Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 29, 2025
09:42
Unraveling Entropic Rate Acceleration Induced by Solvent Dynamics in Membrane Enzymes
Published on: January 16, 2016
9.1K
Tracking Molecular Transport Across Oil/Aqueous Interfaces: Insight into "Antagonistic" Binding in Solvent
Uvinduni I Premadasa1, Vera Bocharova1, Lu Lin1
1Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B
|May 22, 2023
Summary
Dynamic restructuring at liquid/liquid interfaces was observed, driven by ligand transport into the aqueous phase. This finding offers new insights into controlling kinetic separations in solvent extraction.
Area of Science:
- Physical Chemistry
- Chemical Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Liquid/liquid (L/L) interfaces are crucial in chemical phenomena, but their structure and dynamics are poorly understood.
- Time-evolving interfacial structures and transient assemblies control function in complex chemical systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the transport of specific ligands (dioctyl phosphoric acid and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid) at buried oil/aqueous interfaces.
- To understand dynamic interfacial restructuring and its impact on chemical transport away from equilibrium.
Main Methods:
- Surface-specific vibrational sum frequency generation spectroscopy.
- Neutron and X-ray scattering techniques.
- Analysis of ligand transport at oil/aqueous interfaces under non-equilibrium conditions.
Main Results:
- Observed dynamic interfacial restructuring at low ligand concentrations, contrary to expectations.
- Identified ligand transport into the aqueous phase as the cause of time-varying interfaces.
- Provided evidence for an "antagonistic" role of aqueous phase ligand complexation.
Conclusions:
- Interfacial structure at L/L interfaces is chemically, structurally, and temporally variable in a concentration-dependent manner.
- Aqueous phase complexation can act as a holdback mechanism in kinetic liquid extractions.
- Findings offer new avenues for designing selective kinetic separations.
Related Concept Videos
03:00Solubility
17.6K
Solution, Solubility, and Solubility Equilibrium
A solution is a homogeneous mixture composed of a solvent, the major component, and a solute, the minor component. The physical state of a solution—solid, liquid, or gas—is typically the same as that of the solvent. Solute concentrations are often described with qualitative terms such as dilute (of relatively low concentration) and concentrated (of relatively high concentration).
In a solution, the solute particles (molecules,...
A solution is a homogeneous mixture composed of a solvent, the major component, and a solute, the minor component. The physical state of a solution—solid, liquid, or gas—is typically the same as that of the solvent. Solute concentrations are often described with qualitative terms such as dilute (of relatively low concentration) and concentrated (of relatively high concentration).
In a solution, the solute particles (molecules,...
17.6K
02:05Entropy and Solvation
7.1K
The process of surrounding a solute with solvent is called solvation. It involves evenly distributing the solute within the solvent. The rule of thumb for determining a solvent for a given compound is that like dissolves like. A good solvent has molecular characteristics similar to those of the compound to be dissolved. For example, polar solutions dissolve polar solutes, and apolar solvents dissolve apolar solutes. A polar solvent is a solvent that has a high dielectric constant (ϵ...
7.1K
02:56Intermolecular Forces and Physical Properties
21.0K
21.0K
00:56Extraction: Advanced Methods
497
Metal ions can be separated from one another by complexation with organic ligands–the chelating agent– to form uncharged chelates. Here, the chelating agent must contain hydrophobic groups and behave as a weak acid, losing a proton to bind with the metal. Since most organic ligands used in this process are insoluble or undergo oxidation in the aqueous phase, the chelating agent is initially added to the organic phase and extracted into the aqueous phase. The metal-ligand complex is...
497
01:17Pore Transport and Ion-Pair Transport
529
Pore transport and ion-pair formation are critical mechanisms for the absorption and distribution of drugs in the body.
Pore transport, also known as convective transport, is a process where small molecules like urea, water, and sugars rapidly cross cell membranes as though there were channels or pores in the membrane. Although direct microscopic evidence is limited but the concept of pores or channels is widely accepted based on physiological evidence. Despite the lack of direct...
Pore transport, also known as convective transport, is a process where small molecules like urea, water, and sugars rapidly cross cell membranes as though there were channels or pores in the membrane. Although direct microscopic evidence is limited but the concept of pores or channels is widely accepted based on physiological evidence. Despite the lack of direct...
529
03:37Molecular Shape and Polarity
60.7K
Dipole Moment of a Molecule
60.7K