Interfacial Phenomena
The chemical, physical and biological properties of an interface often differ significantly from that of the bulk due to surface energetic and entropic effects. The composition and conformation of molecules at an interface are responsible for a wide range of phenomena observed in materials science and biology. Solid-liquid interfaces for example, are crucial in lubrication, biocompatibility, drug delivery and corrosion. Liquid-liquid and liquid-gas interfaces are important in lipid membrane fusion, water pollution and acid rain. Several faculty members in the department are using a combination of theoretical, spectroscopic and microscopic techniques including ellipsometry, force microscopy, electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to elucidate the structure of interfaces of solids and liquids with molecular scale resolution. Of specific interest to us is surface modification for enhanced physical properties, pattern formation at solid and liquid interfaces and interfacing biological media.
Representative Images
Participating Faculty
Michael Bevan
Marc Donohue
German Drazer
Joelle Frechette
David Gracias
Jeffrey Gray
Justin Hanes
Joseph Katz
Kathleen Stebe
Denis Wirtz
Representative Publications
- “The Detachment of a Viscous Drop in a Viscous Solution in the Presence of a Soluble Surfactant”, Jin, F., Gupta, N. and Stebe, K.J., Physics of Fluids, 18 (2): 22103-22103 (2006).
- “Electrocapillary at Contact: Potential-Dependent Adhesion between a Gold Electrode and a Mica Surface”, J. Frechette and T.K. Vanderlick, Langmuir 21, 985-991 (2005).
- "Fluid Enhancement of Particle Transport in Nanochannels", Z. Li, G. Drazer, Physics of Fluids 18, 117102 (2006).
- “A Nanocylinder at a Fluid Interface”, Eric Lewandowski, Kathleen Stebe, Peter C. Searson, Journal of Physical Chemistry. B, 110, 4283-4290 (2006).
- "Probing Organic Field Effect Transistors In-Situ During Operation Using SFG", H. Ye, A. Abu-Akeel, J.Huang, H. E. Katz and D. H. Gracias, Journal of the American Chemical Society. 128(20) 6528-6529 (2006).
- "Structure Prediction of Protein-solid Surface Interactions Reveals a Molecular Recognition Motif of Statherin for Hydroxyapatite". K. Makrodimitris, D. L. Masica, E. T. Kim & J. J. Gray. Journal of the American Chemical Society (2007, ASAP).
- "Wetting of a Particle in a thin Film", J. Fiegel, F. Jin, K. Stebe and J. Hanes. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 291(2):507-14 (2005).
