Cells organize many of their biochemical reactions in non-membrane compartments. Recent evidence has shown that many of these compartments are liquids that form by phase separation from the cytoplasm. Here we discuss the basic physical concepts necessary to understand the consequences of liquid-like states for biological functions.

https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev-cellbio-100913-013325

Liquid-liquid phase separation in biology.

1: Magnetic Particles: Preparation, Properties and Applications: M. Ozaki. 2: Maghemite (gamma-Fe2O3): A Versatile Magnetic Colloidal Material C.J. Serna, M.P. Morales. 3: Dynamics of Adsorption and Oxidation of Organic Molecules on Illuminated Titanium Dioxide Particles Immersed in Water M.A. Blesa, R.J. Candal, S.A. Bilmes. 4: Colloidal Aggregation in Two-Dimensions A. Moncho-Jorda, F. Martinez-Lopez, M.A. Cabrerizo-Vilchez, R. Hidalgo Alvarez, M. Quesada-PMerez. 5: Kinetics of Particle and Protein Adsorption Z. Adamczyk.

Surface and Colloid Science

where A represents the magnetic vector potential, is an integral of the hydromagnetic equations. This -integral made it possible to formulate a variational principle for the force-free magnetic fields. The integral expresses the fact that motions cannot transform a given field in an entirely arbitrary different field, if the conductivity of the medium isconsidered infinite. In this paper we shall show that the full set of hydromagnetic equations admit five more integrals, besides the energy integral, if dissipative processes are absent. These integrals, as we shall presently verify, are I2 =fbHvdV, (2)

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

A theoretical perspective is provided on the glass transition in molecular liquids at thermal equilibrium, on the spatially heterogeneous and aging dynamics of disordered materials, and on the rheology of soft glassy materials. We start with a broad introduction to the field and emphasize its connections with other subjects and its relevance. The important role played by computer simulations in studying and understanding the dynamics of systems close to the glass transition at the molecular level is given. The recent progress on the subject of the spatially heterogeneous dynamics that characterizes structural relaxation in materials with slow dynamics is reviewed. The main theoretical approaches are presented describing the glass transition in supercooled liquids, focusing on theories that have a microscopic, statistical mechanics basis. We describe both successes and failures and critically assess the current status of each of these approaches. The physics of aging dynamics in disordered materials and the rheology of soft glassy materials are then discussed, and recent theoretical progress is described. For each section, an extensive overview is given of the most recent advances, but we also describe in some detail the important open problems that will occupy a central place in this field in the coming years.

Theoretical perspective on the glass transition and amorphous materials

Hydrocolloids at interfaces and the influence on the properties of dispersed systems

The aim of this paper is to present a short overview of the main mechanisms operative in the formation and stabilization of emulsions by solid particles and, on this basis, to make comparisons between solid particles, surfactants and globular proteins as emulsifiers. When available, simple quantitative relations are presented, with the respective numerical estimates and discussion of the applicability of these relations to particle-stabilized systems. Non-obvious similarities between the different types of emulsifiers are outlined in several cases in which the description of the system can be performed at a phenomenological level. Examples are presented for the process of emulsification, where we show that several simple theoretical expressions, derived originally in the studies of surfactants and protein emulsifiers, can be successfully applied to particle-stabilized emulsions. In contrast, for the phenomena in which the detailed mechanisms of particle adsorption and film stabilization are important, the differences between the various emulsifiers prevail, thus making it impossible to use the same theoretical description. The most important specific characteristics of the solid particles which strongly affect their behavior are the high barrier to particle adsorption, high desorption energy and strong capillary forces between particles trapped in liquid films, which all originate in the relatively large particle size (as compared to the size of surfactant and protein molecules). The capillary mechanism of stabilization of liquid films by solid particles is reviewed in some detail, to emphasize its specific features and to demonstrate the applicability of several simple expressions for approximate estimates. Interestingly, we found that the hypothesis for some exceptionally high coalescence stability of the particle-stabilized emulsions is not supported by the experimental data available in literature. On the other hand, the particles are able to completely arrest the process of Ostwald ripening in foams and emulsions, and this effect can be easily explained with the high desorption energy of the particles and the resulting capillary effects.

