In this work we have analyzed the structural, topographical, and shear characteristics of mixed monolayers formedby adsorbed
BORDER=0 ALIGN="middle">-lactoglobulin (
-lg) and spread monoglyceride (monopalmitin or monoolein) on a previously adsorbedprotein film. Measurements of the surface pressure (
)-area (
A) isotherm, Brewster angle microscopy (BAM), andsurface shear characteristics were obtained at 20
C and at pH 7 in a modified Wilhelmy-type film
balance. The
-
Aisotherm and BAM images deduced for adsorbed
-lactoglobulin-monoglyceride mixed films at
lower than theequilibrium surface pressure of
-lactoglobulin (
) indicate that
-lactoglobulin and monoglyceride coexist at theinterface. However, the interactions between protein and monoglyceride are somewhat weak. At higher surface pressures(at
) a protein displacement by the monoglyceride from the interface takes place. The surface shear viscosity(
s) of mixed films is very sensitive to protein-monoglyceride interactions and displacement as a function of monolayercomposition (protein/monoglyceride fraction) and surface pressure. Shear can induce change in the morphology ofmonoglyceride and
-lactoglobulin domains, on the one hand, and segregation between domains of the film-formingcomponents on the other hand. In addition, the displacement of
-lactoglobulin by the monoglycerides is facilitatedunder shear conditions.