skip to main content NIST Center for Neutron Research NIST Center for Neutron Research National Institute of Standards and Technology
Home Live Data Instruments CHRNS Proposals

Surfactant Self-Assembly and Adsorbed Layer Structure at Solid Solution/Interfaces

Gregory G. Warr
School of Chemistry, the University of Sydney
NSW 2006 Australia

Using atomic force microscopy (AFM) "soft-contact" imaging it is possible to view the structure of adsorbed surfactant layers on solid surfaces in equilibrium with their solution state. AFM is particularly sensitive to the lateral structure in the film and this has yielded some surprising results, showing that adsorbed surfactant layers contain aggregates that are strikingly similar to elements of complex fluid phases including spherical or globular and cylindrical micelles, branched or mesh structures, as well as (occasionally) conventional bilayers.

In this talk I will provide an overview of our work on surfactant adsorbed layer structure at solid/solution interfaces primarily using AFM, but also relating the work to neutron reflectometry and surface force apparatus studies of film structure and properties.

Relevant publications
  1. "Surfactant Boundary Lubricant Film Modified by an Amphiphilic Diblock Copolymer". A. Blom, C. Drummond, G.G. Warr, E.J. Wanless, P. Richetti, submitted to Langmuir.
  2. "Direct Visualisation of Mesh Structures at Solid/Solution Interfaces by AFM". A. Blom, F.P. Duval, L. Kovács, G.G. Warr, M. Almgren, M. Kadi, R. Zana, Langmuir 2004, 20, 1291-1297
  3. "Changes in Adsorbed Layer Structure of Cationic Surfactants on Mica Induced by Adsolubilized Aromatic MoleculesL". Kovács and G.G. Warr, Langmuir 2002, 18, 47904794
  4. "Adsorbed Layer Structure of Cationic and Anionic Surfactants on Mineral Oxide Surfaces". J.C. Schulz and G.G. Warr, Langmuir 2002, 18, 3191-3197
  5. "Grafting of Diblock Copolymers onto Adsorbed Surfactant Films". C. Robelin, F.P Duval, P. Richetti, G.G. Warr, Langmuir 2002, 18, 1634-1640.
  6. "Self-Assembly of Hydrocarbon and Fluorocarbon Surfactants and their Mixtures at the Mica/Solution Interface". T.W. Davey, G.G. Warr, M. Almgren, T. Asakawa, Langmuir 2001, 17, 5283-5287
  7. "Adsorbed Layer Structure of Cationic Surfactants on Quartz". J.C. Schulz, G.G. Warr, P.D. Butler, W.A. Hamilton, Phys. Rev. E. 2001, 63, 041604.
  8. "A New Model For Neutron Reflectometry of Adsorbed Surfactant Aggregates". J.C. Schulz, G.G. Warr, W.A. Hamilton, P.D. Butler, J. Phys. Chem. B. 1999, 103, 11057-63.
  9. "Surface Micellization Patterns of Quaternary Ammonium Surfactants On Mica", H.N. Patrick, G.G. Warr, S. Manne, I.A. Aksay, Langmuir, 1999, 15, 1685-1692.

Back to Seminar Home Page



Last modified 29-December-2004 by website owner: NCNR (attn: )