Effects of Salts on the Micellization of a Short-Tailed Nonionic Ethoxylated Surfactant: An Intradiffusion Study

In commercial formulations, surfactants are often co-formulated with inorganic electrolytes, which are included as inexpensive thickeners. Salts affect the surfactant’s aggregative and functional behavior. However, while the electrolyte effect on the self-aggregation of ionic surfactants can be rationalized in terms of electrostatic interactions, in the case of nonionic surfactants the molecular determinants are still unclear. In this work, we investigate the effects of alkali and alkaline–earth metal chlorides on the micellization of the nonionic surfactant hexyl penta(oxyethylene) ether, C₆E₅, in aqueous solution. To this aim, the C₆E₅ intradiffusion (also named self-diffusion) coefficient in aqueous mixtures of various alkali and alkaline–earth metal chlorides was measured by pulsed gradient spin-echo NMR. The results show that all the considered electrolytes cause a decrease of the surfactant critical micellar concentration, cmc, while the micellar size is almost unaffected. The experimental evidence can be interpreted in terms of de-hydration of the apolar alkyl tails with a minor contribution arising from the dehydration of the poly(ethylene oxide) headgroups. The order of effectiveness of the different cations follows the Hofmeister series, some aspects of which are briefly discussed.     

Interfacial and micellar properties of anionic azo dye-surfactant binary systems

The association of an anionic dye C.I. Reactive Orange 16 (RO16) and different types of surfactants, i.e., anionic surfactant sodium dodecylsulfate, nonionic surfactants poly(oxyethylene) ethers (C _m POE₁₀, m = 12, 16, and 18; C₁₂POE _n , n = 4, 10, and 23), was investigated using tensiometry in a certain micellar concentration range. RO16 was shown to aggregate in water when its concentration is above the threshold value. The surface tension lowering and critical micellar concentration (CMC) values were interpreted on the same grounds as those for surfactants mixtures. The tensiometric measurements of dye-surfactant systems are carried out as a function of the molar concentration of solution at 25°C. Using Rubingh’s regular solution theory, the values of interaction parameters were found to be negative for all studied binary mixtures. These negative values indicate that there is an attractive interaction of the surfactants in mixed micelles and reflect synergistic behavior of a mixture. In all studied systems, deviations from ideal behavior were observed depending on the type of surfactant. Interaction parameters calculated using regular solution theory are changed from −2.62 to −12.43. The smallest deviation from ideal behavior is obtained for the RO16-C₁₂POE₄ mixed system; i.e., in the case when nonionic surfactant has the shortest alkyl chain and the smallest number of ethylene oxide units. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

ESR Studies on the Micellization Behaviors of a Series of Novel Asymmetric Gemini Surfactants

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Micellization of Alkyltriphenylphosphonium Bromides in Ethylene Glycol and Diethylene Glycol + Water Mixtures: Thermodynamic and Kinetic Investigation

The thermodynamics of micellization and other micellar properties of alkyl- (C₁₀-, C₁₂-, C₁₄- and C₁₆-) triphenylphosphonium bromides in water + ethylene glycol (EG) (0 to 30% v/v) mixtures over a temperature range of 298 to 318 K and cetyltriphenylphosphonium bromide in water + diethylene glycol (DEG) mixtures (0 to 30% v/v) at 298 K have been studied conductometrically. In all cases, an increase in the percentage of co-solvent results in an increase in the cmc values. On the basis of these results, the thermodynamic parameters, the Gibbs energy (ΔG _m^o), enthalpy (ΔH _m^o) and entropy (ΔS _m^o) of micellization have been evaluated. In addition to the conductivity measurements, kinetic experiments have also been done to determine the dependence of observed rate constant for the nucleophilic substitution reaction of p-nitrophenyl acetate and benzohydroxamate ions in the presence of the surfactant cetyltriphenylphosphonium bromide with a varying concentration of EG and DEG ranging from 0 to 50% v/v at pH=7.9 and 300 K. All of the reactions followed pseudo-first-order kinetics. An increase in the surfactant concentration results in an increase in the reaction rate and for a given surfactant concentration, the rate constant decreases as the concentration of co-solvent in the mixture increases. The kinetic micellar effects have been explained by using the pseudophase model. The thermodynamic and structural changes originating from the presence of solvents control the micellar kinetic effects.     

