The thermodynamics of micelles in surfactant solution: Lattice mean field theory

The lattice self-consistent mean field theory is applied to study the thermodynamics of micelles in surfactant solution. The model surfactants used are H ₄ T ₄ and H ₂ T ₄. The formation of spherical micelles is considered. The effect of the head length on the thermodynamic stability of the micellar solution is examined. The critical micelle concentration is studied at different lengths of head, fractional charge, solvent quality, and univalent salt concentration. A lower critical micelle concentration is associated with a larger aggregation number, while the smallest micelles are found at the lowest univalent salt concentration. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Local dynamics of micelles of new long-chain surfactants in aqueous media

The molecular dynamics, organization, and phase state of aqueous solutions of new long-chain cationic surfactants with saturated hydrocarbon radicals (from C₁₆ to C₂₂) containing one or two hydroxyl groups in their polar heads are studied by the spin-probe EPR spectroscopy. In the region of micellar solutions, local mobility of surfactant molecules slightly changes with an increase in the length of hydrocarbon radical, whereas the order parameter of micelles increases notably. The addition of two hydroxyl groups to the polar part of long-chain (C ₂₂) surfactant molecule considerably decreases local mobility and increases the ordering of micellar system compared to the micelles of analogous surfactant with one hydroxyl group. Phase transition from micellar to a solid state is observed in this system with a decrease in temperature. The addition of KCl to aqueous surfactant solution lowers the local mobility, increases the order parameter of micelles, and can cause changes in the phase state of a system. In the presence of salt, the correlation time of probe rotation and its order parameter depend on surfactant concentration. Apparently, this is explained by changes in the shape of micelles upon variations in surfactant concentration.     

Study of the reaction Fe(CN)5(4‐CNpy)3− + S2O82− in aqueous salt and micellar solutions

The reaction Fe(CN)₅(4‐CNpy)³⁻ + S₂O₈²⁻ (4‐CNpy=4‐cyanopyridine) was studied in aqueous salt solutions in the presence of several electrolytes as well as in anionic, cationic, and nonionic surfactant solutions. In aqueous salt solutions the noncoulombic interactions seem to be important in determining the positive salt effects observed. The salting effects are influencing the activity coefficients of any participant in the reaction, including those ion pairs which can be formed between the anionic reagents and the cations which come from the added salts. The changes in surfactant concentration in anionic and nonionic surfactant solutions do not affect the reaction rate, which is similar to that in pure water at the same ionic strength. In cationic micellar solutions an increase in the rate constant compared to that in pure water is found; the reaction rate decreasing when the surfactant concentration increases. The kinetic trends can be explained assuming that the reagents are totally bound to the micelles and, therefore, an increase in the surfactant concentration results in a decrease in the reagent concentrations at the micellar phase and thus in a decrease in the observed rate constant. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet: 31: 229–235, 1999     

PEO–PPO based star-block copolymer T904 as pH responsive nanocarriers for quercetin: Solubilization and release study

Solubilization of quercetin (QN), a hypolipidemic drug in aqueous micellar solution of a star-like octablock Tetronic® T904 covering different salt concentration, pH and temperature is investigated. The change in pH modulates the charge of the copolymer which alters the dibasic nature of the centrally located ethylenediamine moiety and makes T904 undergo deprotonation favoring self assembly. At low pH, the columbic repulsion among the positively charged amine groups of Tetronic® hinders micellization while presence of salt facilitates it. The drug solubility data for micelles in aqueous/salt solutions determined by UV–Visible spectroscopy and micellar size with loaded drug from dynamic light scattering (DLS) are reported. Hydrophobic/anionic QN, deprotonates T904 and induces the micellization in acidic pH thus assisting solubilization. The expected locus (site) of the QN in T904 micelles was successfully correlated by the significant and positive cross peaks obtained from two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (2D-NOESY). The evaluated in vitro release profile employing different kinetic models explains the controlled release of drug from T904 micelles.     

