Organization of amphiphiles: XII. Evidence in favor of formation of hydrophobic complexes in aqueous solution

The effects of nonionic surfactants OP-10 and OP-30 (polyoxyethylated octyl phenols with 10 and 30 oxyethylene groups, respectively) in surfactant mixtures with ionic surfactants hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) have been investigated by a conductometric method in conjunction with fluorescence, surface tension, zeta potential, and DLS measurements. The interactions are found to be antagonistic in nature for each of the systems; i.e., micellization of CTAB as well as SDS is hindered on addition of the nonionic surfactants. The antagonism is found to be more prominent in the presence of OP-10 compared to that of OP-30. Two types of mechanistic paths, path A operating below the critical micellar concentration and path B operating beyond the critical micellar concentration of nonionic surfactants, have been suggested. In path A, the retardation in micellization has been attributed to a decrease in monomeric concentration of the ionic surfactants from solution as a result of the formation of a hydrophobic complex between nonionic and ionic surfactants. In path B, the decrease in monomer concentration is due to the solubilization of the ionic surfactant in micelles of the nonionic surfactants in a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio. A theoretical treatment to the interaction in each ionic-nonionic pair yields a positive value of the interaction parameter supporting the concept of antagonism. The formation of the hydrophobic complex is supported by fluorescence and surface tension measurements. A schematic representation of the stabilization of these hydrophobic complexes has been suggested. The association of ionic surfactants by nonionic micelles is suggested by zeta potential and DLS studies.     

吲哚方酸菁染料在表面活性剂水溶液中的光降解

考察了4种含有不同N位取代基的对称吲哚方酸菁染料在阳离子表面活性剂十六烷基三甲基溴化铵(CTAB)、阴离子表面活性剂十二烷基硫酸钠(SDS)和非离子表面活性剂曲拉通(TX-100)水溶液中的光降解行为,结果表明,表面活性剂对染料分子具有保护作用,其影响大小为CTAB>TX-100>SDS,分子中有羧基的染料受影响程度最大。在表面活性剂浓度较低时,染料光降解程度随着表面活性剂浓度的增加而增加,但形成胶束后,染料的光降解程度则随着表面活性剂浓度的升高而降低。     

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.     

Self-aggregation of the SDS surfactant at a solid-liquid interface

Molecular dynamics simulations of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) molecules on a graphite surface are presented. The simulations were conducted at low and high surface coverage to study aggregation at the water/graphite interface. Results showed that at low surface coverage, the SDS molecules form hemicylindrical aggregates, in agreement with AFM experiments, whereas at high surface coverage, the surfactants form full cylinders. The latter aggregates have not been reported in systems of SDS on hydrophobic substrates, such as graphite. The unexpected results are explained in terms of a water layer adsorbed at the solid surface which was the responsible for the formation of these aggregates. Moreover, the SDS tails in the full cylindrical configuration became straighter than those of the hemicylindrical aggregate. Hydrogen bond formation between water and surfactant head groups was also studied, and it was found that they did not depend on the surfactant concentration.     

A new model to study the phase transition from microstructures to nanostructures in ionic/ionic surfactants mixture

The phase behavior and aggregate structures of mixtures of the oppositely charged surfactants cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) are explored at high dilution by pulsed field gradient stimulated echo (PFG-STE) NMR. The aggregation numbers and hydrodynamic radii of vesicles and mixed micelles were determined by a combination of viscosity and self-diffusion coefficient measurements. The average size of the mixed micelles was larger than that of micelles containing uniformly charged head groups. Analysis of the variations of the self-diffusion coefficient and viscosity with changing concentration of CTAB or SDS in the cationic-rich and anionic-rich regions revealed a phase transition from vesicles to mixed micelles. Differences in the lengths of the CTAB and SDS hydrophobic chains stabilize vesicles relative to other microstructures (e.g., liquid crystalline and precipitate phase), and vesicles form spontaneously over a wide range of compositions in both cationic-rich and anionic-rich solutions. The results obtained from conductometry measurements confirmed this transition. Finally, according to the capacitor model, a new model was developed for estimating the surface potentials and electrostatic free energy (g(elec)). Then we investigated the variations of electrostatic and transfer free energy in phase transition between mixed micelle and vesicle.     

