On the calculation of diffusion coefficients and aggregation numbers of nonionic surfactants in micellar solutions

The calculation of the diffusion coefficients of nonionic surfactants as functions of their concentrations in micellar solutions has been analyzed within the framework of the quasi-chemical version of the law of mass action. The methods of the introduction of initial calculation parameters, calculation scheme for an ideal mixture of monomeric molecules and micelles, and corrections for varying solution viscosity have been considered. Numerical estimations have been performed using aqueous tetraoxyethylene octyl ether, pentaoxyethylene hexyl ether, and octyl-β-D-glucopyranoside solutions as examples.     

Calculation aspects of diffusion coefficients in micellar solutions of ionic surfactants

A method has been analyzed for calculating diffusion coefficients of 1 : 1 ionic surfactants as functions of their micellar solution concentrations within the framework of the quasi-chemical variant of the law of mass action. Relations have been presented for two- (with no allowance for micelles) and three-particle interaction (with allowance for micelles) formalisms. The methods for the introduction of initial calculation parameters and the calculation scheme for an ideal mixture of monomeric ions and micelles, as well as the correction for a deviation from ideality and a change in solution viscosity, have been considered. Numerical assessments have been performed by the examples of aqueous sodium dodecyl sulfate and alkyltrimethylammonium bromide solutions.     

Viscosity increase with temperature in cationic surfactant solutions due to the growth of wormlike micelles

Wormlike micellar solutions based on ionic surfactants typically show an exponential decrease in viscosity upon heating. Here, we report the unusual observation of an increasing viscosity with temperature in certain cationic wormlike micellar solutions. The solutions contain a cationic surfactant with an erucyl (C22, mono-unsaturated) tail and an organic salt, sodium hydroxynaphthalene carboxylate (SHNC). When these solutions are heated, their zero-shear viscosity increases over a range of temperatures. In some cases, the viscosity reaches a peak at a certain temperature and then decreases with further heating. The magnitude of the viscosity increase, the onset of this increase, and the peak temperature can all be tuned by varying the SHNC concentration. Small-angle neutron scattering is used to study the origin of this unusual rheological behavior. The data reveal that the contour length of the micelles increases with temperature, in tandem with the rise in viscosity. A possible explanation for the contour length increase, based on a temperature-dependent counterion binding, is discussed.     

Rheological Properties of Anionic Surfactant Solutions in the Presence of Al3+ Counterion

Aqueous solutions of ionic surfactants with strongly binding counterions exhibit wormlike or network properties. The properties of anionic micelles of sodium dodecyltrioxyethylene sulfate (AES) in the presence of multivalent counterion Al³⁺ were investigated by dynamic rheological methods. The steady-shear viscosity and stress, the zero-shear viscosity, the complex viscosity, and the dynamic shear modulus have been determined as a function of the surfactant and salt concentrations. Some interesting and noticeable results have been obtained, which can express the micellar growth and structure. The formation of wormlike micelles or network structure in surfactant solutions becomes much easier with increasing surfactant and salt concentrations. The Cox-Merz rule and the Cole-Cole plot are not applicable perfectly to the systems studied. The nonlinear viscoelasticity and non-Newtonian behavior can be found in all solutions according to the comparison with the simple Maxwell model. The technique of freeze-fracture transmission electron microscopy (FF-TEM) was also applied to confirm the formation of these interesting structures.     

Unusual micellar properties of multiheaded cationic surfactants in the presence of strong charge neutralizing salts

The aggregation properties of single-chain surfactants bearing one (H1), two (H2), and three (H3) trimethylammonium head groups have been studied by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). Growth of aggregates was observed to decrease dramatically with an increase in the number of head groups in the surfactants. The micelles grow progressively smaller with every increase in the number of head groups of the surfactants. Aggregation number (N) continuously decreases and the fractional charge (alpha) gradually increases with the increase in the number of head groups. The semiminor axis (a) and semimajor axis (b=c) of the micelle decrease strongly with the increase in the number of head groups. In the case of H1, dramatic micellar growth is observed on addition of salts such as KBr and sodium salicylate, but this type of micellar growth is not observed in the cases of H2 and H3 when the above salts are added to their micellar solutions. Aggregation number and size of the micelles remain almost the same, even after addition of KBr at a concentration as high as 100 mM. This observation with multiheaded cationic surfactants is unusual. Clearly, the charge density at the head group level of surfactants markedly influences their micellar aggregation properties.     

