Monovalent Metal Research Articles

Characterisation of charge distribution and stability of aptamer-thrombin binding interaction

Abstract Aptamers are single stranded nucleic acids with specific target-binding functionalities, biophysical and biochemical properties. The binding performance of aptamers to their cognate targets is influenced by the physicochemical conditions of the binding system particularly in relation to biomolecular charge distribution and hydrodynamic conformations in solution. Herein, we report the use of zeta potential measurements to characterise the surface charge distribution, biomolecular hydrodynamic size and the binding performance of a 15-mer thrombin binding aptamer (TBA) to thrombin under various physicochemical conditions of pH, temperature, monovalent (K + ) and divalent (Mg 2+ ) cation concentrations. Charge distribution analysis demonstrated time dependence in the formation of stable TBA-thrombin and TBA-thrombin-metal ion complexes. TBA was characterised to be most stable in pH above 9. The presence of monovalent and divalent metal ions reduced the electronegativity of TBA through electrostatic interactions, and this demonstrated to improve binding characteristics. TBA-thrombin complexes generated under different physicochemical conditions showed varying surface charge distributions. The stability of TBA-thrombin complex investigated using Scatchard analysis showed that the presence of K + increased the binding performance by displaying a positive cooperativity relationship. The presence of Mg 2+ showed a concave upward trend, potentially caused by heterogeneity in binding.

Viscoelastic behaviour of flocculated silica sediments in concentrated monovalent chloride salt solutions

Silica sand and quartz represent the second most common mineral in the earth's crust. The silica-water interface is central to the processing of a large number of mineral systems and the flow properties of particulate suspensions. In particular, these flow properties define the upper limit to processing of tailings suspensions in the mining industry and, ultimately, the recovery of water. In some regions of the world, the scarcity of fresh water has pushed this industry to use seawater, either as is or partially desalinated. Here we analyze the impact of monovalent alkali metal chlorides that are typical of seawater on the viscoelastic behaviour of flocculated silica sediments at concentrations typical of thickening systems. The sediment samples were subject to creep-recovery tests. All sediments exhibit nonlinear viscoelastic behaviour, deduced from the compliance-applied stress relationship. Interestingly, creep recovery was observed to be related to the Hofmeister series, Cs+<K+<Na+<Li+, with Cs+ producing lower recoveries than Li+. The yield stress, critical strain, and critical strain energy of the sediments were observed to be higher in maker salts (Na+ and Li+) compared with breaker salts (Cs+ and K+), due to stronger bonds in the particle networks. Our model of viscoelastic behaviour (Goñi et al., 2015) satisfactorily reproduces all experimental strain-time curves. The work provides novel input to decisions about the use of seawater or partially desalinated seawater in minerals processing with direct implications for tailings transportation, handling and water recovery.

A new approach to evaluate the particle growth and sedimentation of dispersed polymer microsphere profile control system based on multiple light scattering

Dispersed polymer microsphere system, which consists of polymer microspheres and polymers, is a novel suspension system for profile control treatment in heterogeneous reservoirs. The stability of the dispersed polymer microsphere system plays a decisive role in the profile control treatment. In this paper, LEM-1 polymer microspheres with initial particle size of 100μm were prepared by inverse suspension polymerization. The stability analyzer based on multiple light scattering was used to research the particle growth and microscopic migration characteristics of polymer microspheres. And the influence factors on the stability of the dispersed polymer microsphere profile control system were also systematically analyzed by Turbiscan Stability Index (TSI) with the help of Turbiscan Easy Soft. The results showed that the stability analyzer provided a fast and accurate method for the study of particle growth rule of gel particles which are similar to polymer microspheres. Moreover, the sedimentation process could be observed from the transmitted light. The TSI value showed that higher concentration polymer could make the system more stable. In the slightly alkaline environment, the higher the temperature is, the more stable the system is. When the concentration of metal ion in the formation water increased, the system became more stable, especially for the divalent metal ions that could stabilize the profile control system better than monovalent metal ions. Finally, a new method for stability evaluation of the profile control system was constructed according to the TSI value. This provided a basis for rapid qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the stability of the dispersed polymer microsphere profile control system.