Anionic–Nonionic Mixed Surfactant Systems: Micellar Interaction and Thermodynamic Behavior

The interactions between an anionic surfactant, viz., sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate and nonionic surfactants with different secondary ethoxylated chain length, viz., Tergitol 15-S-12, Tergitol 15-S-9, and Tergitol 15-S-7 have been studied in the present article. An attempt has also been made to investigate the effect of ethoxylated chain length on the micellar and the thermodynamic properties of the mixed surfactant systems. The micellar properties like critical micelle concentration (CMC), micellar composition (X_A), interaction parameter (β), and the activity coefficients (f_A and f_NI) have been evaluated using Rubingh's regular solution theory. In addition to micellar studies, thermodynamic parameters like the surface pressure (Π_CMC), surface excess values (Γ_CMC), average area of the monomers at the air–water interface (A_avg), free energy of micellization (ΔG_m), minimum energy at the air–water interface (G_min), etc., have also been calculated. It has been found that in mixtures of anionic and nonionic secondary ethoxylated surfactants, a surfactant containing a smaller ethoxylated chain is favored thermodynamically. Additionally, the adsorption of nonionic species on air/water interface and micelle increases with decreasing secondary ethoxylated chain length. Dynamic light scattering and viscometric studies have also been performed to study the interactions between anionic and nonionic surfactants used.     

Micellization and mixed micellization of cationic gemini (dimeric) surfactants and cationic conventional (monomeric) surfactants: Conductometric,dye solubilization,and surface tension studies

In the present study, we have investigated the self-association, mixed micellization, and thermodynamic studies of a cationic gemini (dimeric) surfactant, hexanediyl-1,6-bis(dimethylcetylammonium bromide (16-6-16)) and a cationic conventional (monomeric) surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The critical micelle concentration (CMC) of pure (16-6-16 and CTAB) and mixed (16-6-16+CTAB) surfactants was measured by electrical conductivity, dye solubilization, and surface tension measurements. The surface properties (viz., C₂₀ (the surfactant concentration required to reduce the surface tension by 20 mN/m), Π_CMC (the surface pressure at the CMC), Γ_max (maximum surface excess concentration at the air/water interface), A_min (the minimum area per surfactant molecule at the air/water interface), etc.) of micellar (16-6-16 or CTAB) and mixed micellar (16-6-16+CTAB) surfactant systems were evaluated. The thermodynamic parameters of the micellar (16-6-16 and CTAB) and mixed micellar (16-6-16+CTAB) surfactant systems were also evaluated.     

Micellization of monomeric and dimeric (gemini) surfactants in polar nonaqueous-water-mixed solvents

Dimeric or gemini surfactants are novel surfactants that are finding a great deal of discussion in the academic and industrial arena. They consist of two hydrophobic chains and two polar head groups covalently linked by a spacer. Data on critical micelle concentration (cmc) and degree of counterion dissociation (α) are reported on bis-cationic C₁₆H₃₃N⁺(CH₃)₂–(CH₂)_s–N⁺(CH₃)₂C₁₆H₃₃, 2Br⁻, referred to as 16-s-16, for spacer lengths s=4, 5, 6 in aqueous and in polar nonaqueous (1-propanol, 2-methoxyethanol or methyl cellosolve, dimethyl sulfoxide, acetonitrile)-water-mixed solvents. The behavior is compared with conventional monomeric surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Thermodynamic parameters are obtained from the temperature dependence of the cmc values. It is observed that micellization tendency of the surfactants decreases in the presence of polar nonaqueous solvents. However, detailed studies with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) show that the geminis nearly outclass the micellization-arresting property of this solvent. Also, within geminis, higher spacer length is found suitable for showing micellization even with high DMSO content (50% v/v). The implications of these results of gemini micellization may be useful in micellar catalysis in polar nonaqueous solvents.     

