Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Vibrational Sum Frequency Spectroscopy Of Surfactants And Phospholipids Monolayers At Liquid-Liquid Interfaces, B. L. Smiley, R. A. Walker, D. E. Gragson, T. E. Hannon, G. L. Richmond

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Work from our laboratory on vibrational sum frequency spectroscopic investigations of molecular ordering at the carbon tetrachloride-water interface is reviewed. Simple charged surfactants adsorbed at the liquid-liquid interface are seen to induce alignment of interfacial water molecules to a degree which is dependent on the induced surface potential. Saturation of water molecule alignment occurs at a surfactant surface concentration corresponding to a calculated surface potential of approximately 160 mV. In complementary studies, the relative degree of hydrocarbon chain ordering within monolayers of symmetric phosphatidylcholines of different chain lengths is inferred by the relative signal contributions of the methyl and methylene …