Adsorption and diffusion of mono, di, and trivalent ions on two-dimensional TiS2

A comparative study of the monovalent (Li, Na, and K) and multivalent (Be, Mg, Ca, and Al) metal ion adsorption and diffusion on an electronically semi-metallic two-dimensional nanosheet of 1T structured TiS2 is presented here to contribute to the search for abundant, cheap, and nontoxic ingredients for efficient rechargeable metal ion batteries. The total formation energy of the metal ion adsorption and the Bader charge analysis show that the divalent Mg and Ca ions can have a charge storage density double that of the monovalent Li, Na, and K ions, while the Be and Al ions form metallic clusters even at a low adsorption density because of their high bulk energies. The adsorption of Mg ions shows the lowest averaged open circuit voltage (0.13 V). The activation energy barriers for the diffusion of metal ions on the surface of the monolayer successively decrease from Li to K and Be to Ca. Mg and Ca, being divalent, are capable of storing a higher power density than Li while K and Na have a higher rate capability than the Li ions. Therefore, rechargeable Li ion batteries can be totally or partially replaceable by Mg ion batteries, where high power density and high cell voltage are required, while the abundant, cheap, and fast Na ions can be used for green grid applications.

Synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles from (bis)alkylamine silver carboxylate precursors

A comparative study of amine and silver carboxylate adducts [R1COOAg-2(R2NH2)] (R1 = 1, 7, 11; R2 = 8, 12) as a key intermediate in NPs synthesis is carried out via differential scanning calorimetry, solid-state FT-infrared spectroscopy, 13C CP MAS NMR, powder X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and various solution NMR spectroscopies (1H and 13C NMR, pulsed field gradient spin-echo NMR, and ROESY). It is proposed that carboxyl moieties in the presence of amine ligands are bound to silver ions via chelating bidentate type of coordination as opposed to bridging bidentate coordination of pure silver carboxylates resulting from the formation of dimeric units. All complexes are packed as lamellar bilayer structures. Silver carboxylate/amine complexes show one first-order melting transition. The evidence presented in this study shows that phase behavior of monovalent metal carboxylates are controlled, mainly, by head group bonding. In solution, insoluble silver salt is stabilized by amine molecules which exist in dynamic equilibrium. Using (bis)amine-silver carboxylate complex as precursor, silver nanoparticles were fabricated. During high-temperature thermolysis, the (bis)amine-carboxylate adduct decomposes to produce silver nanoparticles of small size. NPs are stabilized by strongly interacting carboxylate and trace amounts of amine derived from the silver precursor interacting with carboxylic acid. A corresponding aliphatic amide obtained from silver precursor at high-temperature reaction conditions is not taking part in the stabilization. Combining NMR techniques with FTIR, it was possible to follow an original stabilization mechanism.Graphical abstractThe synthesis of a series (bis)alkylamine silver(I) carboxylate complexes in nonpolar solvents were carried out and fully characterized both in the solid and solution. Carboxyl moieties in the presence of amine ligands are bound to silver ions via chelating bidentate type of coordination. The complexes form layered structures which thermally decompose forming nanoparticles stabilized only by aliphatic carboxylates.

Effects of monovalent and divalent metal cations on the aggregation and suspension of Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles in aqueous solution

There has been limited research investigating how the mechanisms of aggregation of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are affected by inorganic ions. In this study, Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+ and Ba2+ were selected to systematically study the aggregation mechanisms of Fe3O4 MNPs. The results indicated that divalent cations more significantly affected the stabilities of MNPs than Na+ at low concentrations (e.g., 0.1mM) in a decreasing order of Ba2+>Sr2+>Ca2+>Mg2+>Na+. Extended DLVO theory did not offer a satisfactory explanation for the above difference due because it ignores specific ion effects. It was also found that the initial adsorption ratios of these metals by Fe3O4 MNPs were linearly proportional to the hydrodynamic diameter (HDD) of Fe3O4 MNPs before aggregation occurred. In addition to the valence states, the hydration forces and ionic radii of the metal cations were proposed to be other factors that significantly affected the interactions of metal cations with Fe3O4 MNPs based on the excellent linear relationships of the HDD of Fe3O4 MNPs and these three factors. Moreover, a bridging function of divalent cations might develop after aggregation occurred based on the increases in their adsorption amounts and intensities for binding oxygen-containing functional groups. In addition, an increase in the positive ζ potential of MNPs was observed with the addition of divalent cations until 10.0mM at a pH of 5.0, which potentially enhances the resistance of MNPs to aggregation in aquatic systems compared with Na+. Consequentially, the effects of metal cations on the aggregation of MNPs are determined by the hydration forces, valance states, ionic radii and bond types formed on the MNPs. Thus, the specific ion effects of these cations should be considered in predicting the environmental behaviors of specific nanomaterials.

