Polyoxyethylene Sorbitan Trioleate Research Articles

Production of innovative magnetic adsorbent Fe3O4@PEI®Tween 85 and removal of oxytetracycline from aqueous media

ABSTRACT The presence of pharmaceutical in waters has raised the challenge of antimicrobial resistance. This paper presents a study on the adsorption of Oxytetracycline (OTC) from an aqueous using a modified Iron Oxide (Fe3O4) which was modified with Polyethyleneimine (PEI) polymer and coated with Polyoxyethylene Sorbitan Trioleate (Tween 85) surfactant. The adsorption performance was examined the effect of pH, temperature, contact time, adsorbent dosage and drug concentration based on batch experiments. High OTC removal rates of about 98% for the 1:2 with Tween 85 were obtained at pH 4, similar removal efficiency was obtained for the 1:2 Tween 85-free at pH 3. Also, it was seen that the adsorption process was a physical and exothermic process in terms of thermodynamics. The adsorption can be well explained by Freundlich isotherm model. The results demonstrate that the modified magnetic material, with low concentration of 0.025 g, have great potential to capture OTC. Also, qm value (277.8 mg/g) of the adsorbent shows its great potential and the adsorbent reaches its maximum capacity in a short time (~10 minutes).The experimental results reveal that Fe3O4@PEI®Tween 85 would be a promising solution with high removal efficiency and low-cost adsorbent for water matrices protection.

Biocompatible polypeptide nanogel: Effect of surfactants on nanogelation in inverse miniemulsion, in vivo biodistribution and blood clearance evaluation

Horseradish peroxidase (HRP)/H2O2-mediated crosslinking of polypeptides in inverse miniemulsion is a promising approach for the development of next-generation biocompatible and biodegradable nanogels. Herein, we present a fundamental investigation of the effects of three surfactants and their different concentrations on the (HRP)/H2O2-mediated nanogelation of poly[N5-(2-hydroxyethyl)-l-glutamine-ran-N5-propargyl-l-glutamine-ran-N5-(6-aminohexyl)-l-glutamine]-ran-N5-[2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl)-l-glutamine] (PHEG-Tyr) in inverse miniemulsion. The surfactants sorbitan monooleate (SPAN 80), polyoxyethylenesorbitan trioleate (TWEEN 85), and dioctyl sulfosuccinate sodium salt (AOT) were selected and their influence on the nanogel size, size distribution, and morphology was evaluated. The most effective nanogelation stabilization was achieved with 20 wt% nonionic surfactant SPAN 80. The diameter of the hydrogel nanoparticles was 230 nm (dynamic light scattering, DLS) and was confirmed also by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) which showed the diameters ranging from 200 to 300 nm. Microscopy and image analyses showed that the nanogel in the dry state was spherical in shape and had number-average diameter Dn = 26 nm and dispersity Ð = 1.91. In the frozen-hydrated state, the nanogel appeared porous and was larger in size with Dn = 182 nm and Ð = 1.52. Our results indicated that the nanogelation of the polymer precursor required a higher concentration of surfactant than classical inverse miniemulsion polymerization to ensure effective stabilization. The developed polypeptide nanogel was radiolabeled with 125I, and in vivo biodistribution and blood clearance evaluations were performed. We found that the 125I-labeled nanogel was well-biodistributed in the bloodstream, cleared from mouse blood during 48 h by renal and hepatic pathways and did not provoke any sign of toxic effects.

New Approaches to Sample Preparation and Integrated Spectroscopic Methods for The Identification of Polioxyethylene Triolate Sorbitane for Pharmaceutical Examination of Drugs

Due to the fast pace of development of spectroscopic research methods in the pharmaceutical expertise of drugs presented in the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) and European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.), in this paper, we examined complex methods for the identification and preparation for analysis of polyethylene sorbitan trioleate. Two new systems were identified for purification of 98% polyoxyethylene sorbitan trioleate from organic impurities in column chromatography: acetonitrile 100% and acetonitrile/acetone 7.5/2.5. It was also revealed that a chamber with metallic iodine was the most suitable for selecting an eluent and controlling the cleaning by the TLC method. Proton NMR did not detect organic impurities. Identification of polyoxyethylene sorbitan trioleate was carried out on H1, C13, COSY, and IR spectra. These research methods are characterized by simplicity in sample preparation, the availability of reagents, the effectiveness of identification and quantification analyzes, and the efficiency in labor and material costs

