Adsorption Free Energy of Cellulose Nanocrystal on Water–Oil Interface

To investigate the amphiphilicity of cellulose, a series of molecular dynamics simulations were performed with a cellulose nanocrystal and a water–octane interfacial system. Assuming that the axis of cellulose is parallel to the water–octane interface, the freedoms of motion of the nanocrystal were...

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Main Authors: Kenya Ito, Mitsuhiro Matsumoto
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-04-01
Series:Nanomaterials
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/12/8/1321
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author Kenya Ito
Mitsuhiro Matsumoto
author_facet Kenya Ito
Mitsuhiro Matsumoto
author_sort Kenya Ito
collection DOAJ
description To investigate the amphiphilicity of cellulose, a series of molecular dynamics simulations were performed with a cellulose nanocrystal and a water–octane interfacial system. Assuming that the axis of cellulose is parallel to the water–octane interface, the freedoms of motion of the nanocrystal were restricted to two, the distance from the interface and the orientation around the axis. The mean force and the mean torque on the nanocrystal were evaluated with sufficiently long simulation at each crystal configuration, and their numerical integration gave a smooth free energy surface as the potential of mean force. The cellulose sample used here was found to be much more hydrophilic than oleophilic with the free energy difference <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mo>Δ</mo><msub><mi>F</mi><mrow><mi mathvariant="normal">w</mi><mo>→</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">o</mi></mrow></msub><mo>=</mo><mn>318</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> kcal/mol. Three adsorption states with local minimum of adsorption free energy are distinguished in the free energy surface—the direct contact type which is similar to previously reported one, the hydrophilic-surface/water/octane type where a thin water layer is sandwiched between the surface and the octane phase, and the oleophilic/water/octane type where a thin water layer also exists. Water molecules in these water layers contribute to stabilize the adsorption states by taking a special orientational order and slow self-diffusion.
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spelling doaj.art-4f720dd706f14e8d9da38483bcd777b82023-12-01T21:16:52ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912022-04-01128132110.3390/nano12081321Adsorption Free Energy of Cellulose Nanocrystal on Water–Oil InterfaceKenya Ito0Mitsuhiro Matsumoto1Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto 615-8540, JapanGraduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto 615-8540, JapanTo investigate the amphiphilicity of cellulose, a series of molecular dynamics simulations were performed with a cellulose nanocrystal and a water–octane interfacial system. Assuming that the axis of cellulose is parallel to the water–octane interface, the freedoms of motion of the nanocrystal were restricted to two, the distance from the interface and the orientation around the axis. The mean force and the mean torque on the nanocrystal were evaluated with sufficiently long simulation at each crystal configuration, and their numerical integration gave a smooth free energy surface as the potential of mean force. The cellulose sample used here was found to be much more hydrophilic than oleophilic with the free energy difference <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mo>Δ</mo><msub><mi>F</mi><mrow><mi mathvariant="normal">w</mi><mo>→</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">o</mi></mrow></msub><mo>=</mo><mn>318</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> kcal/mol. Three adsorption states with local minimum of adsorption free energy are distinguished in the free energy surface—the direct contact type which is similar to previously reported one, the hydrophilic-surface/water/octane type where a thin water layer is sandwiched between the surface and the octane phase, and the oleophilic/water/octane type where a thin water layer also exists. Water molecules in these water layers contribute to stabilize the adsorption states by taking a special orientational order and slow self-diffusion.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/12/8/1321cellulose nanocrystalamphiphilicityadsorption free energypotential of mean forceconfined liquidmolecular dynamics simulation
spellingShingle Kenya Ito
Mitsuhiro Matsumoto
Adsorption Free Energy of Cellulose Nanocrystal on Water–Oil Interface
Nanomaterials
cellulose nanocrystal
amphiphilicity
adsorption free energy
potential of mean force
confined liquid
molecular dynamics simulation
title Adsorption Free Energy of Cellulose Nanocrystal on Water–Oil Interface
title_full Adsorption Free Energy of Cellulose Nanocrystal on Water–Oil Interface
title_fullStr Adsorption Free Energy of Cellulose Nanocrystal on Water–Oil Interface
title_full_unstemmed Adsorption Free Energy of Cellulose Nanocrystal on Water–Oil Interface
title_short Adsorption Free Energy of Cellulose Nanocrystal on Water–Oil Interface
title_sort adsorption free energy of cellulose nanocrystal on water oil interface
topic cellulose nanocrystal
amphiphilicity
adsorption free energy
potential of mean force
confined liquid
molecular dynamics simulation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/12/8/1321
work_keys_str_mv AT kenyaito adsorptionfreeenergyofcellulosenanocrystalonwateroilinterface
AT mitsuhiromatsumoto adsorptionfreeenergyofcellulosenanocrystalonwateroilinterface