Laboratory for Molecular Engineering
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Active Control of Surfactants
Synthesized light-sensitive surfactants containing azobenzene, and demonstrated photocontrol of capillary phenomena (e.g., light-triggered release of droplets) and formation of nanostructures in bulk solution (Langmuir, 1999). In particular, by using small angle neutron scattering, reversible control over the formation of vesicles was established in a mixed surfactant system containing light-sensitive surfactants (Langmuir, 2005 and 2007). These experiments and others establish the potential utility of these surfactants as the basis of tunable fluids.
Active Control of Light-Sensitive Surfactants
