Bulk interactions of surfactant molecules in aqueous particle suspensions

Surfactants represent an important class of compounds owing to their ability to readily locate at interfaces, be it air–liquid, liquid–liquid or solid–liquid. As such, surfactants are commonly employed as stabilisers in emulsions and foams as well as dispersing aids for solid particles. Understanding their interactions with such materials is therefore crucial for efficient use of these molecules. This work will utilise small-angle neutron scattering to understand surfactant interactions and adsorption on colloidal particles in bulk water. The results obtained from these experiments will subsequently form a roadmap for optimising particle–surfactant mixtures for uniform thin film drying.

表面活性剂（surfactants）是一类至关重要的化合物，因其可轻易吸附于气-液、液-液或固-液界面。正因如此，表面活性剂常被用作乳液与泡沫的稳定剂，同时也是固体颗粒的分散助剂。因此，明晰表面活性剂与这类材料的相互作用，对高效利用这类分子而言至关重要。本研究将采用小角中子散射技术，探究本体水环境中表面活性剂与胶体颗粒的相互作用及吸附行为。后续将基于本实验所得结果，制定优化颗粒-表面活性剂混合体系以实现均匀薄膜干燥工艺的路线图。