双子表面活性剂的粘度行为

对阳离子双子表面活性剂在溶液中的粘度行为进行了研究.发现联结基长度与双子表面活性剂在稀溶液中能否表现出粘度行为有很大关系，联结基数s = 2、3、4的双子表面活性剂稀溶液表现出显著的增粘性，但 s =4的某些双子表面活性剂的粘度具有时间依赖性，而s = 6的双子表面活性剂则没有明显的粘度行为.双子表面活性剂烷基链越长，其增粘能力也越强.联结基数s = 2或3的部分双子表面活性剂，其粘度随温度的变化有一最大值.双子表面活性剂与有机酸盐的复合物也表现出很强的增粘行为.     

A Viscometric and Conductometric Investigation of the Micellar and Solution Properties of Two-Headed Surfactant Systems, the Disodium 4-Alkyl-3-sulfonatosuccinates

A family of two-headed surfactants, the disodium 4-alkyl-3-sulfonatosuccinates, has been prepared by reacting maleic anhydride with the appropriate chain-length alcohol and subsequent addition of sodium bisulfite to the corresponding monoester. The properties of the micelles formed by these compounds in aqueous solution (aggregation numbers, degrees of counterion binding, and the cmc values) have been investigated as a function of temperature and surfactant chain length using viscosity, density, and conductance measurements. The critical micelle concentrations (cmc's) and the aggregation numbers appear to indicate that, in agreement with the earlier literature on other two-headed surfactants systems, these amphiphiles have higher cmc and lower aggregation numbers when compared to single-headed surfactants of comparable chain length. In addition, viscosity B coefficients and the thermodynamic parameters of activation of viscous flow have been determined. These results are interpreted in terms of the structure-making or -breaking properties of the surfactant amphiphiles below the cmc region. Finally, the thermodynamic properties of micelle formation have been estimated from the dependence of the cmc on the absolute temperature according to the charged pseudo-phase separation model of micelle formation. All these results are discussed in terms of how the addition of the second charged surfactant headgroup alters the micellar and solution properties of two-headed surfactants vs. their single-headed counterparts.     

Micropartioning and solubilization enhancement of 1,2-bis(bis(4-chlorophenyl) methyl)diselane in mixed micelles of binary and ternary cationic-nonionic surfactant mixtures

The aqueous solubilization of the organoselenium compound viz., 1,2-bis(bis(4-chlorophenyl)methyl)diselane [(ClC(6)H(4))(2)CHSe](2) has been investigated experimentally in micellar solutions of two cationic (hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, CTAB, hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride, CTAC) and one nonionic (polyoxyethylene(20)mono-n-hexadecyl ether, Brij 58) surfactants possessing the same hydrocarbon "tail" length and in their single as well as equimolar binary and ternary mixed states. Solubilization capacity determined with spectrophotometry and tensiometry has been quantified in terms of molar solubilization ratio and micelle-water partition coefficient. FTIR, UV-vis, fluorescence and zeta potential measurements have been utilized to ascertain the interaction of organochalcogen compound with surfactants. Equimolar cationic-nonionic surfactant combinations show better solubilization capacity than pure cationics or nonionics, whereas equimolar cationic-cationic-nonionic ternary surfactant systems exhibit intermediate solubilization efficiency between their single and binary counterparts. Locus of solubilization of [(ClC(6)H(4))(2)CHSe](2) in different micellar solutions was probed by UV-visible spectroscopy. The investigation has presented precious information for the preference of mixed surfactants for solubilizing water-insoluble compounds. Indeed the solubilization aptitude of these surfactants is not merely related to molar capacity. The results furnish adequate support to justify comprehensive exploration of the surfactant properties that influence solubilization.     