Spectrophotometric study of interaction and solubilization of procaine hydrochloride in micellar systems

The interaction of Procaine hydrochloride (PC) with cationic, anionic and non-ionic surfactants; cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and triton X-100, were investigated. The effect of ionic and non-ionic micelles on solubilization of Procaine in aqueous micellar solution of SDS, CTAB and triton X-100 were studied at pH 6.8 and 29°C using absorption spectrophotometry. By using pseudo-phase model, the partition coefficient between the bulk water and micelles, K_x, was calculated. The results showed that the micelles of CTAB enhanced the solubility of Procaine higher than SDS micelles (K_x = 96 and 166 for SDS and CTAB micelles, respectively) but triton X-100 did not enhanced the solubility of drug because of weak interaction with Procaine. From the resulting binding constant for Procaine-ionic surfactants interactions (K_b = 175 and 128 for SDS and CTAB surfactants, respectively), it was concluded that both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions affect the interaction of surfactants with cationic procaine. Electrostatic interactions have a great role in the binding and consequently distribution of Procaine in micelle/water phases. These interactions for anionic surfactant (SDS) are higher than for cationic surfactant (CTAB). Gibbs free energy of binding and distribution of procaine between the bulk water and studied surfactant micelles were calculated.      

Capillary electrophoretic studies on the migration behavior of cationic solutes and the influence of interactions of cationic solutes with sodium dodecyl sulfate on the formation of micelles and critical micelle concentration

The migration behavior of cationic solutes and influences of the interactions of cationic solutes with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) on the formation of micelles and its critical micelle concentration (CMC) were investigated by capillary electrophoresis at neutral pH. Catecholamines and structurally related compounds, including epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, norephedrine, and tyramine, which involve different extents of hydrophobic, ionic and hydrogen-bonding interactions with SDS surfactant, are selected as cationic solutes. The dependence of the effective electrophoretic mobility of cationic solutes on the concentration of surfactant monomers in the premicellar region provides direct evidence of the formation of ion-pairs between cationic solutes and anionic dodecyl sulfate monomers. Three different approaches, based on the variations of either the effective electrophoretic mobility or the retention factor as a function of surfactant concentration in the premicellar and micellar regions, and the linear relationship between the retention factor and the product of a distribution coefficient and the phase ratio, were considered to determine the CMC value of SDS micelles. The suitability of the methods used for the determination of the CMC of SDS with these cationic solutes was discussed. Depending on the structures of cationic solutes and electrophoretic conditions, the CMC value of SDS determined varies in a wide concentration range. The results indicate that, in addition to hydrophobic interaction, both ionic and hydrogen-bonding interactions have pronounced effects on the formation of SDS micelles. Ionic interaction between cationic solutes and SDS surfactant stabilizes the SDS micelles, whereas hydrogen-bonding interactions weakens the solubilization of the attractive ionic interaction. The elevation of the CMC of SDS depends heavily on hydrogen-bonding interactions between cationic solutes and SDS surfactant. Thus, the CMC value of SDS is remarkably elevated with catecholamines, such as epinephrine and norepinephrine, as compared with norephedrine. In addition, the effect of methanol content in the sample solution of these cationic solutes on the CMC of SDS was also examined.     

