This ACS book has been designed to survey selected recent advances in colloids and surface chemistry, and to highlight some connections between fundamental research and some important biological relevance. Current research at both the air-water interface and at nanoparticle interfaces are featured. The topics are arranged in a natural progression from non-biologically to biologically relevant topics. The chapters are divided into three sections: the surface properties of surfactant molecules, the surface modification of nanoparticles and state-of-the-art spectroscopic methods to enhance our understanding of membrane-mimetic chemistry. These eighteen chapters highlight recent advances in exploring the behaviors and the biological applications of surfactant molecules, nanomaterials, and biomacromolecules at the surface and interfaces. Particularly, several chapters cover the studies of the dynamic physicochemical interactions, which govern the properties and behaviors between nanomaterials surfaces and the surfaces of biological components, such as peptides, proteins, phospholipids, DNA and biological fluids. The aim of the book is to understand and explore such interfaces from the perspective of surface and colloidal chemistry with the state-of-the-art spectroscopic methods. One can expect that a better understanding at the surface and interfaces will contribute significantly to the development and applications of surfactants and nanomaterials in the biological systems.
