Protective Langmuir–Blodgett coatings based on long-chain fatty acids

The morphology and tribotechnical properties of Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) monolayers and multilayers of some fatty acids, such as nervonic (NA), cerotic (CA) and montanic acids (OCA), was investigated. It was established that the wear resistance of silicon surface coated by LB monolayer of OCA is greater by 11 and 1.3 times in comparison with the LB monomolecular films of NA and CA, respectively. The multilayer of OCA, formed by 140 layers, increases the stability of steel surface by 35 times.

Monomolecular Films of Organic Diacyl Diperoxides on the Interface of the Phases Water–Air

Monomolecular films of diacyl diperoxides at the water–air phase interface have been studied. Their behaviour is influenced by the structure of the molecule and the solvent. The numerical values of the areas of molecules that are extrapolated to zero pressure are different, which indicates a different conformation of the molecules in the monolayer. The conformational states of diperoxides were calculated by quantum chemical methods. Experimental data and quantum chemical calculations are consistent with each other.

Anomalous Laterally Stressed Kinetically Trapped DNA Surface Conformations

Highlights DNA kinking is inevitable for the highly anisotropic 1D–1D electrostatic interaction with the one-dimensionally periodically charged surface. The double helical structure of the DNA kinetically trapped on positively charged monomolecular films comprising the lamellar templates is strongly laterally stressed and extremely perturbed at the nanometer scale. The DNA kinetic trapping is not a smooth 3D—> 2D conformational flattening but is a complex nonlinear in-plane mechanical response (bending, tensile and unzipping) driven by the physics beyond the scope of the applicability of the linear worm-like chain approximation. Abstract Up to now, the DNA molecule adsorbed on a surface was believed to always preserve its native structure. This belief implies a negligible contribution of lateral surface forces during and after DNA adsorption although their impact has never been elucidated. High-resolution atomic force microscopy was used to observe that stiff DNA molecules kinetically trapped on monomolecular films comprising one-dimensional periodically charged lamellar templates as a single layer or as a sublayer are oversaturated by sharp discontinuous kinks and can also be locally melted and supercoiled. We argue that kink/anti-kink pairs are induced by an overcritical lateral bending stress (> 30 pNnm) inevitable for the highly anisotropic 1D-1D electrostatic interaction of DNA and underlying rows of positive surface charges. In addition, the unexpected kink-inducing mechanical instability in the shape of the template-directed DNA confined between the positively charged lamellar sides is observed indicating the strong impact of helicity. The previously reported anomalously low values of the persistence length of the surface-adsorbed DNA are explained by the impact of the surface-induced low-scale bending. The sites of the local melting and supercoiling are convincingly introduced as other lateral stress-induced structural DNA anomalies by establishing a link with DNA high-force mechanics. The results open up the study in the completely unexplored area of the principally anomalous kinetically trapped DNA surface conformations in which the DNA local mechanical response to the surface-induced spatially modulated lateral electrostatic stress is essentially nonlinear. The underlying rich and complex in-plane nonlinear physics acts at the nanoscale beyond the scope of applicability of the worm-like chain approximation.

Comparison of the temporal efficacy of Aquatain surface films for the control of Anopheles arabiensis and Ochlerotatus caspius larvae from Sudan

Aquatain mosquito formulation (AMF) is a surfactant that spreads across the surface of water bodies to produce a monomolecular film. This study experimentally evaluates the temporal efficacy of AMF against aquatic stages of Anopheles arabiensis and Ochlerotatus caspius under laboratory conditions. Using the recommended application dose of 1 ml m −2 , a large species-specific difference in the median lethal time for L3–L4 larvae was observed. The median lethal time to 50% mortality (LT50) and 90% mortality (LT90) was 1.3 h, 95% CI [1.2, 1.4] and 3.8 h, 95% CI [3.6, 4.0], respectively, for Oc. caspius . The corresponding values for An. arabiensis were 8.1 h, 95% CI [7.3, 9.0] and 59.6 h, 95% CI [48.5, 76.2]. Based on data from published laboratory studies for a total of seven mosquito species, drawn from four genera, results in the following three groups, [LT50 = 1–2 h, Culex quinquefasciatus , Ochlerotatus caspius ] [LT50 = 8–24, hours, Anopheles minimus , Anopheles arabiensis, Anopheles gambiae s.s.] and [LT50 = 72–143 h, Anopheles stephensi , Aedes aegypti ]. In all experiments, 100% mortality was achieved given sufficient time. The potential relevance of mortality rate estimates, in the context of other studies, on the use of monomolecular films for the control of malaria and arbovirus diseases is discussed.

Self Assembled Monolayers and Carbon Nanotubes: A Significant Tool’s for Modification of Electrode Surface

A compromising and well-organized model system is needed for investigating the molecular behaviour of biomolecules as many transduction processes and biological recognition occur at biological surfaces. The application of techniques in interfacial surfaces like one molecule thick films has made a feasible and significant tool for modern scientific studies. Self Assembling Monolayers (SAMs) technology is a very useful means for producing monomolecular films of various biological molecules on different substrates. Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) have length-to-diameter aspect ratio property which provides a large surface-to-volume ratio, making it an intensely capable material for biomolecular attachments. The incorporation of Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) with biological systems forming functional assemblies has shown an explored area of research. Organo-sulfur mainly alkanethiol (CnH2n+1–SH) molecules get adsorbed onto CNTs. This phenomenon has grabbed a lot of attention because Self Assembling Monolayers (SAMs) of organo-sulfur compound acts as an example system for understanding important chemical, physical or biological processes.

Morphological and Mechanical Characterization of DNA SAMs Combining Nanolithography with AFM and Optical Methods

The morphological and mechanical properties of thiolated ssDNA films self-assembled at different ionic strength on flat gold surfaces have been investigated using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). AFM nanoshaving experiments, performed in hard tapping mode, allowed selectively removing molecules from micro-sized regions. To image the shaved areas, in addition to the soft contact mode, we explored the use of the Quantitative Imaging (QI) mode. QI is a less perturbative imaging mode that allows obtaining quantitative information on both sample topography and mechanical properties. AFM analysis showed that DNA SAMs assembled at high ionic strength are thicker and less deformable than films prepared at low ionic strength. In the case of thicker films, the difference between film and substrate Young’s moduli could be assessed from the analysis of QI data. The AFM finding of thicker and denser films was confirmed by X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (SE) analysis. SE data allowed detecting the DNA UV absorption on dense monomolecular films. Moreover, feeding the SE analysis with the thickness data obtained by AFM, we could estimate the refractive index of dense DNA films.