Abnormal micellar growth in sugar-based and ethoxylated nonionic surfactants and their mixtures in dilute regimes using analytical ultracentrifugation

To develop structure-property relationships for surfactants that control their adsorption, solubilization, and micellization behavior in mixed systems and to develop predictive models based on such relationships, it is necessary to acquire quantitative information on various species present in these complex systems. The analytical ultracentrifugation technique is selected for the first time to characterize the species present in mixed micellar solutions due to its powerful ability to separate particles on the basis of their size and shape. Two nonionic surfactants, n-dodecyl-beta-D-maltoside (DM) and nonyl phenol ethoxylated decyl ether (NP-10), and their 1:1 molar ratio mixture were investigated in this study. Micelles of the nonionic surfactants and their mixture are asymmetrical in shape at the critical micelle concentration (cmc). Interestingly, unlike ionic surfactants, the micellar growths of the nonionic surfactants were found to occur at concentrations immediately above the cmc. The results from both sedimentation velocity and sedimentation equilibrium experiments suggest coexistence of two types of micelles in nonyl phenol ethoxylated decyl ether solutions and in its mixture with n-dodecyl-beta-D-maltoside, while only one micellar species is present in n-dodecyl-beta-D-maltoside solutions. Type 1 micelles were primary micelles at the cmc, while type 2 micelles were elongated micelles. The differences in the micellar shapes of n-dodecyl-beta-D-maltoside and nonyl phenol ethoxylated decyl ether are attributed to packing parameters detected by their molecular structures.     

Diffusion of Alkyltriphenylphosphonium Bromides in Aqueous Micellar Solutions

Dynamic light scattering, conductometry, and capillary viscometry have been used to study aqueous micellar solutions of dodecyl-, tetradecyl-, and hexadecyltriphenylphosphonium bromides in a wide range of concentrations covering the first and second critical micelle concentrations (CMC₁ and CMC₂). It has been shown that the concentration curves for the diffusion coefficients of the ionic surfactants increase above CMC₁ and, then, pass through a maximum. As the alkyl chain length increases, the slopes of the concentration curves within the range of the linear growth in the diffusion coefficient rise, the height of the maximum increases, and its position shifts toward lower concentrations. The obtained results have been explained in terms of a theory previously developed for ideal micellar systems. It has been shown that the mobility factor plays the predominant role in the range of the linear increase in the diffusion coefficient and the effect of the viscosity of a micellar surfactant solution is enhanced with a rise in its concentration.     

Solubilization and Interactions of Thiram with Surfactants: Micellar Effects on Adsorption Characteristics of Thiram onto Activated Carbon

The solubilization of thiram was studied in micellar solutions of two surfactants possessing the same hydrocarbon tail but different hydrophilic head groups, namely sodium dodecyl sulfate and dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide. Conductivity, spectrophotometry, and surface tension measurements have been used in quantitative analysis of the interaction between thiram and surfactants. In this work the adsorption of thiram onto selected two different activated carbons has been also studied in the absence and presence of micelles. The interaction of thiram in different micellar solutions provided information about the characteristics of adsorption properties of poorly soluble pesticide thiram onto activated carbon in the presence of micelles.     

Influence of Micelles of Different Types of Surfactant on the Mechanism of Diphenylamine Oxidation with Potassium Persulfate

Data on diphenylamine oxidation with potassium persulfate in aqueous-organic micellar solutions of different surfactants are generalized. The general effects of different surfactants are explained by the fact that different parts of micelles influence particular steps of multistep chemical reactions. This approach will enable one to control the formation rates of the intermediate or final product by making use of reaction specificity.__________Translated from Kinetika i Kataliz, Vol. 46, No. 3, 2005, pp. 390–393.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Gevorkyan.     

