 13 |
Issue number | 18 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 12 2021 |
Externally published | Yes |
Funding
This work was supported by the Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Materials Science and Engineering, under award number DE-SC0008876.
Keywords
- emulsion droplets
- fluid-fluid interface
- nanoparticle capture
- polymer zwitterion
- sulfonium sulfonate