Evaluation of Thermal Stability of RNA Nanoparticles by Temperature Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (TGGE) in Native Condition.

Temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) is a powerful tool used to analyze the thermal stabilities of nucleic acids. While TGGE is a decades-old technique, it has recently gained favor in the field of RNA nanotechnology, notably in assessing the thermal stabilities of RNA nanoparticles (NPs). With TGGE, an electrical current and a linear temperature gradient are applied simultaneously to NP-loaded polyacrylamide gel, separating the negatively charged NPs based on their thermal behavior (a more stable RNA complex will remain intact through higher temperature ranges). The linear temperature gradient can be set either perpendicular or parallel to the electrical current, as either will make the NPs undergo a transition from native to denatured conformations. Often, the melting transition is influenced by sequence variations, secondary/tertiary structures, concentrations, and external factors such as the presence of a denaturing agent (e.g., urea), the presence of monovalent or divalent metal ions, and the pH of the solvent. In this chapter, we describe the experimental setup and the analysis of the thermal stability of RNA NPs in native conditions using a modified version of a commercially available TGGE system.

Electronically tuned sulfonamide-based probes with ultra-sensitivity for Ga3+ or Al3+ detection in aqueous solution

Three electronically tuned fluorescent probes (1–3) were synthesized by conjugating a fluorescent unit to N,N-bis-(hydroxyethyl)ethylenediamine. Probe 1 bearing an electron-deficient naphthalenedimide unit did not give a fluorescence response to the presence of various metal ions including monovalent metal ions (Na+, K+, and Ag+), divalent metal ions (Ca2+, Cd2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Hg2+, Pb2+, and Zn2+) and trivalent metal ions (Al3+, Ga3+, Fe3+, and Cr3+) in an aqueous solution. By contrast, probes 2 and 3 possessing 1,8-naphthalimide and pyrene fluorophores, respectively, exhibited selective fluorescent “OFF-ON” behaviors as a result of Ga3+/Al3+ binding among the diverse metal ions, suggesting the importance of fluorophore electronic character with regard to metal ion sensing. The ethylenediamine analog of probe 3, corresponding to probe 4, was unable to yield a significant change in fluorescence intensity in the presence of any metal ions tested here, revealing the essential role of two hydroxyl groups for metal ion binding. A high association constant of Ka = 2.99 × 105 M−1 was obtained for probe 3 with Ga3+, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 10 nM. This LOD is the lowest value known for Ga3+ detection using chemical sensors. Along with an increase in aggregate sizes, PET suppression of probes upon metal ion binding was the primary contributor to the enhancement in fluorescence emission necessary for the sensitive detection of the target ions. The probe-metal ion complexes were fully characterized via TEM, FE-SEM, 1H NMR, fluorescence spectroscopy techniques and DFT calculations.

Characterization of Highly Efficient RNA-Cleaving DNAzymes that Function at Acidic pH with No Divalent Metal-Ion Cofactors.

Here, we describe the characterization of new RNA‐cleaving DNAzymes that showed the highest catalytic efficiency at pH 4.0 to 4.5, and were completely inactive at pH values higher than 5.0. Importantly, these DNAzymes did not require any divalent metal ion cofactors for catalysis. This clearly suggests that protonated nucleic bases are involved in the folding of the DNAzymes into catalytically active structures and/or in the cleavage mechanism. The trans‐acting DNAzyme variants were also catalytically active. Mutational analysis revealed a conservative character of the DNAzyme catalytic core that underpins the high structural requirements of the cleavage mechanism. A significant advantage of the described DNAzymes is that they are inactive at pH values close to physiological pH and under a wide range of conditions in the presence of monovalent and divalent metal ions. These pH‐dependent DNAzymes could be used as molecular cassettes in biotechnology or nanotechnology, in molecular processes that consist of several steps. The results expand the repertoire of DNAzymes that are active under nonphysiological conditions and shed new light on the possible mechanisms of catalysis.

Preparation of Aqueous Dispersions of TEMPO-Oxidized Cellulose Nanofibrils with Various Metal Counterions and Their Super Deodorant Performances.