Study of host–guest interaction between ß-cyclodextrin and alkyltrimethylammonium bromides in water

Cyclodextrins were found to play important roles in self-assembly systems of surfactants. The interactions between host molecule ß-cyclodextrin (CD) and model cationic surfactants, alkyltrimethylammonium bromides with different alkyl chain length: dodecyl-(C₁₂TAB), tetradecyl-(C₁₄TAB) and hexadecyl-(C₁₆TAB) are studied by means of conductivity measurements at 313.2 K. The data obtained indicate that inclusion complexes (CD:S⁺) had formed, and apparent critical micelle concentration (CMC*) is equivalent to the combined concentrations of surfactant monomers complexed with the CD and that of a free dissolved monomer in equilibrium with the micellized surfactant without CD. Inclusion complexes were characterized by an equilibrium binding constant K ₁₁, which value increases as the length of alkyl chains, and consequently the hydrophobicity, increases. From mathematical model the concentrations of the uncomplexed cyclodextrin, uncomplexed surfactant ion, and inclusion complex in the submicellar, as well as in the micellar range were calculated. The competition between the micellization and complexation processes leads to the existence of a significant concentration of free CD in equilibrium with the micellar aggregates. The percentage of uncomplexed cyclodextrin in equilibrium with the micelles is independent on cyclodextrin concentration for a particular ternary system and is 31, 37, and 34 % for C₁₂TAB/water/ß-CD, C₁₄TAB/water/ß-CD and C₁₆TAB/water/ß-CD, respectively. By using standard Gibbs free energy for micellization and surfactant complexation by CD, we can explain the observed behavior.     

Interactions Between Alkyl Triphenyl Phosphonium Bromides and Polyvinylpyrrolidones in Aqueous Media

The interactions of polyvinylpyrrolidones with alkyl triphenyl phosphonium bromide in aqueous media were investigated with conductometric, fluorimetric and tensiometric techniques. Formation of surfactant-polymer aggregates was detected in the case of C₁₆ and C₁₄ surfactant by these techniques. Tensiometric technique proved to be very sensitive to detect the early stage of association at very low concentrations. The Gibbs free energy of micellization and the dielectric constant values of the micellar interface values were obtained and discussed in terms of strength of interaction between the polymers and surfactants.     

Micellization and Interaction Properties of Aqueous Solutions of Mixed Cationic and Nonionic Surfactants

The micellization process of binary surfactant mixtures containing cationic surfactants viz. dodecyl pyridinium halide (C₁₂PyX; X=Cl, Br, I), tetradecyl pyridium bromide (C₁₄PyBr), and hexadecyl pyridium halide (C₁₆PyX; X=Cl, Br) and a nonionic surfactants viz. dodecyl nonapolyethylene glycol ether (C₁₂E₉), dodecyl decapolyethylene glycol ether (C₁₂E₁₀), dodecyl dodecapolyethylene glycol ether (C₁₂E₁₂), and dodecyl pentadecapolyethylene glycol ether (C₁₂E₁₅) in water at different mole fractions (0–1) were studied by surface tension method. The composition of mixed micelles and the interaction parameter, β evaluated from the CMC data obtained by surface tension for different systems using Rubingh's theory were discussed. Activity coefficient (f₁ and f₂) of cationic surfactant (C_nPyBr)/C₁₂E_m (n=12, 14, 16 and m=10, 12, 15) mixed surfactant systems were evaluated, which shows extent of ideality of individual surfactant in mixed system. The stability factors for mixed micelles were also discussed by Maeda's approach, which was justified on the basis of steric factor due to difference in head group of nonionic surfactant.     