Polyoxyethylene sorbitan trioleate surfactant as an effective corrosion inhibitor for carbon steel protection

Corrosion of metals is a significant economic problem globally. The use of corrosion inhibitors, particularly those based on surfactants, is one of the most effective ways of protecting metal surfaces against corrosion. This study addresses the synthesis of a non-ionic oligomeric surfactant and its application as a corrosion inhibitor. The synthesis is a simple and scalable for accomplishing under mild conditions by catalytic esterification of maleic anhydride with polyoxyethylene sorbitan, and further modification of the ether with diethanolamine. The ability of inhibitor to protect a steel sample was evaluated in a solution that simulates compositions of formation waters, and found to be quite effective. The inhibitory behavior of non-ionic polyoxyethylene sorbitan trioleate surfactant (MA/TWEEN-DEA) on ST3 steel corrosion was examined using weight loss and SEM techniques. The compound inhibited the corrosion of carbon steel in a model solution simulating compositions of formation waters, and the extent of inhibition was dependent on temperature and concentration of compound. MA/TWEEN-DEA at 200 ppm exhibits an inhibition efficiency of 80% at 30 °C and 62% at 70 °C. Thermodynamic and kinetic parameters for ST3 steel corrosion and inhibitor adsorption were determined and discussed. The quantum chemical parameters were used to study the reactivity and adsorption behavior of surfactant. The results of experimental studies and the theoretical investigation well complimented each other.

Adsorption Behaviour of Tween 85 on Nano-Aluminium Particles in Aluminium/JP-10 Suspensions.

A stability analyser and a rheometer were used to study the effects of Tween 85 (polyoxyethylene sorbitan trioleate) on the dispersion properties of nano-aluminium/JP-10 (exo-tetrahydrodicyclopentadiene) suspensions. Results show that the addition of Tween 85 can effectively improve the stability of two-phase suspensions by hindering particle aggregation and reduce the viscosity of a system. The surface characteristics of the zeta potential and the contact angle were measured. The dispersion of the suspensions was improved by Tween 85 mainly by enhancing the steric hindrance of particles. The adsorbed particles obtained in JP-10 with different Tween 85 concentrations were analysed via scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to explore the adsorption behaviour of Tween 85 molecules on the surface of aluminium particles and to confirm that Tween 85 formed an adsorption layer on the particle surface. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the adsorption amount of Tween 85 increased with its concentration in JP-10. The roughness analysis of the surface of adsorbed particles was measured via atomic force microscopy to characterise the thickness of the adsorption layer. The results showed that Tween 85 molecules formed an irregular adsorption layer on the particle surface, and an increase in the concentration of Tween 85 in JP-10 increased the thickness of the adsorption layer.

Tween 85 Oil-in-Water Nanoemulsions with Incorporated Chlorhexidine Base

The properties of oil-in-water nanoemulsions (NEs) that are stable for a long time (more than a month), which contain a non-micelle-forming surfactant, Tween 85 (Tw, polyoxyethylene(20) sorbitan trioleate), as a dispersed phase, with and without incorporated chlorhexidine (CH) base, have been studied by dynamic light scattering, UV spectroscopy, and potentiometry. It has been shown that the concentration of the dispersed phase in a range of 1–5 wt % has almost no effect on the differential curves of the particle-size distribution, electrokinetic potential of the particles, and dispersion-medium pH values. A linear dependence of the solubility (solubilization) of chlorhexidine base on Tw concentration has been found. The solubilization capacity of the NEs with respect to CH has been determined. The occurrence of intense mass transfer of CH with NE particles in an aqueous medium and the antimicrobial activity with respect to Staphylococcus aureus bacterium, which is resistant to some antibiotics, in particular, to methicillin, has been confirmed.