2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO)-oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (TOCNs) with sodium carboxylate groups (TOCN-Na) were nanodispersed in water. The Na+ ions of TOCN-Na were exchanged with other monovalent, divalent, and trivalent metal (M) ions. When an aqueous metal acetate or AlCl3 solution was added to a 0.1% TOCN-Na/water dispersion or TOCN-COOH gel/water mixture under suitable conditions followed by sonication in water, individually nanodispersed TOCNs-M with divalent and trivalent metal counterions were obtained in yields of 24-87%. The amount of metal introduced into TOCN-M was approximately 20-50% of the TOCN carboxylate content when divalent and trivalent metal ions were used. These results indicate that intrafibrillar ionic linkages are selectively formed and these TOCN-M species nanodisperse at the individual nanofiber level without agglomeration in water. Filter papers with adsorbed TOCN-Cu/water and TOCN-Ag/water dispersions efficiently decomposed or adsorbed H2S and CH3SH gases, but filter papers containing fibrous TEMPO-oxidized celluloses with Ag+ or Cu2+ counterions had much lower gas-decomposition efficiencies.

Metal ion hydrocarbon bidentate bonding in alkyl acetates, methyl alkanoates, alcohols and 1-alkenes: a comparative study.

The relative affinity of the monovalent metal ions Li+, Na+, Cu+ and Ag+ towards a series of aliphatic alkyl acetates and some selected 1-alkenes (P) was examined using the kinetic method. A detailed analysis of the dissociation characteristics of a series of mixed metal-bound dimer ions of the type P1-M+-P2 and the evaluated proton affinities (PAs) of the monomers shows that the affinity of the cation towards long-chain alkyl acetates and alkenes (having a chain length ≤ C4) is markedly enhanced. In line with recent studies of nitriles, alcohols and methyl alkanoates, this is attributed to a bidentate interaction of the metal ion with the functional group or double bond and the aliphatic chain. In particular, the longer chain alkyl acetates, methyl alkanoates and alcohols show a remarkably similar behaviour with respect to silver ion hydrocarbon bonding. The Ag+ adducts of the alkyl acetates dissociate by loss of CH3COOH. This reaction becomes more pronounced at longer chain lengths, which points to metal ion bidentate formation in [Ag+···1-alkene] product ions having a long hydrocarbon chain. In the same vein, the heterodimers [1- hexene···Ag+···1-heptene] and [1- heptene···Ag+···1-octene] dissociate primarily into [Ag+···1-heptene] and [Ag+···1-octene] ions, respectively. Hydrocarbon bidentate formation in [Ag+···1-octene] also reveals itself by the reluctance of this ion to react with water in an ion trap, as opposed to [Ag+···1-hexene] which readily undergoes hydration.

Comparative analysis of the binding of thiacalix[4]arene-monocrown-ethers with monovalent metal salts using MALDI mass spectrometry

MALDI mass spectrometry is used for the first time for the rapid assessment of the binding of thiacalix[4]arene-monocrown-ethers with metal cations (Li, Na, K, Cs, Cu, Ag). The work is performed on examples of thiacalix[4]arene-monocrown-ethers in 1,3-alternate conformation with various numbers (m) of ethylene oxide units and various substituents in phenol groups. It is shown that thiacalix[4]arene-monocrown- ethers with m = 3, 4, 5, and 6 bind lithium, sodium, potassium, and cesium cations, respectively; in addition, the binding of cesium cations is stronger in the presence of aromatic substituents in the lower rim of thiacalix[4]arene-monocrown-ethers. Silver cations bind with calixarenes under study more intensely than copper ions. When aromatic substituents are present, the binding of silver cations is stronger than that of alkali metal ions with the studied thiacalix[4]arene-monocrown-ethers.

Textural and physicochemical properties of surimi gels prepared with potassium and calcium chloride as substitutes for sodium chloride

ABSTRACTThe objective of this work was to investigate the effects of sodium replacement on the textural properties and water-holding capacity (WHC) of heat-set freshwater surimi gels. Potassium chloride and calcium chloride were chosen as salt substitutes. The surimi gels presented better water-holding capacity with potassium chloride than the treatments containing calcium chloride. Gel strength and rheological properties indicated that monovalent metal ions could improve surimi gel properties. The contents of chemical interactions, especially disulfide bonds, nondisulfide covalent bonds, and hydrophobic interactions of surimi gels, varied with the addition of salt type and concentration. Furthermore, microstructure observed from scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) demonstrated that surimi gels prepared with monovalent salt presented more compact and denser networks, while more aggregated particles existed in gels with calcium chloride.

