Diagnosing the inactivating process of enzymes

Abstract

Publisher Summary An interface or membrane is one of the main “factors” in the process of particle-interface and particle–particle interaction at a fluid phase boundary. The latter process is influenced by mechanical properties, such as the interfacial (membrane) tension and the surface (Gibbs) elasticity. For interfaces and membranes of low tension and high curvature, the inter-racial bending moment and the curvature elastic moduli can also become important. As a rule, there are surfactant adsorption layers at fluid interfaces and frequently the interfaces bear some electric charge. For these reasons, in the chapter surfactant adsorption and electrically charged interfaces are discussed. This chapter introduces the basic quantities and relationships in mechanics, thermodynamics and kinetics of fluid interfaces, and surfactant adsorption. Definitions of surface tension, interfacial bending moment, adsorptions of the species, surface of tension and equimolecular dividing surface, surface elasticity, and adsorption relaxation time are given in the chapter. In the chapter, the most important equations relating these quantities are derived, their physical meaning is interpreted, and appropriate references are provided. The chapter also presents some recent results on thermodynamics and kinetics of adsorption of ionic surfactants.