The physicochemical properties of aqueous mixtures of cationic-anionic surfactants: I. The effect of chain length symmetry

The solution behaviors of equimolar mixtures of cationic-anionic surfactants have been studied by means of the dynamic light scattering technique and surface tension measurements. The surface activity and the micellization properties are different for systems of different hydrophobic chain length symmetry. For systems of lower symmetry (e.g., C₆H₁₃NC₅H₅Br-C₁₂H₂₅SO₄Na mixture), the surface tension at cmc (γ_cmc) is rather high (above 30 mN m⁻¹) and the mixtures form genuinely homogeneous micellar solutions above the cmc. For the systems of high symmetry (e.g., C₈H₁₇NC₅H₅Br-C₈H₁₇SO₄Na mixture), γ_cmc is very low (about 24 mN m⁻¹, near the value of pure hydrocarbon) and in the apparently homogeneous and clear mixtures slightly above cmc, the aggregates grow slowly and eventually form small droplets; as the concentration is further increased, all these solutions become turbid. We have proposed a new concept of conformation energy of aggregates to account for all these phenomena. Mixtures of octyltriethylammonium bromide and sodium octylsulfate form clear homogeneous micellar solutions in keeping with predictions based upon this concept.     

The Self-Association and Mixed Micellization of an Anionic Surfactant,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate,and a Cationic Surfactant,Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide: Conductometric,Dye Solubilization,and Surface Tension Studies

In the present study, we investigate the self-association and mixed micellization of an anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and a cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The critical micelle concentration (CMC) of SDS, CTAB, and mixed (SDS + CTAB) surfactants was measured by electrical conductivity, dye solubilization, and surface tension measurements. The surface properties (viz., C₂₀ (the surfactant concentration required to reduce the surface tension by 20 mN/m), Π_CMC (the surface pressure at the CMC), Γ_max (maximum surface excess concentration at the air/water interface), and A_min (the minimum area per surfactant molecule at the air/water interface)) of SDS, CTAB, and (SDS + CTAB) micellar/mixed micellar systems were evaluated. The thermodynamic parameters of the micellar (SDS and CTAB), and mixed micellar (SDS + CTAB) systems were evaluated.

A schematic representation of micelles and mixed micelles.     

Mixed micellization and surface properties of non-ionic/cationic surfactants

We investigate the surface properties of aqueous binary mixtures of our cationic surfactant O-dodecyl-N,N′-diisopropylisourea hydrochloride (ISO-DIC C₁₂) with commercially available nonionic surfactant polyoxyethylene p-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenyl ether (TritonX-100) at different temperatures (288 to 303?K). The micellization behavior of the binary systems is studied by determining the surface tension and other important physicochemical parameters, such as the critical micelle concentration (CMC), surface tension at the CMC(γ_cmc), Krafft Temperature (T_K), maximum excess concentration (Γ_max), minimum surface area per molecule (A_min), surface pressure at the CMC (П_cmc), and the adsorption efficiency (pC20) at the air/water interface. The study has additionally covered the calculation of thermodynamic parameters of micellization, including the standard Gibbs free energy, the standard enthalpy, the standard entropy, the free energy, and the Gibbs free energy of adsorption at air/water interface. The CMC values of the binary systems determined by experimental data are used to evaluate the micellar composition in the mixed micelle, the interaction parameter β and the activity coefficients f₁(ISO-DIC C₁₂) and f₂ (polyoxyethylene p-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenyl ether) using the theoretical treatment proposed by Clint and Rubingh. Our results reveal that the proposed binary systems possess enhanced surface activity compared to those of the individual surfactants.     