Preparation of substituted ionic carbohydrate polymers and their interactions with ionic surfactants

The formation of micelles of hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) and sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) in aqueous solutions containing charged polysaccharides was studied by steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements using pyrene as a photophysical probe. Micropolarity studies using the I₁/I₃ ratio of the vibronic emission bands of pyrene and the behaviour of the I_E/I_M ratio between the excimer and monomer emissions show the formation of hydrophobic domains. The interactions between the polyelectrolytes and surfactants of opposite charge lead to the formation of induced pre-micelles at surfactant concentrations lower than the critical micellar concentration (cmc) of the surfactants. At similar concentrations, the I_E/I_M ratio shows a peak. This aggregation process is assumed to be due to electrostatic attractions. At higher surfactant concentrations, near the critical micellar concentration, micelles with the same properties as those found in pure aqueous solution are formed. On the other hand, systems containing polyelectrolytes and surfactants of the same charge do not show this behaviour at low concentrations. The presence of long alkyl chains bound to the polyelectrolytes also induces the formation of free micelles at concentrations somewhat below the aqueous cmc.     

Interaction Mechanisms Between Anionic Surfactant Micelles and Different Metal Ions in Aqueous Solutions

In its using or eliminating processes, surfactant solutions usually exhibit different behaviors because of the different species or concentrations of the encountered metal ions. Interactions between anionic surfactant (SDS) micellar solutions and several familiar metal salt solutions (Al₂(SO₄)₃, FeCl₃, CaCl₂ and MgCl₂) were investigated. Precipitates were formed in all systems except SDS‐MgCl₂ visually. Stoichiometric analysis reveals that, in SDS‐Al₂(SO₄)₃ system, the precipitation phenomenon is mainly owing to the effect of adsorption‐charge neutralization between Al³⁺ ions and SDS micelles; in SDS‐FeCl₃ system, bridge connection effect of Fe(OH)²⁺ ions among SDS micelles becomes the dominant mechanism; while in SDS‐CaCl₂ system, all SDS micelles are decomposed and solubility product of Ca(DS)₂ crystal results in the precipitation. SEM photographs of the precipitates can serve as additional vivid proofs of the above conclusion.     

Effect of NaOH and NaCl on the disodiumn-decane phosphonate micellar aggregation number

The diffusion coefficient of disodiumn-decane phosphonate micelles was studied by polarography at 25°C in NaCl and in NaOH solutions, and the size and aggregation number of the micelles was computed as a function of Na⁺ concentration. All other conditions being equal, the addition of NaCl produces micelles with an aggregation number one order of magnitude larger than the NaOH addition. This is due to the increase of the effective charge per micellized head group produced by the reaction of OH- with the hydrolized head groups which are mainly present as-PO₃H- in the micellar Stern layer.     

THE EFFECT OF SURFACTANT MICELLES ON THE ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS OF DIMETHYLFORMAMIDE

The alkaline hydrolysis of dimethylformamide has been studied at 40'C in micellar solutions of single surfactant (CTAB. SDS. Brij 35) with the analog thermoanalytical curve method of thermokinetics. A kinetic equation of micellar catalysis under the condition of highter reactant concentration than micellar concentration ([S]>[M]) has been derived from the pseudophase model of micellar catalysis and some relative assumptions, The kinetic parameters. k_m, k_2mand the association constant of reactant with micelle K₁, have been calculated in this way. the results indicate that these surfactant micelles exhibit catalytic effect on the reaction. This is attributed to the micropolarity and local concentration effect of micelles.     

