Effect of a copolymer poly(4-styrenesufonic acid-co-maleic acid) sodium salt on aggregation behavior of surface active ionic liquid 1-tetradecyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide and structurally similar conventional surfactant tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide in aqueous media

The complex formation of anionic copolymer poly(4-styrenesufonic acid-co-maleic acid) sodium salt (PSSA-co-MA) with surfactant tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide (TTAB) and surface active ionic liquid (SAIL) 1-tetradecyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (C₁₄mim]Br]) has been studied in aqueous media by utilizing various techniques such as tensiometry, conductometry and fluorimetry. Conductometric and tensiometric curve of all the investigated systems demonstrate four break points corresponding to four transition states. All the thermodynamic and surface properties of surfactant-polyelectrolyte systems have been determined by conductance and surface tension measurements respectively. The value of cmc decreases with increasing the concentration of polyelectrolyte for studied systems. But it has been observed that, the lowering in cmc values is more in C₁₄mim]Br]-PSSA-co-MA system than TTAB-PSSA-co-MA system, although the differences in cmc are not much significant. The lowering in cmc of C₁₄mim]Br]-PSSA-co-MA system shows that ionic attractions between cationic head group C₁₄mim]⁺ and anionic parts (SO₃^? and COOH), are stronger than those in TTA⁺ and anionic parts (SO₃^? and COOH). The results indicated that the C₁₄mim]Br]-PSSA-co-MA complexes are comparatively more surface active than TTAB-PSSA-co-MA complexes. The fluorescence probe behaviour also confirms cmc value and provides aggregation number (N_agg). Finally all the findings of C₁₄mim]Br] and TTAB have been compared.