pH Dependence of the Crystal Violet Adsorption Isotherm at the Silica?Water Interface

The pH-dependent adsorption isotherms for the charged chromophore crystal violet, CV+, have been measured with three different bases by a free-running cavity implementation of evanescent wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy. The ratio of the maximal absorbance measurements at pH 5.10 and 9.05 is consistent with a Q2:Q3 silanol site ratio of 72.8:27.2. The adsorption isotherms have been interpreted in terms a cooperative binding adsorption allowing more than one ionic species to bind to each silanol group. The surface concentration is consistent with a silanol charge density of 1.92 ± 0.55 nm-2 and a total neutralized interface layer structure extending 9 nm from the surface. Binding constants and stoichiometric coefficients are derived for CV+ to both the Q2 and Q3 sites. A variation of the adsorption isotherm with base is observed so that the isotherm at pH 9.05 adjusted with ammonium hydroxide sets up a competitive acid?base equilibrium with the SiOH groups with only 49% of the surface silanol sites dissociated. The implications for functionalized surfaces in chromatography are discussed.