Kinetics of micellization: its significance to technological processes

The association of many classes of surface active molecules into micellar aggregates is a well-known phenomenon. Micelles are often drawn as static structures of spherical aggregates of oriented molecules. However, micelles are in dynamic equilibrium with surfactant monomers in the bulk solution constantly being exchanged with the surfactant molecules in the micelles. Additionally, the micelles themselves are continuously disintegrating and reforming. The first process is a fast relaxation process typically referred to as τ₁. The latter is a slow relaxation process with relaxation time τ₂. Thus, τ₂ represents the entire process of the formation or disintegration of a micelle. The slow relaxation time is directly correlated with the average lifetime of a micelle, and hence the molecular packing in the micelle, which in turn relates to the stability of a micelle. It was shown earlier by Shah and coworkers that the stability of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelles plays an important role in various technological processes involving an increase in interfacial area, such as foaming, wetting, emulsification, solubilization and detergency. The slow relaxation time of SDS micelles, as measured by pressure-jump and temperature-jump techniques was in the range of 10⁻⁴–10¹ s depending on the surfactant concentration. A maximum relaxation time and thus a maximum micellar stability was found at 200 mM SDS, corresponding to the least foaming, largest bubble size, longest wetting time of textile, largest emulsion droplet size and the most rapid solubilization of oil. These results are explained in terms of the flux of surfactant monomers from the bulk to the interface, which determines the dynamic surface tension. The more stable micelles lead to less monomer flux and hence to a higher dynamic surface tension. As the SDS concentration increases, the micelles become more rigid and stable as a result of the decrease in intermicellar distance. The smaller the intermicellar distance, the larger the Coulombic repulsive forces between the micelles leading to enhanced stability of micelles (presumably by increased counterion binding to the micelles). 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 show relaxation times τ₂ in the range of 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 time τ₂ was related to dynamic surface tension and foaming experiments. A slow break-up of micelles, (i.e. a long relaxation time τ₂) corresponds to a high dynamic surface tension and low foamability, whereas a fast break-up of micelles, leads to a lower dynamic surface tension and higher foamability. In conclusion, micellar stability and thus the micellar break-up time is a key factor in controlling technological processes involving a rapid increase in interfacial area, such as foaming, wetting, emulsification and oil solubilization. First, the available monomers adsorb onto the freshly created interface. Then, additional monomers must be provided by the break-up of micelles. Especially when the free monomer concentration is low, as indicated by a low CMC, the micellar break-up time is a rate limiting step in the supply of monomers, which is the case for many nonionic surfactant solutions. Therefore, relaxation time data of surfactant solutions enables us to predict the performance of a given surfactant solution. Moreover, the results suggest that one can design appropriate micelles with specific stability or τ₂ by controlling the surfactant structure, concentration and physico-chemical conditions, as well as by mixing anionic/cationic or ionic/nonionic surfactants for a desired technological application.     

Rheological behavior of an elongated micellar solution at low and high salt concentrations

 The aim of this experimen-tal work is to investigate the mechanism responsible of the decrease of the zero shear viscosity at high inorganic salt content. We report the linear and some nonlinear rheological properties of aqueous worm-like micellar solutions of CTAB containing NaNO₃ salt. The zero-shear viscosity η₀ curve versus salt concentration exhibits a well-defined maximum. We choose two salt concentrations (low and high) having the same zero-shear viscosity, and carefully explore the rheological characteristics and their evolutions in (and around) these two situations. The experimental results presented here, without excluding the possibility of the connections, suggest the possibility that the decreasing of η₀ is a result of the reduction in size of the worm-like micelles. Received: 16 February Accepted: 8 June 1998     

Gelation of micellar solutions of diblock-copoly (oxyethylene/oxybutylene) in aqueous K2SO4. An investigation of excluded volume effects

The micellization and gelation properties of oxyethylene/oxybutylene diblock copolymers E₄₀B₁₀ and E₄₁B₈ in aqueous K₂SO₄ solutions were investigated. The thermodynamic and hydrodynamic volumes of the micelles in salt solutions of various concentrations up to 0.4 mol dm^?3 were determined by static and dynamic light scattering, respectively. The related changes in the gelation behavior of concentrated micellar solutions of the copolymers were explained as thermodynamic (excluded) volume effects. The thermodynamic volumes of micelles measured in moderately concentrated solution were used successfully to predict the critical gel concentrations of concentrated solutions. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Interaction of pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine with ionic and neutral micelles: Electronic absorption and fluorescence studies

