Small Grants for Exploratory Research (SGER): Molecular Structure of Thin Films of Surfactant Solutions on Solid ,

表面活性剂溶液薄膜中的分子有序性 固体表面将不同于本体溶液中的表面。 的 该排序的独特特征可以包括自组装 结合界面上单层的诱导，新的 薄膜中的液晶有序性， 膜内的大分子组装体如胶束。 这种结构将影响到的稳定性和动态 这些薄膜将控制散装物料的润湿和铺展 液体附着在上面 虽然A的主题 早期调查的数量，问题仍然开放 关于表面活性剂分子在薄膜中的排列 固体表面上的薄膜。 直接测量这种分子 排序将澄清这些悬而未决的问题中的一些， 提供了对界面影响的新理解， 自我组装，并影响了一些技术， 包括界面性质和表面活性剂的铺展 解决方案 X射线和中子反射测量法 不断发展的技术可以探测分子排列 在这样的电影中。 使用这些技术， 薄膜界面上的分子单层 表面活性剂分子的有序性 在电影中被探索。

The molecular order in thin films of surfactant solutions on solid surfaces will differ from that in bulk solutions. The unique features of the ordering may include the self-assembly of monolayers on the bounding interfaces, the induction of new liquid crystalline order in the film, and the ordering of macromolecular assemblies such as micelles within the film. Such structures will affect the stability and dynamics of these films and will control the wetting and spreading of bulk fluid bodies attached to them. Although the subject of a number of earlier investigations, questions remain open concerning the arrangement of surfactant molecules in thin films on solid surfaces. Direct measurement of this molecular ordering will clarify some of these outstanding issues, providing new understanding of the influence of interfaces on self-assembly and impacting on a number of technologies which involves interfacial properties and spreading of surfactant solutions. X-ray and neutron reflectometry are rapidly evolving techniques which can probe the molecular arrangements in such films. Using these techniques, the nature of the molecular monolayers on the bounding interfaces of thin films on solid surfaces and the ordering of the surfactant molecules within the films is explored.