A new modified low-energy emulsification method for preparation of water-in-diesel fuel nanoemulsion as alternative fuel

ABSTRACTIn this research, 24 of water-in-diesel fuel nanoemulsions were prepared using mixed nonionic surfactants of sorbitan monooleate and polyoxyethylene sorbitan trioleate (MTS). The emulsions were formed using a new modified low-energy method at hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) value of 10 and a working temperature of 20°C. Five HLB values of 9.6, 9.8, 10, 10.2, and 10.4 were prepared to identify the optimum value that gives low water droplet size at working conditions as: 5 wt% of water contents, 10 wt% of mixed surfactant concentration, and a temperature of 20°C. The effect of mixed surfactant concentration and water content on the droplet size for 0, 15, 30, 60, and 90 days has been studied. Droplet size of the prepared nanoemulsions was determined by dynamic light scattering and the nanoemulsion stability was assessed by measuring the variation of the droplet size as a function of time. Results show that the mean droplet sizes were formed between 26.23 and 277.1 nm depending on the surfactant concentrations, water contents, and storage time.

Microemulsion Using Polyoxyethylene Sorbitan Trioleate and Its Usage for Skin Delivery of Resveratrol to Protect Skin against UV-Induced Damage

We examined the phase behavior of various polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester (polysorbates)/ethanol/isopropyl myristate (IPM)/150 mM NaCl solution (NaClaq) systems in order to prepare a microemulsion containing a low ratio of ethanol, which is more suitable for in vivo application. Using polyoxyethylene sorbitan trioleate (Tween 85), which has a large lipophilic moiety, as a surfactant component, single-phase domain of the phase diagram was the largest of all the polysorbates examined, and in particular a large oil-rich single-phase domain was obtained. When the ratio of Tween 85 to ethanol was changed from 1 : 1 to 3 : 1, the oil-rich single-phase domain further expanded, which led to a reduced ethanol concentration in the preparation. Thus, we determined the composition of the microemulsion to be Tween 85 : ethanol : IPM : NaClaq=30 : 10 : 53 : 7, and used it for skin delivery of resveratrol. Microemulsion gel was also prepared by adding 6.5% Aerosil) 200 into the microemulsion for ease of topical application. When applied with each vehicle, delivery of resveratrol into guinea pig skin in vitro was significantly enhanced compared with that by IPM, and resveratrol incorporated into the skin by microemulsion gel decreased lipid peroxidation to 29.5% compared with that of the control. Pretreatment of guinea pig dorsal skin with the microemulsion gel containing resveratrol almost completely prevented UV-B-induced erythema formation in vivo. These findings demonstrate that the microemulsion using Tween 85 containing a minimal concentration of ethanol enhanced the skin delivery of resveratrol and the incorporated resveratrol exhibited a protective effect against UV-induced oxidative damage.

Novel high-molecular multifunctional reagent for the improvement of crude oil properties

New high-molecular nonionic surfactant “SMATWEEN” was synthesized by catalytic esterification of styrene-co-maleic anhydride copolymer (styromal) with polyoxyethylene sorbitantrioleate (Tween-85) and used as a demulsifier and depressant for multiple high-paraffinic oils from Kazakhstan oilfields. The structure of the synthesized surfactant was studied and proven.The high demulsibility efficiency of new macromolecular surfactant was shown. It was found that it is necessary to enter the demulsifier SMATWEEN before the pour point. Rheological parameters of the reagent show improvement by introducing it in high-paraffinic oil before the crystallization of the most high-molecular paraffins.

Physicochemical investigation of mixed surfactant reverse micelles: Water solubilization and conductometric studies

Abstract Solubilization of water in mixed reverse micelles (RMs) comprising sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT), and polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan trioleate (Tween-85) or polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate (Tween-80) or sorbitan trioleate (Span-85) has been studied at different compositions ( X nonionic = 0–1.0) at a total surfactant concentration, S T = 0.1 mol dm −3 in polar lipophilic oils of different chemical structures: viz., ethyl oleate (EO), isopropyl myristate (IPM) and isopropyl palmitate (IPP) at 303 K. The enhancement in water solubilization (i.e., synergism) has been evidenced by the addition of nonionic surfactant to AOT/oil(s)/water systems. The maximum water solubilization capacity ( ω 0,max ) and X nonionic,max (mole fraction at which synergism occurs) have been influenced by polar head group and hydrophobic moiety of nonionic surfactant. The standard free energy change of dissolution of water ( Δ G s 0 ) of these systems depends on water content, X Tween-85 and oil. Solubilization efficiency parameter ( S P water * ) has been evaluated to underline the efficacy of oils in obtaining maximum water solubilization capacity in mixed RMs. Conductance behavior of these systems in absence and presence of additives (bile salts and hydrotrope) has also been investigated under varied water content ( ω ) at 303 K. Volume-induced percolation threshold ( ω p ) depends on X Tween-85 , oil type, and additives. An attempt has been made to give an insight to the mechanism of solubilization phenomena, standard free energy change of dissolution of water, percolation in conductance and microstructures of these systems by dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements, wherein the chemical structures of both nonionic surfactants and polar lipophilic oils played significant role.