The binding of two antitoxoplasmosis drugs, pyrimethamine (PYR) and sulfadiazine (SDZ) to cationic cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC), anionic sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS), zwiterionic N-hexadecyl-N,N-dimethyl-2-ammonium-1-propanesulfonate (HPS) and neutral polyoxyethylene-dodecyl-ether (Brij-35^®) micelles was studied using absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic methods. The pK_a of PYR changed in the presence of charged anionic, cationic and zwiterionic micelles, indicating that interaction is influenced by the micellar charge. For SDZ, pK_a changes were lower than 1 for all micelles, suggesting the occurrence of low binding constants in addition to a reasonable influence of the micellar charge. The values of binding constants K_b, obtained from fluorescence measurements, for PYR to CTAC micelles were very low at pH 4.0, where the drug is in a complete protonated state, increasing at pH 9.0 to long-chained CTAC and HPS micelles since this factor also favors accomodation of the neutral drug in the hydrophobic compartments. For SDZ the binding constants were determined from optical absorption measurements. Low binding constants were observed to charged surfactant micelles, with influence of micellar charge. It must be stated however that those values can be underestimated due to the relatively low sensitivity of the method based on absorption measurements.     

Study of the Reaction 2-(p-Nitrophenyl)Ethyl Bromide + OH(-) in Sulfobetaine Aqueous Micellar Solutions in the Presence and Absence of Added Salts

The reaction of dehydrobromination of 2-(p-nitrophenyl)ethyl bromide with hydroxide ions has been studied in aqueous micellar solutions of N-tetradecyl-N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propanesulfonate, SB3-14. The kinetic effects of added salts (NaF, NaCl, NaBr, and NaNO(3)) on the reaction rate in SB3-14 aqueous micellar solutions have also been studied. They were rationalized by considering the binding of the anions, which come from the salt, to the sulfobetaine micelles and their competition with the reactive hydroxide ions for the micellar surface. The equilibrium binding constant of the 2-(p-nitrophenyl)ethyl bromide to the sulfobetaine micelles was estimated by recording the changes in the spectra of the organic substrate when the SB3-14 concentration in the micellar medium changed. This value was in agreement with that obtained from fitting of kinetic data. The second-order rate constant in the micellar pseudophase revealed that the reaction is faster in SB3-14 micelles than in water. This acceleration seems independent of the presence of added salts and can be explained by considering that SB3-14 micelles favor reactions in which charge is delocalized in the transition state. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.     

Micellar Formation Study of Crown Ether Surfactants

Fluorescence probe and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods were employed to investigate the micellation of prepared crown ether surfactants, e.g. decyl 15‐crown‐5 and decyl 18‐crown‐6. Pyrene was employed as the fluorescence probe to evaluate the critical micellar concentration (CMC) of these surfactants in aqueous solutions while spin lattice relaxation times (T₁) and chemical shifts of H‐1 NMR were applied in non‐aqueous solutions. Decyl 15‐crown‐5 with lower CMC forms micelles much easier than decyl 18‐crown‐6 with higher CMC in aqueous solutions, whereas decyl 18‐crown‐6 forms micelles easier than decyl 15‐crown‐5 in nonaqueous solutions. Comparison of the CMC of crown ether surfactants and other polyoxyethylene surfactants such as decylhexaethylene glycol was made. Effects of salts and solvents on the micellar formation were also investigated. In general, additions of both alkali metal salts and polar organic solvents into the aqueous surfactant solutions increased in the CMC of these surfactants. The formation of micelles in organic solvents such as methanol and acetonitrile was successfully observed by the NMR method while it was difficult to study these surfactants in organic solutions by the pyrene fluorescence probe method. The NMR study revealed that the formation of micelles resulted in the decrease in all H‐1 spin lattice relaxation times (T₁) of hydrophobic groups, e.g. CH₃ and CH₂, and hydrophilic group OCH₂ of these surfactants. However, upon the micellar formation, the H‐1 chemical shifts (δ) of these surfactant hydrophobic groups were found to shift to downfield (increased δ) while the chemical shift of the hydrophilic group OCH₂ moved to up‐field. Comparison of the spin lattice relaxation time and H‐1 chemical shift methods was also made and discussed.     

