Organization of malonamides from the interface to the organic bulk phase

Micheau, C.; 上田 祐生; 元川 竜平; 阿久津 和宏*; 山田 悟史*; 山田 雅子*; Moussaoui, S. A.*; Makombe, E.*; Meyer, D.*; Berthon, L.*; et al.

Journal of Molecular Liquids, 401, p.124372_1 - 124372_12, 2024/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molliq.2024.124372

Supramolecular organization of amphiphilic extractant molecules is involved in metal cation selectivity and separation kinetics during solvent extraction. The relationship between extractant associates/aggregates formed in the organic bulk phase and at the liquid-liquid interface is poorly understood even though it affects the extraction mechanism. The nanoscopic structures of the extraction systems N,N,N',N'-tetrahexylmalonamide (THMA) in toluene and N,N'-dibutyl-N,N'-dimethyl-2-tetradecylmalonamide (DBMA) in n-heptane, used for either Pd(II) or Nd(III) selective extraction from an acidic aqueous phase, were examined. These systems present markedly different affinity for Pd(II) and Nd(III), and extraction kinetics. Extractant organization in the organic bulk phase and at the interface were compared by small-angle X-ray scattering, interfacial tension, and neutron reflectivity. THMA in toluene forms small associates in the organic bulk phase and accumulates in a diffuse layer at the interface, decreasing Pd(II) coordination probability and resulting in slow extraction. DBMA in n-heptane forms large aggregates and a compact, dense interfacial layer, resulting in rapid Pd(II) and Nd(III) extraction. Thus, Pd(II) extraction is driven by interfacial coordination alone, whereas the incorporation of Nd(III) into the core of large aggregates governs Nd(III) extraction in the interfacial layer. These results suggest that the interface should be described as a nanoscale interphase containing a high extractant concentration compared with the organic bulk phase.

Neutron reflectivity study on the nanostructure of PMMA chains near substrate interfaces based on contrast variation accompanied with small molecule sorption

下北 啓輔*; 山本 勝宏*; 宮田 登*; 中西 洋平*; 柴田 基樹*; 竹中 幹人*; 山田 悟史*; 瀬戸 秀樹*; 青木 裕之; 宮崎 司*

Soft Matter, 19(11), p.2082 - 2089, 2023/03

https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SM01482C

In the case of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) thin films on a Si substrate, thermal annealing induces the formation of a layer of PMMA chains tightly adsorbed near the substrate interface, and the strongly adsorbed PMMA remains on the substrate, even after washing with toluene (hereinafter called adsorbed sample). Neutron reflectometry revealed that the concerned structure consists of three layers: an inner layer (tightly bound on the substrate), a middle layer (bulk-like), and an outer layer (surface) in the adsorbed sample. When an adsorbed sample was exposed to toluene vapor, it became clear that, between the solid adsorption layer (which does not swell) and bulk-like swollen layer, there was a "buffer layer" that could sorb more toluene molecules than the bulk-like layer. This buffer layer was found not only in the adsorbed sample but also in the standard spin-cast PMMA thin films on the substrate. When the polymer chains were firmly adsorbed and immobilized on the Si substrate, the freedom of the possible structure right next to the tightly bound layer was reduced, which restricted the relaxation of the conformation of the polymer chain strongly. The "buffer layer" was manifested by the sorption of toluene with different scattering length density contrasts.

Neutron reflectivity study on the suppression of interfacial water accumulation between a polypropylene thin film and Si substrate using a silane-coupling agent

下北 啓輔*; 山本 勝宏*; 宮田 登*; 有馬 寛*; 中西 洋平*; 竹中 幹人*; 柴田 基樹*; 山田 悟史*; 瀬戸 秀樹*; 青木 裕之; et al.