Distinct differences in metal ion specificity of RNA and DNA G-quadruplexes.

RNA G-quadruplexes, as their well-studied DNA analogs, require the presence of cations to fold and remain stable. This is the first comprehensive study on the interaction of RNA quadruplexes with metal ions. We investigated the formation and stability of two highly conserved and biologically relevant RNA quadruplex-forming sequences (24nt-TERRA and 18nt-NRAS) in the presence of several monovalent and divalent metal ions, namely Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+, Cs+, NH4+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, and Ba2+. Circular dichroism was used to probe the influence of these metal ions on the folded fraction of the parallel G-quadruplexes, and UV thermal melting experiments allowed to assess the relative stability of the structures in each cationic condition. Our results show that the RNA quadruplexes are more stable than their DNA counterparts under the same buffer conditions. We have observed that the addition of mainly Na+, K+, Rb+, NH4+, as well as Sr2+ and Ba2+ in water, shifts the equilibrium to the folded quadruplex form, whereby the NRAS sequence responds stronger than TERRA. However, only K+ and Sr2+ lead to a significant increase in the stability of the folded structures, which is consistent with their coordination to the O6 atoms from the G-quartet guanosines. Compared to the respective DNA motives, dNRAS and htelo, the RNA sequences are not stabilized by Na+ ions. Finally, the difference in response between NRAS and TERRA, as well as to the corresponding DNA sequences with respect to different metal ions, could potentially be exploited for selective targeting purposes.

Binding of Monovalent and Multivalent Metal Cations to Polyethylene Oxide in Methanol Probed by Electrophoretic and Diffusion NMR.

Complex formation in methanol between monodisperse polyethylene oxide (PEO) and a large set of cations was studied by measuring the effective charge acquired by PEO upon complexation. Quantitative data were obtained at a low ionic strength of 2 mM (for some salts, also between 0.5 and 6 mM) by a combination of diffusion nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electrophoretic NMR experiments. For strongly complexing cations, the magnitude of the acquired effective charge was on the order of 1 cation per 100 monomer units. For monovalent cations, the relative strength of binding varies as Na+ < K+ ≈ Rb+ ≈ Cs+, whereas Li+ exhibited no significant binding. All polyvalent cations bind very weakly, except for Ba2+ that exhibited strong binding. Anions do not bind, as is shown by the lack of response to the chemical nature of anionic species (perchlorate, iodide, or acetate). Diffusion experiments directly show that the acetate anion with monovalent cations does not associate with PEO. Considering all cations, we find that the observed binding does not follow any Hofmeister order. Instead, binding occurs below a critical surface charge density, which indicates that the degree of complexation is defined by the solvation shell. A large solvation shell prevents the binding of most multivalent ions.

Isomerization-induced introduction of metal cations into polyoxomolybdate-surfactant hybrid crystals

Monovalent metal cations (Ag+, K+, and Cs+) were successfully introduced into inorganic-organic hybrid crystals composed from β-type octamolybdate (β-Mo8) and hexadecylpyridinium (C16py). The introduction of metal cations was induced by the molecular isomerization from α-Mo8 to β-Mo8 anion. All hybrid crystals consisted of alternate stacking of β-Mo8 inorganic and C16py organic layers. In the inorganic layers, the metal cations and β-Mo8 anions were connected to form one- or two-dimensional arrangement, which depended on the ionic radius of metal cations.

Highly Tunable Colloidal Perovskite Nanoplatelets through Variable Cation, Metal, and Halide Composition.

Colloidal perovskite nanoplatelets are a promising class of semiconductor nanomaterials-exhibiting bright luminescence, tunable and spectrally narrow absorption and emission features, strongly confined excitonic states, and facile colloidal synthesis. Here, we demonstrate the high degree of spectral tunability achievable through variation of the cation, metal, and halide composition as well as nanoplatelet thickness. We synthesize nanoplatelets of the form L2[ABX3]n-1BX4, where L is an organic ligand (octylammonium, butylammonium), A is a monovalent metal or organic molecular cation (cesium, methylammonium, formamidinium), B is a divalent metal cation (lead, tin), X is a halide anion (chloride, bromide, iodide), and n-1 is the number of unit cells in thickness. We show that variation of n, B, and X leads to large changes in the absorption and emission energy, while variation of the A cation leads to only subtle changes but can significantly impact the nanoplatelet stability and photoluminescence quantum yield (with values over 20%). Furthermore, mixed halide nanoplatelets exhibit continuous spectral tunability over a 1.5 eV spectral range, from 2.2 to 3.7 eV. The nanoplatelets have relatively large lateral dimensions (100 nm to 1 μm), which promote self-assembly into stacked superlattice structures-the periodicity of which can be adjusted based on the nanoplatelet surface ligand length. These results demonstrate the versatility of colloidal perovskite nanoplatelets as a material platform, with tunability extending from the deep-UV, across the visible, into the near-IR. In particular, the tin-containing nanoplatelets represent a significant addition to the small but increasingly important family of lead- and cadmium-free colloidal semiconductors.