Small-angle neutron scattering study of sodium cholate and sodium deoxycholate interacting micelles in aqueous medium

Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements of D₂O solutions (0.1 M) of sodium cholate (NaC) and sodium deoxycholate (NaDC) were carried out atT= 298 K. Under compositions very much above the critical micelle concentration (CMC), the bile salt micelle size growths were monitored by adopting Hayter-Penfold type analysis of the scattering data. NaC and NaDC solutions show presence of correlation peaks atQ = 0.12 and 0.1 ?_-1 respectively. Monodisperse ellipsoids of the micelles produce best fits. For NaC and NaDC systems, aggregation number (9.0, 16.0), fraction of the free counterions per micelle (0.79, 0.62), semi-minor (8.0 ?) and semi-major axes (18.4, 31.7 ?) values for the micelles were deduced. Extent of micellar growth was studied using ESR correlation time measurements on a suitable probe incorporating NaC and NaDC micelles. The growth parameter (axial ratio) values were found to be 2.3 and 4.0 for NaC and NaDC systems respectively. The values agree with those of SANS.     

Protolytic equilibria of 2-hydroxytropolone (4,5-d) thiophene in homogeneous and micellar solutions

The present study comprises an investigation of the optical absorption and fluorescence spectra of the title compound (HT) in homogeneous solutions of ethanol, cyclohexane, and sulphuric acid, and in aqueous micellar systems of anionic (NaLS), cationic (CTABr) and non-ionic (Triton X-100) surfactants.This compound behaves as monoprotic acid in buffer solutions of pH = 1–13 containing 3% v/v ethanol. It has pK = 8.2, but in the first excited singlet state the p_K* drops to 3.9. However, another protolytic equilibrium is established with pK₂ = 0.45 and pK*₂ = 2.15 in concentrated H₂SO₄ solutions.Contrary to all other media studied, the dissociated form of HT was observed in CTABr micellar solution with an apparent red shift indicating that the HT molecules are incorporated into the detergent layer of the micelles and at the interface of the aggregates.The influence of micellar solutions on the acid—base equilibrium of HT reveals that the effect of the charge distribution of the counter ions in the double layer is much larger than the effective dielectric constant at the site of solubilization.     

Small-angle neutron scattering of mixed ionic perfluoropolyether micellar solutions

Aqueous mixed micellar solutions of perfluoropolyether carboxylic salts with ammonium counterions have been studied by small-angle neutron scattering. Two surfactants differing in the tail length were mixed in proportions n2/n3 = 60/40 w/w, where n2 and n3 are the surfactants with two and three perfluoroisopropoxy units in the tail, respectively. The tails are chlorine-terminated. The mixed micellar solutions, in the concentration range 0.1-0.2 M and thermal interval 20-40 degrees C, show structural characteristics of the interfacial shell that are very similar to ammonium n2 micellar solutions previously investigated; thus, the physics of the interfacial region is dominated by the polar head and counterion. The shape and dimensions of the micelles are influenced by the presence of the n3 surfactant, whose chain length in the micelle is 2 A longer than that of the n2 surfactant. The n3 surfactant favors the ellipsoidal shape in the concentration range 0.1-0.2 M with a 1/2 ionization degree of n2 micelles. The very low surface charge of the mixed micelles is attributed to the increase in hydrophobic interactions between the surfactant tails, due to the longer n3 surfactant molecules in micelles. The closer packing of the tails decreases the micellar curvature and the repulsions between the polar heads, by surface charge neutralization of counterions migrating from the Gouy-Chapman diffuse layer, leading to micellar growth in ellipsoids with greater axial ratios.     