Importance of micellar kinetics in relation to technological processes

The association of many classes of surface-active molecules into micellar aggregates is a well-known phenomenon. Micelles are in dynamic equilibrium, constantly disintegrating and reforming. This relaxation process is characterized by the slow micellar relaxation time constant, tau(2), which is directly related to the micellar stability. Theories of the kinetics of micelle formation and disintegration have been discussed to identify the gaps in our complete understanding of this kinetic process. The micellar stability of sodium dodecyl sulfate micelles has been shown to significantly influence technological processes involving a rapid increase in interfacial area, such as foaming, wetting, emulsification, solubilization, and detergency. First, the available monomers adsorb onto the freshly created interface. Then, additional monomers must be provided by the breakup of micelles. Especially when the free monomer concentration is low, which is the case for many nonionic surfactant solutions, the micellar breakup time is a rate-limiting step in the supply of monomers. The Center for Surface Science & Engineering at the University of Florida has developed methods using stopped flow and pressure jump with optical detection to determine the slow relaxation time of micelles of nonionic surfactants. The results showed that the ionic surfactants such as SDS exhibit slow relaxation times in the range from milliseconds to seconds, whereas nonionic surfactants exhibit slow relaxation times in the range from seconds (for Triton X-100) to minutes (for polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers). The slow relaxation times are much longer for nonionic surfactants than for ionic surfactants, because of the absence of ionic repulsion between the head groups. The observed relaxation times showed a direct correlation with dynamic surface tension and foaming experiments. In conclusion, relaxation time data of surfactant solutions correlate with the dynamic properties of the micellar solutions. Moreover, the results suggest that appropriate micelles with specific stability or tau(2) can be designed by controlling the surfactant structure, concentration, and physicochemical conditions (e.g., salt concentration, temperature, and pressure). One can also tailor micelles by mixing anionic/cationic or ionic/nonionic surfactants for a desired stability to control various technological processes.     

The Viscous Properties of Anionic/Cationic and Cationic/Nonionic Mixed Surfactant Systems

The behavior of mixed cationic/anionic and cationic/nonionic surfactants solutions have been studied by viscosimetry. The systems studied were sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)/cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and CTAB/Brij (polyoxyethylene lauryl ether, n = 10 and 23) in aqueous and sodium chloride solutions. The relative viscosity of single nonionic surfactant solutions is larger than that of SDS or CTAB solutions. It increases with the number of ethylene oxide groups. In the mixed systems, viscosity deviates from ideal behavior. The deviation results from electrostatic interactions. The surfactant mixture composition affects the self-assembled microstructure and rheology. A new mixed system that forms clear micellar solution above CMC was detected. In CTAB/Brij systems, the experimental data also deviate from ideal behavior due to mixed micelle formation and electroviscous effect. This effect is less pronounced than that of SDS/CTAB system and could be suppressed by adding an electrolyte (NaCl).     

Computer simulations of micellar systems

Works published during the last decade devoted to simulation of micellar solutions of different surfactants are reviewed. The main attention is focused on studying the local structure of spherical and cylindrical micelles and their surface layers in solutions, as well as problems relevant to self-aggregation kinetics.     

Aggregation behavior of morpholinium surfactants in the presence of organic electrolytes

It was shown that the addition of organic electrolytes to aqueous solutions of morpholinium surfactants facilitates micellization, reduces the micellar surface potential, increases the hydrodynamic diameter of micelles and favors the formation of cylindrical micelles which behave as pseudoplastic fluids. At low shear rates, the viscosity is extremely large and changes insignificantly, and it decreases sharply with increase in shear rate. Significant decrease in viscosity upon the increase in shear deformations indicates the orientation of cylindrical micelles along the direction of the flow with the increase in shear rate.     