Mixed micelles of polyethylene glycol (23) lauryl ether with ionic surfactants studied by proton 1D and 2D NMR

(1)H NMR chemical shift, spin-lattice relaxation time, spin-spin relaxation time, self-diffusion coefficient, and two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser enhancement (2D NOESY) measurements have been used to study the nonionic-ionic surfactant mixed micelles. Cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) were used as the ionic surfactants and polyethylene glycol (23) lauryl ether (Brij-35) as the nonionic surfactant. The two systems are both with varying molar ratios of CTAB/Brij-35 (C/B) and SDS/Brij-35 (S/B) ranging from 0.5 to 2, respectively, at a constant concentration of 6 mM for Brij-35 in aqueous solutions. Results give information about the relative arrangement of the surfactant molecules in the mixed micelles. In the former system, the trimethyl groups attached to the polar heads of the CTAB molecules are located between the first oxy-ethylene groups next to the hydrophobic chains of Brij-35 molecules. These oxy-ethylene groups gradually move outward from the hydrophobic core of the mixed micelle with an increase in C/B in the mixed solution. In contrast to the case of the CTAB/Triton X-100 system, the long flexible hydrophilic poly oxy-ethylene chains, which are in the exterior part of the mixed micelles, remain coiled, but looser, surrounding the hydrophobic core. There is almost no variation in conformation of the hydrophilic chains of Brij-35 molecules in the mixed micelles of the SDS/Brij-35 system as the S/B increases. The hydrophobic chains of both CTAB and SDS are co-aggregated with Brij-35, respectively, in their mixed micellar cores.     

THE EFFECTS OF MIXED MICELLES OF SURFACTANTS ON POLYMERIZATION OF ACRYLAMIDE

The polymerization of acrylamide in mixed micellar solutions of surfactants, initiated by NaHSO₃ has been studied at 20 and 3Q° C with time variable method of thermokinetics for 1. 5-order reaction. The results indicate that the mixed micellar systems of cationic or anionic with zwitterionic surfactants (SLS/ CTAB, SLS/ TTAB, SLS/ SDS) and cationic with nonionic surfactants (Brij 357sol; CTAB, Bri-J35/TTAB, Brij35/ DTAB) have catalytic effect on the polymerization in the order, at 20° C. SLS/ SDS SLS/ TTAB SLS/ CTAB Brij35/ CTAB at 30° C SLS/ SDS SLS/ TTAB≈ / CTAB Bri-j35/ DTAB= sBrij35/ TTAB as Brij35/ CTAB, while Brij35/ SDS mixed micellar system has inhibition. These effects are attributed to the effect of the Stern layer of mixed micelles on the step of initiator (HSOT) to form free radical.     

Depletion flocculation of latex dispersion in ionic micellar systems

The flocculation behavior of anionic and cationic latex dispersions induced by addition of ionic surfactants with different polarities (SDS and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)) have been evaluated by rheological measurements. It was found that in identical polar surfactant systems with particle surfaces of SDS + anionic lattices and CTAB + cationic lattices, a weak and reversible flocculation has been observed in a limited concentration region of surfactant, which was analyzed as a repletion flocculation induced by the volume-restriction effect of the surfactant micelles. On the other hand, in oppositely charged surfactant systems (SDS + cationic lattices and CTAB + anionic lattices), the particles were flocculated strongly in a low surfactant concentration region, which will be based on the charge neutralization and hydrophobic effects from the adsorbed surfactant molecules. After the particles stabilized by the electrostatic repulsion of adsorbed surfactant layers, the system viscosity shows a weak maximum again in a limited concentration region. This weak maximum was influenced by the shear rate and has a complete reversible character, which means that this weak flocculation will be due to the depletion effect from the free micelles after saturated adsorption.     

Encapsulation of curcumin in cationic micelles suppresses alkaline hydrolysis

The alkaline hydrolysis of curcumin was studied in three types of micelles composed of the cationic surfactants cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and dodecyl trimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) and the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). At pH 13, curcumin undergoes rapid degradation by alkaline hydrolysis in the SDS micellar solution. In contrast, alkaline hydrolysis of curcumin is greatly suppressed in the presence of either CTAB or DTAB micelles, with a yield of suppression close to 90%. The results from fluorescence spectroscopic studies reveal that while curcumin remains encapsulated in CTAB and DTAB micelles at pH 13, curcumin is dissociated from the SDS micelles to the aqueous phase at this pH. The absence of encapsulation and stabilization in the SDS micellar solution results in rapid hydrolysis of curcumin.     