Dynamic light scattering study of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide aqueous solutions

Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) aqueous solutions are studied by dynamic light scattering method in a wide concentration range covering the first and second critical micelle concentrations (CMC₁ and CMC₂, respectively). Nonmonotonic and ambiguous behavior of diffusion coefficients D with an increase in concentrations above CMC1 is revealed. An increase in the D values in the first decade of CTAB concentration above CMC1 agrees with known published data for aqueous solutions of ionic surfactants. It is shown that an increase in the ionic strength of solution with the addition of KBr leads to a decrease in the positive slope of the dependence of diffusion coefficients on CTAB concentration up to zero at 0.05 M KBr. Two relaxation processes corresponding to large and small D values are simultaneously observed in micellar solutions, beginning with 0.03 M CTAB concentration. The data obtained are compared with published data, as well as with the results of viscosity measurements. The performed analysis indicates that the observed relaxation processes are explained by the coexistence of spherical and nonspherical micelles. It is established that micelles acquire a cylindrical shape at CTAB concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 0.25 M. Hydrodynamic radii and lengths of micelles are calculated.     

Effect of aging time and salt on the viscosity behaviour of a Gemini cationic surfactant

Rheological properties of micellar solutions of a cationic Gemini surfactant, 2-hydroxypropyl-1,3-bis (dodecyldimethylammonium chloride), are studied as a function of aging time and salt addition. The results show that the self-aggregating behaviour in solution changes as a factor of time, probably due to intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The viscosity of the solution undergoes a series of visible changes so that the solution changes from a flow state to highly viscoelastic state, and finally, to a transparent solid, with a corresponding 4–6-fold increase in zero shear state viscosity. Rheology and freeze fracture transmission electron microscopy (FF-TEM) measurements show rod-like micelles at the beginning, which then change to wormlike micelles, and eventually to a quasi-gel-like network. Addition of an inorganic salt (NaCl) induces salting out, while the addition of an organic salt (NaSal) promotes micellar growth. At a fixed NaSal-to-surfactant molar ratio of 3:5, all solutions show Maxwell fluid behaviour and maximum zero-shear-rate viscosity; these trends can be attributed to the formation of a network structure between the cationic ions of the surfactant and Sal^– as the surfactant concentration increases. Crystal analysis further confirms the presence of structures linked by intermolecular hydrogen bonds.     

Micellar medium effects on the hydrolysis of phenyl chloroformate in ionic,zwitterionic, nonionic,and mixed micellar solutions

The spontaneous hydrolysis of phenyl chloroformate was studied in various anionic, nonionic, zwitterionic, and cationic aqueous micellar solutions, as well as in mixed anionic–nonionic micellar solutions. In all cases, an increase in the surfactant concentration results in a decrease in the reaction rate and micellar effects were quantitatively explained in terms of distribution of the substrate between water and micelles and the first‐order rate constants in the aqueous and micellar pseudophases. A comparison of the kinetic data in nonionic micellar solutions to those in anionic and zwiterionic micellar solutions makes clear that charge effects of micelles is not the only factor responsible for the variations in the reaction rate. Depletion of water in the interfacial region and its different characteristics as compared to bulk water, the presence of high ionic concentration in the Stern layer of ionic micelles, and differences in the stabilization of the initial state and the transition state by hydrophobic interactions with surfactant tails can also influence reactivity. The different deceleration of the reaction observed in the various micellar solutions studied was discussed by considering these factors. Synergism in mixed‐micellar solutions is shown through the kinetic data obtained in these media. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 34: 445–451, 2002