Physicochemical Investigation of Biocompatible Mixed Surfactant Reverse Micelles: III. Aqueous NaCl Solubilization, Thermodynamic Parameters of Desolubilization Process and Conductometric Studies

AbstractSolubilization of water and aqueous NaCl in mixed reverse micelles (RMs) comprising sodium bis(2‐ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT), and polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan trioleate or polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate has been studied at different compositions (Xnonionic = 0–1.0) at a total surfactant concentration, ST = 0.10 × 103 mol m−3 in biocompatible oils of different chemical structures; viz., ethyl oleate (EO), isopropyl myristate (IPM) and isopropyl palmitate (IPP) at 303 K. The enhancement in water solubilization (i.e., synergism) has been evidenced by the addition of nonionic surfactant to dioctyl sulfosuccinate/oil(s)/water systems. Addition of NaCl in these systems at different Xnonionic enhances their solubilization capacities further until a maximum, ωNaCl,max is reached. ωNaCl,max and [NaCl]max (concentration at which maximization of NaCl solubilization occurs) depend on type of nonionic surfactant, its content (Xnonionic) and oil. A new solubilization efficiency parameter (SP*water or SP*NaCl) has been proposed to compare solubilization phenomena in these oils. The energetic parameters of the desolubilization process of water or aqueous NaCl in single and mixed RMs have been estimated. Energetically, the water dissolution process in oil has been found to be more exothermic as well as more organized in IPP. Overall, the dissolution of water and aqueous NaCl in mixed RMs is entropically driven process. Conductance behavior of these systems in the presence of NaCl has been investigated under different [NaCl] at 303 K. An attempt has been made to give an insight to the mechanism of solubilization phenomena, percolation in conductance and microstructures vis‐à‐vis role of biocompatible oils in these systems.

Physicochemical investigation of biocompatible mixed surfactant reverse micelles: II. Dynamics of conductance percolation, energetics of droplet clustering, effect of additives and dynamic light scattering studies

Temperature-induced percolation behavior in mixed reverse micellar systems (RMs) comprising sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) and polyoxyethylene(20) sorbitan trioleate (Tween-85) in polar lipophilic oils e.g., ethyl oleate (EO), isopropyl myristate (IPM) and isopropyl palmitate (IPP) was studied at a total surfactant concentration (ST) of 0.25⋅103mol⋅m−3 in absence and presence of the additives (acetyl modified amino acids (MAA) of different chemical structures). The threshold temperature of percolation (Tp) of these systems was found to be dependent on water content (ω), content of nonionic surfactant (XTween-85), and concentration of NaCl. The standard free energy change (ΔGcl0), enthalpy change (ΔHcl0) and entropy change (ΔScl0) of cluster formation were evaluated based on an association model at different physicochemical environments. The clustering process was spontaneous and found to be endothermic and entropically driven. Scaling laws for the temperature-induced percolation demonstrated dynamic nature of the percolation process. The activation energy, Ep of these systems was estimated both in absence and presence of additives. Droplet sizes of these systems were measured using dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique at different physicochemical environments (comparable to conductivity measurements) to underline the factors governed the percolation process. The chemical structure of the oils played an important role in influencing Tp, Ep, thermodynamic parameters and droplet size of these systems in absence and presence of the additives. An attempt has been made to underline the microstructures of these systems in the light of percolation of conductance vis-à-vis thermodynamics of droplet clustering and droplet dimensions.

