Engineering fluid-fluid interfaces through processing and multicomponent adsorption
Systems involving deformable interfaces between immiscible fluids offer a significant challenge for materials design and processing. Static interfacial/surface tension is often the only parameter considered in the design of systems with fluid-fluid interfaces. In foams, emulsions, blends, sprays, droplet-based microfluidic devices and many other applications, the dynamic nature of surface active species and deformation of interfaces requires a more detailed characterization of the interfacial transport, dynamic interfacial properties and interfacial structure. Macroscopic properties and the ability to tune and control phenomena requires an improved understanding of the time-dependent properties of the interfacial tension and interfacial mechanics. We have developed tools and approaches to quantify the impact of surface active species on interfacial behavior. Surfactant-nanoparticle complexes, polymer-surfactant aggregates and proteins show the potential of interfacial processing in controlling interfacial properties. The use of sequential adsorption, differences in transport timescales and variability in reversibility of different species allows interfaces to be engineered. This talk will provide the motivation to use microscale interfaces for efficient analysis of complex interfacial phenomena and how that relates to the material properties of interface-dominated materials.