The
structure and interaction in complexes of anionic Ludox HS40 silica
nanoparticle, anionic bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein, and cationic
dodecyl trimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) surfactant have been studied
using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The results are compared
with similar complexes having anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)
surfactant (Mehan, S; Chinchalikar, A. J.; Kumar, S.; Aswal, V. K.;
Schweins, R. Langmuir 2013, 29, 11290). In both cases (DTAB and
SDS), the structure in nanoparticle−protein−surfactant complexes is
predominantly determined by the interactions of the individual
twocomponent systems. The nanoparticle−surfactant (mediated through
protein−surfactant complex) and protein−surfactant interactions for
DTAB, but nanoparticle−protein (mediated through protein−surfactant
complex) and protein−surfactant interactions for SDS, are found to be
responsible for the resultant structure of
nanoparticle−protein−surfactant complexes. Irrespective of the charge on
the surfactant, the cooperative binding of surfactant with protein
leads to micellelike clusters of surfactant formed along the unfolded
protein chain. The adsorption of these protein−surfactant complexes for
DTAB on oppositely charged nanoparticles gives rise to the
protein−surfactant complex-mediated aggregation of nanoparticles
(similar to that of DTAB surfactant). It is unlike that of
depletion-induced aggregation of nanoparticles with nonadsorption of
protein−surfactant complexes for SDS in similarly charged nanoparticle
systems (similar to that of protein alone). The modifications in
nanoparticle aggregation as well as unfolding of protein in these
systems as compared to the corresponding two-component systems have also
been examined by selectively contrast matching the constituents.