Influence of Different Catalysts and Solvents on the General Base Catalytical Esterification of Polyoxyethylene Sorbitan Trioleate with Maleic Anhydride and Styrene-Co-Maleic Anhydride

<p>The general base catalitycal esterification of Polyoxyethylene sorbitane Trioleate with maleic anhydride (Ma) and styrene-co-maleic anhydride (Sma) using pyridine as catalyst is described. We investigated the effect of different factors on the yield of reaction product. The analysis of the effect of different factors<br /> on the process of catalytical esterification showed that the catalysts and solvents can be arranged by their activity in the following order: sulfuric acid > toluene sulfonic acid > triethylamine > pyridine > without a catalyst and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) > O-xylene > dimethylformamide (DMF), respectively. It should be noted that pyridine to its activity is not significantly inferior to the traditional catalysts and with DMSO using the yield of product is increasing. It is concluded that the reaction proceeds by 2nd order. It was found that decreasing the temperature of reaction to a lower temperature, where there is an intensive incubation period, leads to decreasing of yield of polyesters. The rate constant and activation energy were calculated. It was found that the process occurred on 98% at 130 °С and 80 min for PoesTo/Ma and on 88% at 150 °С and 40 min for PoesTo/Sma. For preparation of reaction product to analysis new methods were developed. It was shown, that on <sup>1</sup>H and <sup>13</sup>C spectra an overlap of the individual peaks or their close concentration in one area is observed, which makes it not possible to complete the analysis of the spectra. <sup>1</sup>H and <sup>13</sup>C spectra give a preliminary idea of the structure of the reaction products. It is concluded that 2-D NMR measurements more useful for further confirming of structure of PoesTo/Ma and PoesTo/Sma. HLB shown that we obtained two different surfactants where by catalytical esterification the hydrophilic part of Tween in PoesTo/Ma and the lipophilic part in PoesTo/Sma was increased.</p>

The effects of organic additives on induction time and characteristics of precipitated calcium carbonate

The effects of an organic additive, polyoxyethylene sorbitan trioleate (Tween 85), on the induction time for the precipitation of calcium carbonate are experimentally and theoretically investigated. Calcium carbonate was precipitated from aqueous solutions of K 2CO 3 and Ca(NO) 3 at moderate supersaturations ranging between 5 and 16 with and without the organic additive. Experimentally it has been noticed that the induction period for CaCO 3 precipitation increases at low supersaturation and is also influenced by temperature. An increase of the induction time was noticed when Tween 85 was added in the system. The “cluster coagulation model” proposed by Qian and Botsaris (1997), which combines nucleation models and coagulation theory, was used to explain the effects of operating parameters on the induction time in terms of interfacial energy and cluster sizes.

Stability of foams containing proteins, fat particles and nonionic surfactants

The foamability of aqueous suspensions of proteins and fat particles containing different nonionic surfactants relevant to ice cream mix, through which air is continuously bubbled in a foam column, is investigated in terms of the growth of the foam until steady state is reached. Less water-soluble but more oil-soluble Spans 20, 80 and 85 (monolaurate, monooleate and trioleate of Sorbitan) reduced significantly the steady-state foam height and hence the foamability by enhancement of bubble coalescence. In contrast, highly water-soluble Tweens 20 and 80 increased only slightly the steady-state height of the foams as compared to that obtained using surfactant-free suspension. However, moderately water- and oil-soluble Tween 85 (polyoxyethylene sorbitan trioleate) decreased the foamability more significantly than the Spans. The bubbles are found to be small and coalesce relatively fast at the bulk air interface. The bridging of the fat particles by the three oleates could weaken the protein and fat network thereby reducing the elasticity of the air–aqueous phase interface. This is corroborated by the lowest interfacial elasticity measured using a biconical disc oscillatory rheometer. The stability of the foams formed is also determined by measuring the decrease in foam height and increase in mean bubble diameter with time after stopping the air flow. The results are found to verify a published theoretical model, which enabled to determine the parameters controlling foam stability. The Spans reduced the foam stability as the bubbles coalesced rapidly with bulk air. In contrast, the Tweens increased the foam stability as the bubbles coalesced very slowly. The increase of foam stability by Tween 85 under quiescent conditions is consistent with the measured high interfacial shear viscosity.

