Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 14, 2026
08:51
Monitoring Protein Adsorption with Solid-state Nanopores
Published on: December 2, 2011
13.6K
Adsorption Dynamics of Surface-Modified Silica Nanoparticles at Solid-Liquid Interfaces
Mohammad Ali Khazaei1, Dariush Bastani1, Aliasghar Mohammadi1
1Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran11365-11155, Iran.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|September 30, 2022
Summary
Surface chemistry of silica nanoparticles dictates adsorption at interfaces. Mixed hydrophobic-hydrophilic nanoparticles show significant adsorption, governed by diffusion and mass action kinetics.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Surface Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Understanding nanoparticle adsorption at solid-liquid interfaces is crucial for designing advanced materials.
- Nanoparticle surface chemistry significantly influences adsorption behavior and interfacial properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the adsorption dynamics of surface-modified silica nanoparticles at an aqueous solution-silica interface.
- To determine the role of hydrophobic and hydrophilic surface modifications on nanoparticle adsorption.
- To elucidate the kinetic mechanisms governing nanoparticle adsorption.
Main Methods:
- Experimental adsorption studies using 12 nm silica nanoparticles grafted with hydrophobic (propyl) and hydrophilic (polyethylene glycol) agents onto 3 mm glass beads.
- Kinetic modeling using various models, including mixed diffusion-kinetics and adsorption diffusion models.
- Molecular dynamics simulations to evaluate interaction energies between nanoparticles and a mineral silica surface.
Main Results:
- Solely hydrophobic or hydrophilic nanoparticles exhibited negligible adsorption.
- Nanoparticles with a combination of hydrophobic and hydrophilic surface modifications showed considerable adsorption.
- Mixed diffusion-kinetics models provided a better prediction of adsorption dynamics compared to adsorption diffusion models.
- Molecular dynamics simulations indicated more favorable interaction energies for mixed hydrophobic-hydrophilic nanoparticles.
Conclusions:
- The adsorption of surface-modified silica nanoparticles is significantly enhanced by combining hydrophobic and hydrophilic functionalities.
- Adsorption dynamics are controlled by a combination of liquid film diffusion, intra-particle diffusion, and mass action.
- Surface-modified nanoparticles with dual functionalities offer promising applications in interfacial engineering.
Related Concept Videos
01:13Contact Angle
When a solid is dipped inside a liquid, the liquid surface becomes curved near the contact. For some solid–liquid interfaces, the liquid is pulled up along the solid, while for others, the liquid surface is convex or depressed near the solid surface. This phenomenon can be explained using the concept of cohesive and adhesive forces.
The adhesive force is the molecular force between molecules of different materials, that is, between the molecules of the solid and the liquid. The cohesive force...
The adhesive force is the molecular force between molecules of different materials, that is, between the molecules of the solid and the liquid. The cohesive force...
01:28Adsorption of Gases on Solids
Adsorption is a process where molecules, known as the adsorbates, accumulate on a surface, which is referred to as the adsorbent or substrate. Occurring at the solid-gas interface, this phenomenon is crucial in various scientific and industrial contexts. The reverse of adsorption is desorption.Two types of adsorptions exist: physical (physisorption) and chemical (chemisorption). Physisorption involves gas molecules held to the solid's surface by relatively weak intermolecular van der Waals...
01:29Adsorption Isotherms I
Adsorption isotherms are mathematical models that describe how molecules in a gas or liquid phase interact with surfaces. Two of the most common isotherm models are the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, which relate to Type I monolayer chemisorption. The Langmuir model is based on four key assumptions:• Adsorption cannot exceed monolayer coverage.• All surface sites are equivalent.• Molecules adsorb only at vacant sites.• There are no interactions between adsorbed molecules.Consider the...