Regulatory role of surfactants in the kinetics of glucose oxidase-catalyzed oxidation ofd-glucose by ferrocenium andn-butylferrocenium ions

The effect of micelles of different surfactants (cationic, anionic, and neutral) on the kinetics of the glucose oxidase-catalyzed reduction of ferrocenium cations RFc⁺ (R=H, Buⁿ) byd-glucose was studied by spectrophotometry. In micellar media of Triton X-100 and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), the Michaelis dependence of the reaction rate on the HFc⁺ concentration is observed, while this dependence has an extreme character in cationic micelles of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The nature and concentration of surfactants of all types have a slight effect on the rate of reduction of HFc⁺. The level of enzymatic activity is approximately equal in the case of Triton X-100 and CTAB and is considerably lower in the SDS micelles. On going from HFc⁺ to BuⁿFc⁺, the reaction rate is maximum in the cationic CTAB micelles, the anionic SDS micelles exhibit almost no activity, and the activity has an intermediate value in neutral micelles of Triton X-100. The conditions are presented under which the micellar medium controls the catalytic activity of glucose oxidase with respect to ferrocenium cations. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 1795–1801, October, 1997.     

Molecular interactions of cationic and anionic surfactants in mixed monolayers and aggregates

The properties of anionic-rich and cationic-rich mixtures of CTAB (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) and SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) were investigated with conductometry and surface tension measurements and by determining the surfactant NMR self-diffusion coefficients. The critical aggregate concentration (CAC), surface tension reduction effectiveness(gamma(CAC)), surface excess(Gamma(max)), and mean molecular surface area (A(min)) were determined from plots of the surface tension (gamma) as a function of the total surfactant concentration. The compositions of the adsorbed films (Z) and aggregates (chi) were estimated by using regular solution theory, and then the interaction parameters in the aggregates (beta) and the adsorbed film phases (beta(sigma)) were calculated. The results showed that the synergism between the surfactants enhances the formation of mixed aggregates and reduces the surface tension. Further, the nature and strength of the interaction between the surfactants in the mixtures were obtained by calculating the values of the following parameters: the interaction parameter, beta, the size parameter, rho, and the nonrandom mixing parameter, P*. These results indicate that in ionic surfactant mixtures the optimized packing parameter has the highest value and that the size parameter can be used to account for deviations from the predictions of regular solution theory. It was concluded that, for planar air/aqueous interfaces and aggregation systems, this nonideality increases as the temperature increases. This trend is attributed to the increased dehydration of the surfactant head groups that results from increases in temperature. Further, our conductometry measurements show that the counterion binding number of mixed micelles formed in mixtures with a high CTAB content is different to those with a high SDS content. This difference is due to either their different aggregation sizes or the different interactions between the head groups and the counterions.     

Interaction of Nonionic Surfactant Triton-X-100 with Ionic Surfactants

The interaction in two mixtures of a nonionic surfactant Triton-X-100 (TX-100) and different ionic surfactants was investigated. The two mixtures were TX-100/sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and TX-100/cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) at molar fraction of TX-100, α_TX-100 = 0.6. The surface properties of the surfactants, critical micelle concentration (CMC), effectiveness of surface tension reduction (γ_CMC), maximum surface excess concentration (Γ_max), and minimum area per molecule at the air/solution interface (A _min) were determined for both individual surfactants and their mixtures. The significant deviations from ideal behavior (attractive interactions) of the nonionic/ionic surfactant mixtures were also determined. Mixtures of both TX-100/SDS and TX-100/CTAB exhibited synergism in surface tension reduction efficiency and mixed micelle formation, but neither exhibited synergism in surface tension reduction effectiveness.     