Effective solubilization of chalcones in micellar phase: Conductivity and voltammetric study

The solubilization of four chalcones, between aqueous and micellar phases of ionic surfactants (SDS and CTAB), was investigated by conductivity and cyclic voltammetry (CV) techniques. From conductivity data, a decrease in the critical micellar concentration (CMC) of the surfactants, in presence of the chalcones was ascribed to the decreased charge density over the surfactants. The results were seconded by thermodynamic parameters including degree of ionization (α), counter ion binding (β), and standard Gibbs free energy of micellization (ΔG _m ^○ ). The added surfactant decreased the peak current of the oxidized chalcone and shifted the peak potential either positively (in presence of SDS) or negatively (in presence of CTAB). The effect is rationalized as chalcone-surfactant interaction and quantitated as binding constant (K _b) assorting values from 8.78 to 552.97 M^?1. The preferred solubilization of the chalcones in the micellar phase has been inferred.     

Mixed micellization of an anionic gemini surfactant (GA) with conventional polyethoxylated nonionic surfactants in brine solution at pH 5 and 298 K

The micellization behavior of an anionic gemini surfactant, GA with nonionic surfactants C₁₂E₈ and C₁₂E₅ in presence of 0.1 M NaCl at 298 K temperature, has been studied tensiometrically in pure and mixed states, and the related physicochemical parameters (cmc, γ _cmc, pC ₂₀, Γ _max, and A _min) have been evaluated. Tensiometric profile (γ vs log [surfactant]), for conventional surfactants, generally consists of a single point of intersection; a gradually decreasing line (normally linear, or with slight curvature) ultimately saturates in γ at a particular [surfactant], corresponding to complete monolayer saturation. The gemini, in this report, led to two unequivocal breaks in the tensiometric isotherm. An attempt to the interpretation of the two breaks from molecular point of view is provided, depending solely on the chemical structure of the surfactant. The gemini, even in mixed state with the conventional nonionic surfactants C₁₂E₅ and C₁₂E₈, manifested the dual breaks; of course, the dominance of the feature decreases with increasing mole fraction of the nonionics in the mixture. Theories of Clint, Rosen, Rubingh, Motomura, Georgiev, Maeda, and Nagarajan have been used to determine the interaction between surfactants at the interface and micellar state of aggregation, the composition of the aggregates, the theoretical cmc in pure and mixed states, and the structural parameters according to Tanford and Israelachvili. Several thermodynamic parameters have also been predicted from those theories.     

Spectroscopic Investigations on the Interaction of Crystal Violet with Nonionic Micelles of Brij and Igepal Surfactants in Aqueous Media

The behavior of the triphenylmethane dye crystal violet in aqueous solutions containing polyoxyethylene nonionic surfactants was investigated using absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic techniques. The interactions of the dye were examined in micellar media in order to prevent dye aggregation and to ensure maximum dye and surfactant interaction. The relative fluorescence enhancements and the binding constants of the dye to the surfactant micelles were determined. The micropolarities of the micellar environment sensed by the pyrene probe were estimated from the I ₁/I ₃ intensity ratios of the fluorescence spectra of pyrene. The fluorescence quenching of pyrene by hexadecylpyridinium chloride was investigated in aqueous surfactant mixtures at a fixed concentration of surfactant in order to determine the aggregation numbers. Attempts were made to correlate the binding constants obtained in this investigation to various micellar parameters.     

Aggregation behavior and intermicellar interactions of cationic Gemini surfactants: Effects of alkyl chain,spacer lengths and temperature