Cyclic voltammetry and viscosity measurements of aggregated assemblies of anionic surfactants with nonionic surfactants and triblock copolymers

Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and viscosity measurements have been employed to study the aggregation behavior of mixed micellar systems of anionic surfactant (dioctyl sulfosuccinate sodium salt, AOT) with conventional nonionic surfactants such as Brij 35/TritonX-100/Tween 20/Tween 80/Myrj 45 and two triblock copolymers (L64 and F68). Critical micelle concentration (cmc) values have been determined for various micellar systems from CV measurements using 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) as an electroactive probe at 25 °C. Diffusion coefficient (D) has been evaluated from Randles–Sevcik equation which showed an overall decrease for most of the binary systems. The negative values of interaction parameters (β) obtained from regular solution theory suggest the synergistic behavior in all the binary systems except AOT + Tween 80 mixtures. The mixed systems of AOT with triblock copolymers showed stronger synergistic interactions than that of mixed systems of AOT with nonionic surfactants. A comparative evaluation of mixed systems of anionic surfactants AOT and sodium dodecyl sulfate with Myrj 45 and AOT + L64 and F68 has been made on the basis of different micellar parameters and structural properties of surfactants. Viscosity measurements also show similar type of interactions in the mixed micelles.     

Selective synthesis of single-crystalline selenium nanobelts and nanowires in micellar solutions of nonionic surfactants

Single-crystalline nanobelts and nanowires of trigonal selenium (t-Se) have been selectively synthesized in micellar solutions of nonionic surfactants. In particular, t-Se nanobelts about 30 nm in thickness were obtained in micellar solutions of poly(oxyethylene(20)) octadecyl ether (C18EO20), whereas t-Se nanowires were obtained in micellar solutions of poly(oxyethylene(10)) dodecyl ether (C12EO10). The obtained t-Se nanobelts exhibit a low-energy absorption peak that is considerably red shifted from that for t-Se nanowires, which has been presumably attributed to the lower degree of crystal perfection for the t-Se nanobelts with rectangular cross sections.     

Viscoelastic behavior of surfactants worm-like micellar solution in the presence of alkanolamide

A study of the phase and rheological behavior of anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl trioxyethylene sulfate (SDES) and nonionic polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate (Tween-80) with alkanoyl-N-methylethanolamide (C(12), NMEA-12; and C(16), NMEA-16) in aqueous system is presented. Upon addition of NMEA to the semi-dilute solution of SDES or Tween-80, induces micellar growth leading to the formation of a gel-like highly viscoelastic solution in the maximum viscosity region. These solutions obey the Maxwell model of a viscoelastic fluid. It was observed from rheological measurements that NMEA-16 is more effective than NMEA-12 to induce the micellar growth of surfactants. The relationship between the marked changes in viscosity with surfactant-cosurfactant mixing ratio based on the experimental observations is discussed.     

Determination of critical micelle concentrations of ionic and nonionic surfactants based on relative viscosity measurements by capillary electrophoresis

The critical micelle concentration (CMC) can be obtained by measuring the distinct physical properties of surfactant molecules in the monomeric and micellar states. In this study, two linear increments of relative viscosity with distinct slopes were obtained when increasing surfactant concentrations from dilute solution to above the CMC, which was then determined by the intersection of the two linear extrapolations. Using a capillary electrophoresis (CE) instrument and Poiseuille’s law, the viscosities of surfactants at a series of concentrations covering the monomeric and micellar regions could be obtained by measuring the hydrodynamic flow rates of the corresponding surfactant solutions. We applied this method to determine the CMC values of various types of surfactants including anionic, cationic, zwitterionic, and nonionic surfactants. The resulting CMC values were all in good agreement with those reported in literature. Using this method, the multiple-stage micellization process of a short-chain surfactant was revealed. We have also demonstrated that the CE-based viscometer was applicable to the study of CMC variation caused by organic or electrolyte additives.