Langmuir, 38(41), p.12457 - 12465, 2022/10

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c01599

We measured the neutron reflectivity (NR) of isotactic polypropylene (PP) thin films deposited on Si substrates modified by hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) at the saturated vapor pressure of deuterated water at 25C and 60C/85% RH to investigate the effect of HMDS on the interfacial water accumulation in PP-based polymer/inorganic filler nanocomposites and metal/resin bonding materials. We found that the amount of water accumulated at the PP/Si interface decreased with increasing immersion time of the Si substrate in a solution of HMDS in hexane prior to PP film deposition. During the immersion of the Si substrate, the HMDS molecules were deposited on the Si substrate as a monolayer without aggregation. Furthermore, the coverage of the HMDS monolayer on the Si substrate increased with increasing immersion time. At 60C and 85% RH, only a slight amount of interfacial water was detected after HMDS treatment for 1200 min. As a result, the maximum concentration of interfacial water was reduced to 0.1 from 0.3, where the latter corresponds to the PP film deposited on the untreated substrate.

Neutron reflectometry-based structural analysis of an aligning agent additive for the alignment of nematic liquid crystals on solid substrates

根本 文也*; 山田 悟史*; 日野 正裕*; 青木 裕之; 瀬戸 秀樹*

Soft Matter, 18(3), p.545 - 553, 2022/01

https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SM01355F

Surface aligning agents, such as amphiphilic surfactants, are widely used to control the initial alignment of nematic liquid crystals (NLCs) in liquid crystal displays (LCDs). Generally, these agents are first coated on a substrate prior to NLC introduction. When mixed with NLCs, long alkyl chain amphiphilic agent additives may control the NLC alignment without requiring pretreatment because they may spontaneously form an adsorbed layer at the solid-NLC interface. These self-assembled layers (SALs) appear promising in the effective control of the initial alignment of LCDs. However, direct observation of the adsorbed layer structure in contact with the NLCs is challenging due to probe limitations. Furthermore, the areal densities and alignments of the amphiphiles adsorbed from NLCs at the solid-NLC interface are not previously reported. Herein, the structure of the surface aligning agent -hexadecyltrimethylammonium-d bromide (d-CTAB) was investigated at the silicon-NLC interface using neutron reflectometry (NR), which indicated that the CTAB self-assembled as a monolayer, with its alignment dependent on the amphiphile concentration. At low amphiphile concentrations, the alignment of the SAL and NLCs was parallel to the substrate. With increasing amphiphile concentration, the number of amphiphiles attached to the substrate increased within the framework of the Gibbs monolayer, with the alignment of the amphiphiles and NLCs becoming perpendicular to the substrate. The experimental setup used here is comparable to those of more natural systems, such as those found in the alignment of NLCs in LCDs.

Neutron reflectivity on the mobile surface and immobile interfacial layers in the poly(vinyl acetate) adsorption layer on a Si substrate with deuterated toluene vapor-induced swelling

宮崎 司*; 下北 啓輔*; 山本 勝宏*; 青木 裕之; 山田 悟史*; 宮田 登*

Langmuir, 36(49), p.15181 - 15188, 2020/12

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c03025

We investigated the polymer chain dynamics in a 2-3 nm thick poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) adsorption layer on a Si substrate with a native oxide layer via neutron reflectometry combined with toluene vapor-induced swelling. We can investigate the polymer chain dynamics difference in the film thickness direction by the difference in the degree of swelling of the polymer layers detected by neutron reflectometry. The mobility of the polymer chains depends on the distance from the substrate. The results elucidated that the interfacial layer with a thickness of approximately 1 nm did not swell at all with toluene vapor, which is a solvent for PVAc. Meanwhile, the surface layer excessively swells with toluene vapor compared to the bulk. This indicates that the polymer chain within the interfacial region is immobilized by the substrate through hydrogen-bonding interaction, but in the surface region, the surface effect overcomes this interfacial interaction. We concluded that the polymer chains in the adsorption layer are either strongly constrained to the substrate, owing to hydrogen bonding, or more mobile than the bulk, owing to the surface effect.