The aggregation behavior of the cationic Gemini surfactants C_mH_2m+1N(CH₃)₂(CH₂)_S (CH₃)₂ N C_mH_2m+1,2Br^? with m = 12, 14 and s = 2, 4 were studied by performing surface tension, electrical conductivity, pulsed field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance (PFG-NMR), and cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements over the temperature range 298 K to 323 K. The critical micelle concentration (CMC), surface excess (Г_max), mean molecular surface area (A_min), degree of counter ion dissociation (α), and the thermodynamic parameters of micellization were determined from the surface tension and conductance data. An enthalpy–entropy compensation effect was observed and all the plots of enthalpy–entropy compensation exhibit excellent linearity. The micellar self-diffusion coefficients (D_m) and intermicellar interaction parameters (k_d) were obtained from the PFG-NMR and CV measurements. These results are discussed in terms of the intermicellar interactions, the effects of the chain and spacer lengths on the micellar surface charge density, and the phase transition between spherical and rod geometries. The intermicellar interaction parameters were found to decrease slightly with increasing temperature for 14–4–14, which suggests that the micellar surface charge density decreases with increasing temperature. The mean values of the hydrodynamic radius, R_h, and the aggregation number, N_agg, of the Gemini surfactants’ m–4–m micelles were calculated from the micellar self-diffusion coefficient. Moreover, the N_agg values were calculated theoretically. The experimental values of N_agg increase with increases in the chain length and are in good agreement with both previous results and our theoretical results.     

Influence of β‐Cyclodextrin on the Mixed Micellization Process of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate and Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosine and Formation of Inclusion Complexes

In this work, we have studied the influence of different concentrations of β‐Cyclodextrin (β‐CD) on the mixed micellization of anionic surfactants sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and sodium lauroyl sarcosine (SLAS) at different SDS mole fractions (α_SDS). From conductivity data, the critical micellar concentration (cmc), the equivalent ionic conductivities of the monomeric species (Λ_m), the associated species (Λ_assc) and the micelle (Λ_mic), the degree of counterion dissociation (α) in the presence of β‐CD were evaluated from the slope of the conductivity versus concentration plots for the pure and binary mixtures. The apparent cmc of the surfactants vary linearly with the β‐CD concentrations. From the dependence of cmc of the surfactants on β‐CD concentration, we have deduced the association constant (K) of surfactant‐β‐CD inclusion complexes assuming 1∶1 stoichiometry. Theories of Clint, Regular solution, and Motomura's have been used for the evaluation of ideality or nonideality of the mixed system. Mixed micelles were found to be rich in SDS content at the cmc in the presence and the absence of β‐CD. The cmc values have been used to evaluate the transfer of standard free energy of micelles (ΔG⁰ _M,tr) from the aqueous medium to additive medium.     

Small-angle neutron-scattering study of bis(quaternaryammonium bromide) surfactant micelles in water. Effect of the long spacer chain on micellar structure

The microstructure of the normal micelles formed by dimeric surfactants with long spacers, [Br⁻(CH₃)₂N⁺(C _m H_{2 m +1})-(CH₂) _S  -(C _m H_{2 m +1})N⁺(CH₃)₂Br⁻, m = 10 and s = 8, 10 and 12], has been investigated by small-angle neutron scattering and compared with previously reported results for micelles of the same dimeric surfactants with shorter spacers (m = 10 and s = 2, 3, 4 and 6). It was found that for dimeric surfactants with long spacers (s = 8 and 10), both micellar growth and variation in shape occur to only a small extent, if at all, compared with dimeric surfactants with short spacers. However, for the dimeric surfactant with the longest spacer, s = 12, the extent of micellar growth and shape variation is also large. These results are due to the differences in conformation of dimeric surfactants with short spacers (s = 2–6) compared with that of the surfactants with long spacers (s = 8–12). Received: 15 June 1998 Accepted: 22 July 1998     

Micelle structure and molecular self‐diffusion in isononylphenol ethoxylate–water systems

The structure and dynamic properties of micellar solutions of nonionic surfactants of a series of isononylphenol ethoxylates, C₉H₁₉C₆H₄O(C₂H₄O)_nH (where n = 6,8,9,10, and 12), were studied by NMR diffusometry, dynamic light scattering, and viscosimetry. The sizes of the micelles were determined for different surfactants and at different surfactant concentrations. The numbers of water molecules bound by a micelle and by one oxyethylene group of the surfactant were estimated. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.