Physicochemical Properties and Evaluation of Microemulsion Systems for Transdermal Delivery of Meloxicam

Microemulsion systems, composed of water, isopropyl myristate (IPM), polyoxyethylene sorbitan trioleate (Tween 85), and ethanol, were investigated as transdermal drug delivery vehicles for a lipophilic model drug(melo-xicam). The purpose of this study was to investigate the physicochemical properties of the tested microemulsion and to find the correlation between the physicochemical properties and the skin permeation rate of the microemulsion. Pseudo-ternary phase diagram of the investigated system at a constant surfactant/cosurfactant mass ratio ( K m =1:1) was constructed by titration at 20 °C, and the five formulations were selected for further research in the o/w microemulsion domains. The values of electrical conductivity and viscosity shewed that the selected systems were bicontinuous or non-spherical o/w microemulsion, and the electrical conductivity and viscosity were increased with increasing the content of water. These results suggest that the optimum formulation of microemulsion, containing 0. 375 meloxicam, 5% isopropyl myristate, 25% Tween 85, 25% ethanol, and water, showed the maximum permeation rate. It had a high electrical conductivity, small droplet size, and proper viscocity.

Investigation of microemulsion system for transdermal delivery of meloxicam

A new oil-in-water microemulsion containing 0.375% meloxicam was developed in order to improve the skin permeability of meloxicam. Among various surfactants and cosurfactants investigated in the microemulsion system, polyoxyethylene sorbitan trioleate (Tween 85) showed excellent solubility and ethanol expressed skin permeation enhancing effect for meloxicam. The microemulsion existence ranges were defined through the construction of the pseudo-ternary phase diagram. The effect of the content of isopropyl myristate (IPM) and the effect of the mass ratio of the surfactant/cosurfactant (Km) on skin permeation of meloxicam were evaluated with excised rat skins. The optimum formulation with the highest skin permeation rate (5.40 μg/cm 2/h) consisted of 0.375% meloxicam, 5% IPM, 50% Tween 85/ethanol (1:1) and water.

Macromolecular imidazole–tenside conjugates with carbamate linkage

Polyethylene glycol tert-octylphenyl ether and polyoxyethylenesorbitan trioleate are polydisperse macromolecular detergent molecules, containing a single hydroxyl function, which was transformed by 1,1-carbonyldiimidazole into imidazole–detergent conjugates with a carbamate linkage.

Enhanced activity of Mucor javanicus lipase in polyoxyethylene sorbitan trioleate containing microemulsion-based organogels

The efficacy of polyoxyethylene sorbitan trioleate (Tween 85) addition on the activity of Mucor javanicus lipase was investigated in sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) microemulsion-based organogels (MBGs). Gelatin was used as the gelling component of the MBGs. The maximal reaction rate was obtained at an AOT:Tween 85 molar ratio of 10:1. Under a fixed molar ratio system of AOT:Tween 85 = 10:1, the reaction rate also attained a maximum at a W G (=[H 2O]/[AOT + Tween 85] in MBG phase) value of 100 and an AOT concentration of 150 mM. The reaction proceeded under a reaction-controlled regime, and the reaction rate for the AOT/Tween 85 mixed system was about 2-fold higher than that for the AOT single system. The lipase activity was well maintained for 10 days and recovered by contacting the MBGs with concentrated amphiphile solutions.

Self-Generation of Tiered Surfactant Superstructures for One-Pot Synthesis of Co3O4 Nanocubes and Their Close- and Non-Close-Packed Organizations

Self-generation of ionic organic capping from nonionic surfactant polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan trioleate (Tween-85) has been realized for the controlled synthesis of single crystalline Co(3)O(4) quantum dots (3.0-5.7 nm) in cubic morphology from related layered hydroxide precursors at 80-95 degrees C. With chemical modification of hydrophobic functional groups on the surface of Co(3)O(4) nanocubes; furthermore, various nanocube-containing micellar superstructures can be further assembled through hydrophobic interactions between Tween-85 molecules and the surface coating under "one-pot" conditions. In particular, square arrangements, spherical domains, and line-assemblies of the prepared Co(3)O(4) nanocubes and their inter-transformations have been attained for the first time by manipulating intersurfactant-interactions. Hydrolysis of Tween-85 and the resultant tiered surfactant superstructures have been investigated with FTIR/UV-vis/EA/TGA/DTA/XPS methods, and the capping species has been identified to be alkylated oleic carboxylate anions derived from Tween-85. Pronounced quantum confinement effects have been observed with the prepared Co(3)O(4) nanocubes, and the optical band gap energies determined are 3.95 and 2.13 eV, respectively, for O(2-)--> Co(2+) and O(2-)--> Co(3+) charge-transfer processes.