MLF将来計画技術検討会・中性子実験装置発表資料集

中島 健次; Harjo, S.; 山田 悟史*; 及川 健一; 梶本 亮一

JAEA-Review 2018-032, 43 Pages, 2019/02

JAEA-Review-2018-032.pdf:9.78MB

大強度陽子加速器施設(J-PARC)物質・生命科学実験施設(MLF)では2017年より「MLF将来計画技術検討会」が設置され、MLFの線源や実験装置の将来計画について議論が行われてきた。同検討会では中性子実験装置についても装置カテゴリ毎に現状の問題点や今後目指すべき方向性についての報告がなされた。本報告書は、今後の将来計画の検討の一助とするべく、同検討会におけるMLF中性子実験装置に関する発表資料をまとめたものである。

中性子実験装置J-PARC編,2; 中性子反射率計; J-PARCにおける中性子反射率計SOFIA/写楽

山田 悟史*; 武田 全康; 山崎 大

波紋, 24(4), p.288 - 295, 2014/11

https://doi.org/10.5611/hamon.24.4_288

中性子反射率計は複合高分子界面構造や水面の高分子膜の形態観察、またトンネル磁気抵抗素子等をはじめとする磁性多層膜の界面磁気構造観察など、特にソフトマターの分野において他の方法では決して行うことのできない、ユニークかつインパクトの大きな成果を生み出してきた。しかしながら過去において日本での実験環境は恵まれているとは言い難く、KENSやJRR-3といった既存の施設における中性子反射装置では数インチの大きな基板に作製した試料と、数時間数十時間オーダーの測定時間が必要であった。また、測定可能なダイナミックレンジも5桁程度で、測定時間と共に海外の装置と比較して大きく見劣りするスペックであった。ところが、この状況はJ-PARCの登場により一変した。本稿が、J-PARCに設置された2台の中性子反射率計SOFIAと写楽(SHARAKU)について紹介し、反射率計の利用を検討している研究者の一助となれば幸いである。

GEOMASS:Geological Modelling Analysis and Simulation Software for the Characterisation of Fractured Hard Rock Environment

竹内 真司; 戸高 法文; 小山田 潔*

ABSTRACTS 28/39-29/3, 0 Pages, 1998/00

本論文では、GEOMASSの概要と解析手法および実際の適用例を紹介する。GEOMASSは東濃地域の地質構造および地下水流動解析を実施するために導入されたソフトウェアであり、3次元の地質構造モデルの作成、地下水流動解析および可視化の各機能から構成される。地質構造モデルは市販のソフトウェアであるEarth Visionによって作成される。Earth Visionで作成された地質構造モデルは地下水流動解析に用いられる。Geomassにおける地下水流動解析ツールはFrac-Affintyと呼ばれ、健岩部と割れ目を持つ岩盤中の地下水流動系をモデル化できる。さらに、地球統計学的手法により不均質岩盤中の地質特性の推定や確率論的に亀裂ネットワークを発生させることも可能である。また、Earth Visionで作成された地質構造モデルに基づいて非定常地下水流動解析を行うことができる。Frac-Affintyの解析結果はEarth Vision上で地質構造モデルと共に再び可視化さ

Potential of aggregation control for solvent extraction separation

Micheau, C.; 元川 竜平; 上田 祐生; 阿久津 和宏*; 山田 悟史*; 山田 雅子*; Bourgeois, D.*; Berthon, L.*

no journal, , 

DIAMEX process uses malonamide molecules for the separation and co-extraction of actinides and lanthanides from the raffinate of the PUREX process. Recent study on the use of malonamide molecules for the extraction and separation of PdII and NdIII by solvent extraction has pointed out two main driving forces that could explain the selectivity. Coordination and extractant aggregation. It has been demonstrated that Pd only needs coordination to be extracted whereas Nd needs in addition the aggregation of the extractant. Extractant aggregation can be beneficial for solvent extraction process if it can be controlled to enhance separation. In order to confirm a potential correlation between the separation efficiency and the extractant aggregation, a model malonamide molecule was investigated. This extractant was dissolved, at room temperature, in pure n-heptane, pure toluene, and mixtures of both solvents at different ratios, and contacted with different nitric acid solutions with and without metal ions. These two solvents possess different relative permittivity, and topology with an aromatic ring for toluene that could lead to additional pi-interaction with the extractant. Distribution ratios of Pd and Nd, as well as separation factors were determined. In parallel, small angle neutron scattering technique was used to determine the size and shape of the aggregates formed. From these results, it can be said that heptane promotes the formation of large assemblies, whereas the presence of toluene tends to reduce the size of the assemblies which was directly correlated to extraction separation efficiency.