Crystal nucleation and interfacial assembly
One continuing area of interest in our group is the control of crystal nucleation at immiscible liquid–liquid interfaces. This problem is central to many living systems and underpins processes in industries such as pharmaceuticals, pigments, cosmetics, foods, and nanotechnology. We are particularly interested in how interfacial amphiphiles and surfactant structure influence nucleation pathways and crystal habit at soft aqueous–organic interfaces.
Student researchers in our group investigate how tailored surfactant monolayers direct crystal nucleation and growth at isolated liquid–liquid interfaces, using individual aqueous microdroplets of model inorganic salts suspended in immiscible, surfactant-containing liquids as well-defined crystallization chambers. This work complements our membrane biophysical chemistry research by extending our focus on molecular organization and dynamics at soft interfaces to crystalline and materials-relevant systems.
Selected publications. For more details, please see our publications. (undergraduate co-authors are underlined)
O. Tisor,
M. Muzzio,
D. Lopez, S.Lee, “Adaptability of monoglyceride-induced crystallization of K2SO4: Effect of various anions and lipid chain splay”,
Langmuir, 31 (7), 2112-2119, 2015.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/la5049419
Z. Michalak,
D. Fartash,
N. Haque, and S.Lee, “Tunable Crystallization via Osmosis-Driven Transport Across a Droplet Interface Bilayer”,
CrystEngComm., 14, 7865-7868, 2012.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C2CE26249E
P. Sanstead,
N. Florio,
K. Giusto,
C.Morris, and S.Lee, “Sensitivity of Cationic Surfactant Templates to Specific Anions in Liquid Interface Crystallization”, J. Colloid Interf Sci., 376,152-159, 2012.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2012.02.067
Loreta Geneviciute,
Nick Florio, and S.Lee, “Towards Polymorph Control in an Inorganic Crystal System By Templated Nucleation at a Microdroplet Liquid Interface: Potassium Hexacyanoferrate(II) Trihydrate”,
Crystal Growth & Design, 11 (10), 4440-4448, 2011.
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/cg200628a
S. Lee,
P. Sanstead,
J. Wiener,
R. Bebawee
and
A. Hilario, “Effect of Specific Anion on Templated Crystal Nucleation at the Liquid-Liquid Interface”,
Langmuir, 26 (12), 9556-9564, 2010.
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/la1001557
K. Allain, R. Bebawee, S.Lee, “Controlled Nucleation of K3Fe(CN)6 In Isolated Microdroplets at Liquid-Liquid Interface”, Crystal Growth & Design, 9 (7), 3183-3190, 2009. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/cg801199e
