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Investigating water/oil interfaces with opto-thermophoresis

Author

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  • Youngsun Kim

    (The University of Texas at Austin)

  • Hongru Ding

    (The University of Texas at Austin)

  • Yuebing Zheng

    (The University of Texas at Austin
    The University of Texas at Austin)

Abstract

Charging of interfaces between water and hydrophobic media is a mysterious feature whose nature and origin have been under debate. Here, we investigate the fundamentals of the interfacial behaviors of water by employing opto-thermophoretic tweezers to study temperature-gradient-induced perturbation of dipole arrangement at water/oil interfaces. With surfactant-free perfluoropentane-in-water emulsions as a model interface, additional polar organic solvents are introduced to systematically modify the structural aspects of the interface. Through our experimental measurements on the thermophoretic behaviors of oil droplets under a light-generated temperature gradient, in combination with theoretical analysis, we propose that water molecules and mobile negative charges are present at the water/oil interfaces with specific dipole arrangement to hydrate oil droplets, and that this arrangement is highly susceptible to the thermal perturbation due to the mobility of the negative charges. These findings suggest a potential of opto-thermophoresis in probing aqueous interfaces and could enrich understanding of the interfacial behaviors of water.

Suggested Citation

  • Youngsun Kim & Hongru Ding & Yuebing Zheng, 2022. "Investigating water/oil interfaces with opto-thermophoresis," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-31546-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31546-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Wenqian Feng & Yu Chai & Joe Forth & Paul D. Ashby & Thomas P. Russell & Brett A. Helms, 2019. "Harnessing liquid-in-liquid printing and micropatterned substrates to fabricate 3-dimensional all-liquid fluidic devices," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-9, December.
    3. Jong Kyun Moon & Jaeki Jeong & Dongyun Lee & Hyuk Kyu Pak, 2013. "Electrical power generation by mechanically modulating electrical double layers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 4(1), pages 1-6, June.
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