CAREER: Heterogeneous and Competitive Self-assembly at Liquid-Liquid Interfaces

CAREER：Heterogeneous and Competitive Self-assembly at Liquid-Liquid InterfacesLenore L.科学意义：微纳米物体在液-液界面的自组装在各种自然和工业应用中具有巨大的意义。该项目的重点是整合研究和教育集中在异质和竞争性自组装在液-液界面。首先，PI将使用Pickering乳液作为实验模板研究异质胶体晶格的自组装。二维胶体晶格将包含不同润湿性、尺寸和电荷的胶体颗粒。第二，PI将扩展Pickering乳液的概念，并使用固体颗粒来稳定双重乳液（单种固体颗粒在异质界面处的自组装）。他们将研究颗粒尺寸、类型、浓度、离子强度和油/水比对固体颗粒稳定的双重乳液的结构和稳定性的影响。最后，他们将使用分子动力学模拟研究纳米粒子和表面活性剂在液-液界面的异质或竞争性自组装。他们将模拟不同浓度的纳米粒子和表面活性剂在水-三氯乙烯界面以及其他对液-液界面。这一研究成果具有重要的理论意义和现实意义。液-液界面上的非均相和竞争性自组装在各种自然和工业过程中是重要的。这种异质胶体晶格有望为新型材料的功能化开辟新的途径，并为凝聚态物理研究提供异质二维实验模型。Pickering乳液概念扩展到双重乳液是颗粒的另一种创新用途，预计将克服双重乳液目前的主要限制，这些限制阻碍了它们在实际和商业应用中的表现。纳米粒子和表面活性剂的非均相或竞争性自组装的分子动力学模拟将提供原位和分子信息，并更好地了解许多工业过程中存在的现象，如石油回收，多层涂层和乳液技术。更广泛的影响：研究和教育之间的整合将被执行，以实现NSF的两个战略成果的目标：人与思想。随着对教育的坚定承诺，PI将在现有课程中建立与研究相关的开放式项目，促进本科生和研究生的研究，建立一个新的暑期项目，以扩大代表性不足的群体的参与，参加教师培训学院，并促进技术转让。在液-液界面上的非均相和竞争自组装是重要的，并且具有广泛的实际应用。最后，但并非最不重要的是，该项目还提供了一个独特的机会，以满足国家对尖端研究领域的需求，并有可能在21世纪世纪大幅扩张。

CAREER: Heterogeneous and Competitive Self-assembly at Liquid-Liquid InterfacesLenore L. Dai, Texas Tech UniversityScientific Significance: Self-assembly of micro- or nano- objects at liquid-liquid interfaces is of tremendous interests in various natural and industrial applications. This project focuses on integrating research and education centering on heterogeneous and competitive self-assembly at liquid-liquid interfaces. First, the PI will investigate the self-assembly of heterogeneous colloidal lattices using Pickering emulsions as an experimental template. The two-dimensional colloidal lattices will contain colloidal particles of different wettability, size, and charge. Second, the PI will expand the concept of Pickering emulsions and use solid particles to stabilize double emulsions (self-assembly of single species solid particles at heterogeneous interfaces). They will investigate the influences of particle size, type, concentration, ionic strength, and oil/water ratio on the structure and stability of double emulsions stabilized by solid particles. Finally, they will study the heterogeneous or competitive self-assembly of nanoparticles and surfactants at liquid-liquid interfaces using a molecular dynamics simulation. They will simulate different concentrations of nanoparticles and surfactants at water-trichloroethylene interfaces as well as other pairs of liquid-liquid interfaces. This state-of-the-art research is of both fundamental and practical significance. Heterogeneous and competitive self-assembly at liquid-liquid interfaces is important in various natural and industrial processes. The proposed heterogeneous colloidal lattices are anticipated to open new ways to functionalize novel materials and to provide heterogeneous 2-D experimental model for condensed matter physics study. The expansion of Pickering emulsion concept to double emulsions is another innovative usage for particles and is anticipated to overcome the current major limitation of double emulsions that inhibited them from featuring in practical and commercial applications. The molecular dynamics simulations of heterogeneous or competitive self-assembly of nanoparticles and surfactants will provide in-situ and molecular information and a better fundamental understanding of the phenomenon that exists in many industrial processes such as oil recovery, multi-layer coatings, and emulsion technology.Broader Impacts: The integration between research and education will be performed to meet the NSF's goals for two strategic outcomes: People and Ideas. With a strong commitment to education, the PI will establish research-related open-ended projects in the existing courses, promote undergraduate and graduate research, establish a new summer program to broaden the participation of under-represented groups, participate in the Teacher Training Institute, and promote technology transfer. Heterogeneous and competitive self-assembly at liquid-liquid interfaces are important and have widespread practical applications. Last, but not least, this project also provides a unique opportunity to meet the nation's need for a cutting-edge research area with the potential of significant expansion in the 21st century.