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Surfaces are able to control physical-chemical processes in multi-component solution systems and, as such, find application in a wide range of technological devices. Understanding the structure, dynamics and thermodynamics of non-ideal…
Sum frequency generation vibrational spectra of the water molecules at the NaF and KF aqueous solution surfaces showed significantly different spectral features and different concentration dependence. This result is the first direct…
Graphite is a ubiquitous electrode material with particular promise for use in e.g., energy storage and desalination devices, but very little is known about the properties of the graphite-electrolyte double layer at technologically relevant…
We experimentally observed the enhanced contact angle hysteresis (CAH) of dilute aqueous salt solution on graphite surface, i.e., 40.6$^\circ$, 34.6$^\circ$, and 27.8$^\circ$, for LiCl, NaCl, and KCl, indicating the effective tuning of the…
Whether or not specific ion effects determine the charge storage properties of aqueous graphene and graphite-based supercapacitors remains a highly debated topic. In this work we present a multiscale quantum mechanics classical molecular…
The non-wetting phenomena of water on certain solid surfaces have been under intensive study for decades, but the nature of hydrophobic/water interfaces remains controversial. Here a water/graphite interface is investigated with…
Here we report the polarization dependent non-resonant second harmonic generation (SHG) measurement of the interfacial water molecules at the aqueous solution of the following salts: NaF, NaCl, NaBr, KF, KCl, and KBr. Through quantitative…
Hydrophobic solid-water interfaces underpin processes in nanofluidics, electrochemistry, and energy technologies. Microscopic insights into these systems are often inferred from our understanding of the air-water interface, which is assumed…
The contact of water with graphene is of fundamental importance and of great interest for numerous promising applications, but how graphene interacts with water remains unclear. Here we used atomic force microscopy to investigate…
The interaction between surface patches of proteins with different surface properties has a vital role to play driving conformational changes of proteins in different salt solutions. We demonstrate the existence of ion-specific attractive…
Adsorption of small amphiphilic molecules occurs in various biological and technological processes, sometimes desired, the other times unwanted (e.g., contamination). Surface-active molecules preferentially bind to interfaces and affect…
Graphene supported on a substrate in contact with water underpins a wide range of processes and technologies, yet its wettability remains controversial. Understanding how substrate charges and graphene's properties influence water…
The microscopic mechanisms controlling heterogeneous ice nucleation are complex and remain poorly understood. Although good ice nucleators are generally believed to match ice lattice and to bind water, counter examples are often identified.…
While individual water molecules adsorb strongly on a talc surface (hydrophilic behavior), a droplet of water beads up on the same surface (hydrophobic behavior). To rationalize this dichotomy, we investigate the influence of the…
Interlayer space in graphite is impermeable to ions and molecules, including protons. Its controlled expansion would find several applications in desalination, gas purification, high-density batteries, etc. In the past, metal intercalation…
Hydration or interfacial water present in biomolecules and inorganic solids have been shown to exhibit a dynamical transition upon supercooling. However, an understanding of the extent of the underlying surface hydrophilicity as well as the…
The distribution of ions and their impact on the structure of electrolyte interfaces plays an important role in many applications. Interestingly, recent experimental studies have suggested the preferential accumulation of $SO_4^{2-}$ ions…
Although common in nature, the self-assembly of small molecules at sold-liquid interfaces is difficult to control in artificial systems. The high mobility of dissolved small molecules limits their residence at the interface, typically…
We examine an electric double layer containing an antagonistic salt in an aqueous mixture, where the cations are small and hydrophilic but the anions are large and hydrophobic. In this situation, a strong coupling arises between the charge…
The solvation of charged, nanometer-sized spherical solutes in water, and the effective, solvent-induced force between two such solutes are investigated by constant temperature and pressure Molecular Dynamics simulations of model solutes…