Measuring the three-phase contact angle of nanoparticles at fluid interfaces.
We report a generic technique to image and study the wettability of spherical nanoparticles adsorbed at liquid surfaces and demonstrate that nanoparticle monolayers can be imprinted at air-water and oil-water interfaces and their three-phase contact angle at the original liquid interface can be determined by an atomic force microscopy scan on a replica of the interface; the technique is tested using four different types of nanoparticles, the smallest one having a radius of 37 nm.
Arnaudov
Luben N
LN
Foods Structural Design/UFHRI, Unilever Research, Vlaardingen, Olivier van Noortlaan 120, 3133 AT Vlaardingen, The Netherlands. luben.arnaudov@unilever.com
Cayre
Olivier J
OJ
Cohen Stuart
Martien A
MA
Stoyanov
Simeon D
SD
Paunov
Vesselin N
VN
D000388:Air; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes / Q000737:chemistry; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009821:Oils / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D009821:Oils; D014867:Water; C013830:baysilon