ИСТИНА

One of the important parameters which define the formation, properties and functions of aqueous solutions, dispersions and mixtures is the surface/interfacial tension γ. Presented here research unveils specific interfacial behavior of aroma molecules and justifies their usage as multifunctional volatile surfactants. As non-conventional volatile amphiphiles we study commercially available poorly water-soluble compounds from the classes of alcohols, ethers, ketones, such as synthetic and essential flavor oils. A revealed distinctive feature of volatile surfactants is their high dynamic interfacial activity, so that they possess an ability to decrease the surface tension of aqueous solutions at a time scales of milliseconds, much faster than conventionally used surfactants. Another potentially useful property of such amphiphiles is their volatility, so that they notably evaporate from interfaces on a time scale of seconds. During tensiometric measurements, the mesoscale solubility in a form of “heterogeneous” oil droplets has to be taken into account. The mesoscale droplets, which serve as reservoirs and affect the diffusion-limited regime of adsorption, can be removed from the solution by filtration. According to our observations, the transition from molecular to mesoscale solubility of tested aroma molecules is detected at the concentrations below the solubility limits reported for these compounds in literature, that suggest a revision of the published solubility data. Reported here findings offer promising advantages in manufacturing technologies which involve newly creating interfaces, such as spraying, coating technologies, ink-jet printing, microfluidics, laundry, stabilization of emulsions in cosmetic and food industry, as well as in geosciences for controlling cloud formation. O.A.S., P.V.P., V.V.K. and L.A.T. acknowledge the financial support by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) according to the research project № 18-53-76005.