Micellization and synergistic interaction of binary surfactant mixtures based on sodium nonylphenol polyoxyethylene ether sulfate

Mixed micelle formation and synergistic interactions of binary surfactant combinations of sodium nonylphenol polyoxyethylene ether sulfate (NPES) with typical surfactants such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), Triton X-100 (TX100), cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), and sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) at 25 degrees C in the presence of NaCl have been investigated. The critical micelle concentration of the binary mixtures has been quantitatively estimated by steady-state fluorescence measurements. The micellar characteristics such as composition, activity coefficients, and mutual interaction parameters have been estimated following different theoretical treatments. Investigation on the micellization and synergistic interaction of NPES with four kinds of surfactants showed that the behavior of the binary mixture deviated from the ideal state. The analysis revealed that the interaction parameter values (beta) varied with variation of solvent composition. Besides the strong electrostatic attraction between the oppositely charged surfactant NPES-CTAB mixture, the interaction between NPES and SDS also showed far more deviation from ideal behavior than that of TX100 and AOT. The reason for the synergism is also discussed and the results show that an ionic and a nonionic surfactant character existed concurrently in NPES due to the combination of a sulfate group and polyoxyethylene as a hydrophilic moiety. Zeta potential and diffusion coefficient measurements of micelles confirmed the synergistic interaction between the binary surfactants.     

Removal of solvent-based ink from printed surface of HDPE bottles by alkyltrimethylammonium bromides: effects of surfactant concentration and alkyl chain length

Three alkyltrimethylammonium bromides (i.e., dodecyl-, tetradecyl-, and hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide or DTAB, TTAB, and CTAB, respectively) were used to remove a blue solvent-based ink from a printed surface of high-density polyethylene bottles. Either an increase in the alkyl chain length or the surfactant concentration was found to increase the deinking efficiency. Complete deinking was achieved at concentrations about 3, 8, and 24 times of the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of CTAB, TTAB, and DTAB, respectively. For CTAB, ink removal started at a concentration close to or less than its CMC and increased appreciably at concentrations greater than its CMC, while for TTAB and DTAB, significant deinking was only achieved at concentrations much greater than their CMCs. Corresponding to the deinking efficiency of CTAB in the CMC region, the zeta potential of ink particles was found to increase with increasing alkyl chain length and concentration of the surfactants, which later leveled off at some higher concentrations. Wettability of the surfactants on an ink surface increased with increasing alkyl chain length and concentration of the surfactants. Lastly, solubilization of ink binder in the surfactant micelles was found to increase with increasing alkyl chain length and surfactant concentration. We conclude that adsorption of surfactant on the ink pigment is crucial to deinking due to modification of wettability, zeta potential, pigment/water interfacial tension, and dispersion stability. Solubilization of binder (epoxy) into micelles is necessary for good deinking because the dissolution of the binder is required before the pigment particles can be released from the polymer surface.     

Stability of manganese dioxide by guar gum in the absence or presence of surfactants

Stability of the manganese dioxide (MnO₂) suspensions by non-ionic guar gum (GG) in the absence or presence of the surfactants: anionic sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), cationic hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and non-ionic Triton X-100 (t-octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol) and their equimolar mixtures (SDS/TX-100; CTAB/TX-100) was measured using turbidity. The obtained results of the manganese dioxide suspensions stability were discussed together with the adsorption data and with the data concerning the thicknesses of the adsorption layers. In order to gain more information about the structure of the electric double layer surface charge density and the zeta potential measurements were performed. The obtained results show that the addition of guar gum to the MnO₂ suspensions increases MnO₂ stability. The larger this increase is, the higher is the concentration of the polymer (concentration range 10–200 ppm). Moreover, the addition of single surfactants also causes the increase in the effectiveness of stabilizing the manganese dioxide suspensions. The reason for that is formation of multilayer complexes between the polymer and the surfactants. In such a system both the adsorption of polymer and the thickness of polymer adsorption layer increase. The greatest increase in the stability of MnO₂/GG suspensions was provided by the mixture of anionic and non-ionic surfactants due to a strong synergistic effect. Also, mixing the polymer and two surfactants reduces the stability of the suspension.     

