How accurate is Poisson-Boltzmann theory for monovalent ions near highly charged interfaces?

Surface sensitive synchrotron X-ray scattering studies were performed to obtain the distribution of monovalent ions next to a highly charged interface. A lipid phosphate (dihexadecyl hydrogen-phosphate) was spread as a monolayer at the air-water interface to control surface charge density. Using anomalous reflectivity off and at the L3 Cs+ resonance, we provide spatial counterion (Cs+) distributions next to the negatively charged interfaces. Five decades in bulk concentrations are investigated, demonstrating that the interfacial distribution is strongly dependent on bulk concentration. We show that this is due to the strong binding constant of hydronium H3O+ to the phosphate group, leading to proton-transfer back to the phosphate group and to a reduced surface charge. The increase of Cs+ concentration modifies the contact value potential, thereby causing proton release. This process effectively modifies surface charge density and enables exploration of ion distributions as a function of effective surface charge-density. The experimentally obtained ion distributions are compared to distributions calculated by Poisson-Boltzmann theory accounting for the variation of surface charge density due to proton release and binding. We also discuss the accuracy of our experimental results in discriminating possible deviations from Poisson-Boltzmann theory.