Foam films in the presence of functionalized gold nanoparticles.
Dry aqueous foams made of anionic surfactant (SDS) and spherical gold nanoparticles are studied by small angle X-ray scattering and by optical techniques. To obtain stable foams, the surfactant concentration is well above the critical micelle concentration. The specular reflectivity signal obtained on a very thin film (thickness 20 nm) shows that functionalized nanoparticles (17 nm typical size) are trapped within the film in the form of a single monolayer. In order to isolate the film behavior, investigations are made on a single film confined in a tube. The film thinning according to the ratio of functionalized nanoparticle and SDS micelles (1:1, 1:10, 1:100) is mainly governed by the structural arrangement of SDS micelles. In thick films, nanoparticles tend to form aggregates that disappear during drainage. In particular self-organization of nanoparticles (with different surface charge) inside the film is not detected.
Institut de Physique de Rennes, CNRS UMR 6521, Université de Rennes I, Campus de Beaulieu, 35042 Rennes, France. janine.emile@univ-rennes1.fr
Janine
J
Emile
Martinus H V
MH
Werts
Franck
F
Artzner
Federico
F
Casanova
Olivier
O
Emile
Julien R G
JR
Navarro
Florian
F
Meneau