Comparison of solid particles, globular proteins and surfactants as emulsifiers

The flexural properties of a particle adsorption monolayer are investigated theoretically. If the particles are not densely packed, the interfacial bending moment and the spontaneous curvature (due to the particles) are equal to zero. The situation changes if the particles are closely packed. Then the particle adsorption monolayer possesses a significant bending moment, and the interfacial energies of bending and dilatation become comparable. In this case, the bending energy can either stabilize or destabilize the Pickering emulsion, depending on whether the particle contact angle is smaller or greater than 90 degrees . Theoretical expressions are derived for the bending moment, for the curvature elastic modulus, and for the work of interfacial deformation and emulsification. The latter is dominated by the work for creation of a new oil-water interface and by the work for particle adsorption. The curvature effects give a contribution of second order, which is significant only for emulsification at 50:50 water/oil volume fractions. A thermodynamic criterion for the type of the formed emulsion is proposed. It predicts the existence of a catastrophic phase inversion in particle-stabilized emulsions, in agreement with the experimental observations. The derived theoretical expressions could find application for interpretation of experimental data on production and stability of Pickering emulsions.

On the thermodynamics of particle-stabilized emulsions: curvature effects and catastrophic phase inversion.

This paper is an overview of our recent understanding of the effects of surfactant type and bubble surface mobility on foam rheological properties. The focus is on the viscous friction between bubbles in steadily sheared foams, as well as between bubbles and confining solid wall. Large set of experimental results is reviewed to demonstrate that two qualitatively different classes of surfactants can be clearly distinguished. The first class is represented by the typical synthetic surfactants (such as sodium dodecylsulfate) which are characterised with low surface modulus and fast relaxation of the surface tension after a rapid change of surface area. In contrast, the second class of surfactants exhibits high surface modulus and relatively slow relaxation of the surface tension. Typical examples for this class are the sodium and potassium salts of fatty acids (alkylcarboxylic acids), such as lauric and myristic acids. With respect to foam rheology, the second class of surfactants leads to significantly higher viscous stress and to different scaling laws of the shear stress vs. shear rate in flowing foams. The reasons for these differences are discussed from the viewpoint of the mechanisms of viscous dissipation of energy in sheared foams and the respective theoretical models. The process of bubble breakup in sheared foams (determining the final bubble-size distribution after foam shearing) is also discussed, because the experimental results and their analysis show that this phenomenon is controlled by foam rheological properties.

/pdf/the-role-of-surfactant-type-and-bubble-surface-mobility-in-ldjcteycqr.pdf

The role of surfactant type and bubble surface mobility in foam rheology

/pdf/wall-slip-and-viscous-dissipation-in-sheared-foams-effect-of-3lyno5tbl8.pdf

Wall slip and viscous dissipation in sheared foams: Effect of surface mobility

Static and dynamic light scattering experiments show that the mixed micelles of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and cocoamidopropyl betaine (CAPB) undergo a sphere-to-rod transition at unexpectedly low total surfactant concentrations, about 10 mM. The lowest transition concentration is observed at molar fraction 0.8 of CAPB in the surfactant mixture. The transition brings about a sharp increase in the viscosity of the respective surfactant solutions due to the growth of rodlike micelles. Parallel experiments with mixed solutions of CAPB and sodium laureth sulfate (sodium dodecyl-trioxyethylene sulfate, SDP3S) showed that the sphere-to-rod transition in SDP3S/CAPB mixtures occurs at higher surfactant concentrations, above 40 mM. The observed difference in the transition concentrations for SDS and SDP3S can be explained by the bulkier SDP3S headgroup. The latter should lead to larger mean area per molecule in the micelles containing SDP3S and, hence, to smaller spontaneous radius of curvature of the micelles (i.e., less favored transition from spherical to rodlike micelles). The static light scattering data are used to determine the mean aggregation number and the effective size of the spherical mixed SDS/CAPB micelles. From the dependence of the aggregation number on the surfactant concentration, the mean energy for transfer of a surfactant molecule from a spherical into a rodlike micelle is estimated.

/pdf/synergistic-sphere-to-rod-micelle-transition-in-mixed-c30i270bd1.pdf

Alex Lips

Papers

Comparison of solid particles, globular proteins and surfactants as emulsifiers

On the thermodynamics of particle-stabilized emulsions: curvature effects and catastrophic phase inversion.

The role of surfactant type and bubble surface mobility in foam rheology

Wall slip and viscous dissipation in sheared foams: Effect of surface mobility

Synergistic sphere-to-rod micelle transition in mixed solutions of sodium dodecyl sulfate and cocoamidopropyl betaine.