title: Characterisation of nanomaterial hydrophobicity using engineered surfaces.
abstract: Characterisation of engineered nanomaterials (NMs) is of outmost importance for the assessment of the potential risks arising from their extensive use. NMs display indeed a large variety of physico-chemical properties that drastically affect their interaction with biological systems. Among them, hydrophobicity is an important property that is nevertheless only slightly covered by the current physico-chemical characterisation techniques. In this work, we developed a method for the direct characterisation of NM hydrophobicity. The determination of the nanomaterial hydrophobic character is carried out by the direct measurement of the affinity of the NMs for different collectors. Each collector is an engineered surface designed in order to present specific surface charge and hydrophobicity degrees. Being thus characterised by a combination of surface energy components, the collectors enable the NM immobilisation with surface coverage in relation to their hydrophobicity. The experimental results are explained by using the extended DLVO theory, which takes into account the hydrophobic forces acting between NMs and collectors. Graphical abstractDetermination of hydrophobicity character of nanomaterials by measuring their affinity to engineered surfaces.
authors.affiliation: Directorate Health, Consumer and Reference Materials, Consumer Products Safety Unit, Via E. Fermi, 2749. TP 125, 21027 Ispra, VA Italy.
authors.forename: Cloé
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Desmet
authors.affiliation: Directorate Health, Consumer and Reference Materials, Consumer Products Safety Unit, Via E. Fermi, 2749. TP 125, 21027 Ispra, VA Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valsesia
authors.affiliation: Directorate Health, Consumer and Reference Materials, Consumer Products Safety Unit, Via E. Fermi, 2749. TP 125, 21027 Ispra, VA Italy.
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oddo
authors.affiliation: Directorate Health, Consumer and Reference Materials, Consumer Products Safety Unit, Via E. Fermi, 2749. TP 125, 21027 Ispra, VA Italy.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ceccone
authors.affiliation: Directorate Health, Consumer and Reference Materials, Consumer Products Safety Unit, Via E. Fermi, 2749. TP 125, 21027 Ispra, VA Italy.|IMEC, MCACSA, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Spampinato
authors.affiliation: Directorate Health, Consumer and Reference Materials, Consumer Products Safety Unit, Via E. Fermi, 2749. TP 125, 21027 Ispra, VA Italy.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: Directorate Health, Consumer and Reference Materials, Consumer Products Safety Unit, Via E. Fermi, 2749. TP 125, 21027 Ispra, VA Italy.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Colpo
keywords: Hydrophobicity; Measurement method; Nanomaterials; Nanomedicine