Influence of surfactants on the adsorption and elektrokinetic properties of the system: guar gum/manganese dioxide

The adsorption of non-ionic polysaccharide—guar gum (GG) in the presence or absence of the surfactants: anionic SDS, cationic CTAB, nonionic TX-100 and their equimolar mixtures SDS/TX-100, CTAB/TX-100 from the electrolyte solutions (NaCl, CaCl₂) on the manganese dioxide surface (MnO₂) was studied. The increase of GG adsorption amount in the presence of surfactants was observed in every measured system. This increase results from formation of complexes between the GG and the surfactant molecules. This observation was confirmed by the determination of the influence of GG on surfactants adsorption on the MnO₂ surface. The increase of GG adsorption on MnO₂ was the largest in the presence of the surfactant mixtures (CTAB/TX-100; SDS/TX-100) which is the evidence of the synergetic effect. The smallest amounts of adsorption were obtained in the presence of TX-100, which results from non-ionic character of this surface active agent. In the case of single surfactant solution CTAB has the best efficiency in increasing the amount of GG adsorption on MnO₂ which results from strong interactions with GG and also with the negatively charged surface of the adsorbent. In order to determine the electrokinetic properties of the system, the surface charge density of MnO₂ and the zeta potential measurements were performed in the presence of the GG macromolecules and the above mentioned surfactants and their mixtures. The obtained data showed that the adsorption of GG or GG/surfactants complexes on the manganese dioxide surface strongly influences the diffused part of the electrical double layer (EDL)—MnO₂/electrolyte solution, but has no influence on the compact part of the electric double layer. This is the evidence that the polymers chains are directly bonded with the surface of the solid and the surfactants molecules are present in the upper part of the EDL.     

Self-assembly of hydrophobin and hydrophobin/surfactant mixtures in aqueous solution

The self-assembly of the protein hydrophobin, HFBII, and its self-assembly with cationic, anionic, and nonionic surfactants hexadecylterimethyl ammonium bromide, CTAB, sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS, and hexaethylene monododecyl ether, C(12)E(6), in aqueous solution have been studied by small-angle neutron scattering, SANS. HFBII self-assembles in solution as small globular aggregates, consistent with the formation of trimers or tetramers. Its self-assembly is not substantially affected by the pH or electrolytes. In the presence of CTAB, SDS, or C(12)E(6), HFBII/surfactant complexes are formed. The structure of the HFBII/surfactant complexes has been identified using contrast variation and is in the form of HFBII molecules bound to the outer surface of globular surfactant micelles. The binding of HFBII decreases the surfactant micelle aggregation number for increasing HFBII concentration in solution, and the number of hydrophobin molecules bound/micelle increases.     

Surfactant-induced electroosmotic flow in microfluidic capillaries

Control of EOF in microfluidic devices is essential in applications such as protein/DNA sizing and high‐throughput drug screening. With the growing popularity of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as the substrate for polymeric‐based microfludics, it is important to understand the effect of surfactants on EOF in these devices. In this article, we present an extensive investigation exploring changes in EOF rate induced by SDS, polyoxyethylene lauryl ether (Brij35) and CTAB in PMMA microfluidic capillaries. In a standard protein buffer (Tris‐Glycine), PMMA capillaries exhibited a cathodic EOF with measured mobility of 1.54 ± 0.1 (× 10^?4 cm²/V.s). In the presence of surfactant below a critical concentration, EOF was independent of surfactant concentration. At high concentrations of surfactants, the electroosmotic mobility was found to linearly increase/decrease as the logarithm of concentration before reaching a constant value. With SDS, the EOF increased by 257% (compared to buffer), while it was decreased by 238% with CTAB. In the case of Brij35, the electroosmotic mobility was reduced by 70%. In a binary surfactant system of SDS/CTAB and SDS/Brij35, addition of oppositely charged CTAB reduced the SDS‐induced EOF more effectively compared to nonionic Brij35. We propose possible mechanisms that explain the observed changes in EOF and zeta potential values. Use of neutral polymer coatings in combination with SDS resulted in 50% reduction in the electroosmotic mobility with 0.1% hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), while including 2% poly (N,N‐dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA) had no effect. These results will potentially contribute to the development of PMMA‐based microfluidic devices.