Coarse-grained molecular models of the surface of hair
File(s)CG_Hair_Modeling_Soft_Matter.pdf (2.54 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
We present a coarse-grained molecular model of the surface of human hair, which consists of a supported lipid monolayer, in the MARTINI framework. Using coarse-grained molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we identify a lipid grafting distance that yields a monolayer thickness consistent with both atomistic MD simulations and experimental measurements of the hair surface. Coarse-grained models for fully-functionalised, partially damaged, and fully damaged hair surfaces are created by randomly replacing neutral thioesters with anionic sulfonate groups. This mimics the progressive removal of fatty acids from the hair surface by bleaching and leads to chemically heterogeneous surfaces. Using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we study the island structures formed by the lipid monolayers at different degrees of damage in vacuum and in the presence of polar (water) and non-polar (n-hexadecane) solvents. We also use MD simulations to compare the wetting behaviour of water and n-hexadecane droplets on the model surfaces through contact angle measurements, which are compared to experiments using virgin and bleached hair. The model surfaces capture the experimentally-observed transition of the hair surface from hydrophobic (and oleophilic) to hydrophilic (and oleophobic) as the level of bleaching damage increases. By selecting surfaces with specific damage ratios, we obtain contact angles from the MD simulations that are in good agreement with experiments for both solvents on virgin and bleached human hairs. To negate the possible effects of microscale curvature and roughness of real hairs on wetting, we also conduct additional experiments using biomimetic surfaces that are co-functionalised with fatty acids and sulfonate groups. In both the MD simulations and experiments, the cosine of the water contact angle increases linearly with the sulfonate group surface coverage with a similar slope. We expect that the proposed systems will be useful for future molecular dynamics simulations of the adsorption and tribological behaviour of hair, as well as other chemically heterogeneous surfaces.
Date Issued
2022-01-31
Date Acceptance
2022-01-27
Citation
Soft Matter, 2022, 2022 (9)
ISSN
1744-683X
Publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry
Journal / Book Title
Soft Matter
Volume
2022
Issue
9
Copyright Statement
© The Royal Society of Chemistry 2022.
Sponsor
Royal Academy Of Engineering
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Identifier
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2022/SM/D1SM01720A
Grant Number
RF\201920\19\269
EP/N025954/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Technology
Chemistry, Physical
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Polymer Science
Chemistry
Materials Science
Physics
MARTINI FORCE-FIELD
DROP SHAPE-ANALYSIS
CONTACT-ANGLE
18-METHYLEICOSANOIC ACID
INTERFACIAL-TENSION
DYNAMICS
SIMULATIONS
LIPIDS
DAMAGE
ADSORPTION
Adsorption
Humans
Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
Molecular Dynamics Simulation
Water
Wettability
Humans
Water
Adsorption
Wettability
Molecular Dynamics Simulation
Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
Chemical Physics
02 Physical Sciences
03 Chemical Sciences
09 Engineering
Publication Status
Published online
Date Publish Online
2022-01-31