Investigation of metal ion interaction with a lipid cubic phase using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

HypothesisElectrochemical impedance spectroscopy, EIS, can be used as a complementary technique to investigate ion interaction with the headgroup region in the aqueous channels of a lipid cubic phase, LCP. ExperimentsA freestanding membrane made of monoolein LCP was formed by filling a small aperture that separates two cell compartments. The cell compartments were filled with electrolyte solutions at two different ionic strengths: i.e.: 10 and 100mM, of KCl, CsBr and CaCl2. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was recorded between two platinum electrodes that were present at each side of the membrane. FindingsThe membrane resistance and capacitance were estimated from equivalent circuit fitting of the impedance data. It was confirmed that calcium ions interacts strongly with the headgroup region in the aqueous channels giving significantly higher membrane resistances compared to monovalent alkali metal ions. The membrane capacitance with Ca2+(aq) in solution was concentration dependent, which for the first time indicates formation of two different cubic phases at these conditions.

Mixed oxides tuned with alkaline metals to improve glycerolysis for sustainable biodiesel production

In this study, monoglycerides were produced as glycerol value-added products via transesterification reaction of methyl stearate. This green and selective process involved catalysis from hydrotalcite-like compounds with different metals incorporated (Li, K or Cs) to improve their basic properties. Layered double hydroxides were obtained by two different methods and activated by calcination. All samples were examined by X-ray diffraction, specific surface area determined by the BET method, temperature-programmed desorption of CO2 and infrared absorption spectroscopy with Fourier transform for basic sites measurement. Metal content was determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The hydrotalcite-like compounds modified with monovalent metal ions (Li, K or Cs) with the lamellar structure were synthesized. The metal percentage incorporated was higher for materials modified with Li than for those modified with K and Cs. This fact can be attributed to the lower size of their ionic radii. All mixed oxides presented basic properties. The products were analyzed by gas chromatography. The correlation between the basic properties of the solid catalysts and the activity in the transesterification reaction was investigated. The highest activity was found for the catalyst with Li incorporated by the co-precipitation method with yield values around 78% for monoglycerides. Which also showed the greatest Lewis medium basic sites density, a 31% more than the rest of the materials.

Role of cationic polarization in humus‐increased soil aggregate stability

It is well known that humus markedly increases soil aggregate stability, but at the same time strongly decreases the flocculation of clay particles in suspension. These seemingly inconsistent observations suggest the need for a deeper understanding of the physical mechanisms that govern clay–humus interactions. In this research, soil samples from an Entisol were used to explore the role of cationic polarization in humus‐increased soil aggregate stability and sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) ions were used to characterize weak and strong polarization, respectively. The results showed that strong cationic polarization has a critical role in increased soil aggregate stability in the presence of humus. We concluded that, without cationic polarization, the effects of humus alone on soil aggregate stability were weak in the presence of monovalent metal cations. When we compared the individual contributions of humus and strong cationic polarization, the latter proved much more important than humus in increasing soil aggregate stability. The strongest increase in soil aggregate stability occurred when strong cationic polarization was coupled with humus. The combined analysis of activation energy of soil flocculation in suspension and soil aggregate stability in the presence of humus indicated that humus increased the long‐range electrostatic repulsive force of soil particles, and increased the short‐range attractive force of soil particles. Consequently, humus decreased the flocculation of soil particles in suspension but increased soil aggregate stability; all effects were adjusted by the strength of cationic polarization.Highlights Elucidation of physical mechanisms of cation–surface interactions that determine clay–humus interactions. Cations at the particle surface of the clay–humus complex are strongly polarized. Cationic polarization has a critical role in humus‐increased soil aggregate stability. Without cationic polarization, the effect of humus alone on soil aggregate stability was weak.