Interfacial Rheology of Adsorbed Protein Layers
Summary
Interfacial rheology examines mechanical behaviour of protein layers adsorbed at fluid interfaces. Proteins spontaneously migrate from bulk to the air–water or oil–water surface, where they lower surface tension and assemble into viscoelastic films. The adsorption process involves diffusion, conformational unfolding that exposes hydrophobic residues and the development of in-plane networks. Rheological characterisation encompasses both dilatational and shear responses, reflecting layer compressibility, extensibility and shear elasticity. Surface tensiometry, oscillating drop methods and interfacial shear rheometry have elucidated how protein identity, concentration and subphase properties govern adsorption kinetics and equilibrium architecture. Advanced surface-sensitive techniques—ellipsometry, X-ray and neutron reflectometry, and spectroscopic probes—have revealed nanoscale layer thickness, molecular orientation and conformational change. This integrated picture links microstructure to macroscopic behaviour, guiding control of emulsion stability, foam formation and interfacial strength in food science, pharmaceuticals and materials engineering.
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Interfacial Rheology of Adsorbed Protein Layers publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in interfacial rheology of adsorbed protein layers across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Interfacial rheology: Study of mechanical response (shear and dilatational) of adsorbed layers at fluid interfaces.
Dilatational rheology: Measurement of interfacial elasticity and viscosity in response to area changes.
Shear rheology: Assessment of in-plane stress–strain behaviour of interfacial films under shear deformation.
Viscoelasticity: Combined viscous and elastic behaviour of a material under deformation.
Surface tension: Energy per unit area at an interface, reduced by adsorption of surface-active proteins.
Adsorption isotherm: Relationship between equilibrium surface concentration of proteins and bulk concentration.
Reflectometry: Technique using reflected X-rays or neutrons to determine layer thickness and density profiles at interfaces.
References
- Exploring proteins at soft interfaces and in thin liquid films – From classical methods to advanced applications of reflectometry. Advances in Colloid and Interface Science (2024).
- Interfacial mechanics of β-casein and albumin mixed protein assemblies at liquid-liquid interfaces. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science (2024).
- The Conformational Changes of Bovine Serum Albumin at the Air/Water Interface: HDX-MS and Interfacial Rheology Analysis. Foods (2023).
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