On the shape of giant micelles in aqueous solutions of cetyltrimetylammoniumbromide (CTAB)

Low-temperature electron microscopy was used to image fracture faces of shock-frozen aqueous solutions containing the very large micelles of CTAB existing in the presence of N-methyl-N,N-diphenylamine (MDPA) and 9-anthracene carboxylic acid (9-AC) as solubilizates. When MDPA is present, large globular micelles are formed which have total aggregation numbers of the order of 10⁵ and are seen to be clusters of smaller disc-like structures containing some thousand CTAB-units. Thread-like features are visualized in solutions containing 9-AC which is known to induce the formation of micellar rods.     

A light scattering study of the influence of poly(ethylene glycol) on the droplet size and the interdroplet interaction in a water-in-oil-microemulsion

Dynamic and static light scattering techniques were used to study the droplet size and the interdroplet interaction of w/o microemulsions consisting of cetyltrimethyl-ammonium bromide (CTAB), hexyl carbitol, toluene, water and poly(ethylene glycol). The results were analyzed in terms of a hard-sphere model with a perturbation. For the microemulsions without polymer, their droplet sizes increased only slightly (R=10.1 to 11.0 nm) and the perturbation became more attractive as the molar ratio of H₂O/CTAB was raised from 50 to 82. In contrast, an increase in polymer concentration or polymer molecular weight not only increased the droplet sizes but also changed the perturbation to become more repulsive. In addition, it is envisaged that the interactions between the cationic groups of CTAB and the ether linkages of the poly(ethylene glycol) may also enhance the rigidity of the interfaces, hence the stability of the microemulsions.     

Micelle structure in isotropic aqueous colloids of a poly(oxyethylene) amphiphile C12E8

Micelle structure in aqueous colloids in the isotropic liquid phase (L₁) of a nonionic amphipile (n-dodecyl octa(oxyethylene glycol) monoether (C₁₂E₈) has been investigated as a function of concentration and temperature using light scattering (LS), viscometry, NMR, and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS).The spherical micelles, having a radius of 28–31 Å, remain in a wide concentration range from very dilute to ca. 42 wt %. The micelle size increases sligthly with increasing temperature in the range of 25–60 °C. In the concentrated colloids, the spherical micelles are likely to be arranged in a certain ordered structure. Even at such a high concentration as 30 wt %, the isotropic colloid shows Newtonian flow. This suggests that interaction between micelles in the ordered structure is very weak and the structure is very fragile. Moreover, coexistence of the isotropic phase and the ordered structure in L₁ phase is discussed.     

The lamellar phase of the sodium dodecylsulfate/decanol/toluene/formamide system: NMR and phase studies of solubilization

The phase behavior of the system sodium dodecylsulfate/decanol/toluene/ formamide was investigated and pseudo-ternary diagrams established. In particular, the effect of varying the amount of toluene in the system on the stability of the lamellar phase region was studied in detail. Deuterium NMR and low-angle x-ray diffraction measurements showed that more toluene was distributed between the surfactant chains as the amount of decanol in the system is reduced, resulting in a more disordered dynamic structure in the bilayers. Similarly, increased formamide content lead to greater penetration of the toluene into the bilayer and more disorder. Both factors were found to be instrumental in decreasing the stability of the lamellar structure.     

Small angle X-ray scattering study of an extremely elongated micelle system of CTAB-p-toluidine solution

Whenp-toluidine is added to an aqueous solution of CTAB, a remarkable increase of viscosity is accompanied by a spectacular elasticity. We detected the existence of extremely elongated rod-like micelles in electron micrographs. SAXS measurements indicate a closely packed array of cylindrical rod-like micelles, brought about when solutions flow through a thin capillary. A scattering maximum ofd=160 Å almost corresponds to the distance between the nearest neighbours of the cylindrical rod-like micelles. This value agrees with the diameter measured on electron micrographs. The second broad peak (d=75 Å) is assigned to a subsidiary maximum of the shape function of the cylinder with infinite length.     

Distribution of emulsified monomers with different water solubility

The location and distribution of acrylic acid and styrene in emulsions made with a cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), or an anionic surfactant, sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS), were determined with ultra-violet spectroscopy, conductivity, and potentiometry. In these systems, the acrylic acid remains in the aqueous phase near the micelle surface, whereas the styrene is located in the micelles or in emulsified droplets. In the absence of acrylic acid, some of the styrene is solubilized in the micelle interior and some is adsorbed at the micelle inner surface. Upon addition of acrylic acid, all the styrene is displaced to the center of the micelles. The interaction between acrylic acid and CTAB micelles is stronger than that between acrylic acid and SDS micelles. With CTAB, acrylic acid is adsorbed at the micelle surface, whereas with SDS, acrylic acid remains in the intermicellar solution. These differences can account for the differences reported in the emulsion copolymerization of acrylic acid and styrene using CTAB or SDS.     

The release of cephanone in CTAB/n-C5H11OH/H2O system

Controlled release of cephanone from hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) micelles and CTAB/n-C₅H₁₁OH/H₂O microemulsions was studied. The results showed that the release rate of cephanone was reduced in CTAB micelles and CTAB/n-C₅H₁₁OH/H₂O microemulsions, because of the solubilization of cephanone in micelles and microemulsions. The release of cephanone from CTAB micelles and CTAB/n-C₅H₁₁OH/H₂O microemulsions was characterized by Fickian diffusion and non-Fickian diffusion.     

Poly(styrene-b-2-vinylpyridine-1-oxide) and poly(dimethyl-siloxane-b-2-vinylpyridine-1-oxide) diblock copolymers 2. Micellar solutions in water/propan-2-ol mixtures

Dynamic light scattering and viscometry measurements have been carried out on three AB diblock copolymers in water/propan-2-ol mixtures. The A moieties in each case were poly(2-vinylpyridine-1-oxide) for which both water and propan-2-ol are good solvents. The B Moieties were either polystyrene or polydimethylsiloxane, for which both water and propan-2-ol are poor solvents, but water is the worse solvent. In all cases, the hydrodynamic size of the micelles (assumed spherical) was found to increase with increasing water content in the solvent mixture; the aggregation number was also found to increase. The former finding is in agreement with the theoretical predictions of Munch and Gast, but not the latter.     

Lamellar phases in mixtures of low molecular weight alkanols and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)

Partial phase diagrams showing the domains of existence of a transparent, viscous, lamellar-structured (D)-phase that transforms reversibly into fluid single phase solutions at high temperature are presented for the system: cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), two low molecular weight alcohols, and water with and without additives. At constant temperature and with a fixed amount of surfactant, the size and location of this phase in the phase diagram depends upon three composition variables: i) the ratio of concentrations of medium chain alcohol to long chain alcohol (R), ii) the ratio of concentrations of medium chain alcohol to surfactant (R), and iii) the concentrations of small amounts (up to 10 % by weight) of additives such as ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and dimethylformamide, as well as NaBr. Small-angle x-ray scattering measurements of these mixtures reveal a lamellar structure. The observed lamellar repeat distances range from 60 A to 290 Å and depend upon the ratiosR andR and the concentration of the additives. The mechanical and structural properties of theseD-phases can be tuned by adjustingR andR. TheD-phase-to-isotropic transition temperature can be varied from near room temperature to above 80 °C by adjustingR andR.     

Small angle neutron scattering studies on micellar systems part 1. Ammonium octanoate,ammonium decanoate and ammonium perfluoroocatanoate

Small angle neutron scattering has been used to examine the size and shape of micelles of ammonium octanoate, ammonium decanoate and ammonium perfluoro-octanoate. Ammonium octanoate was found to form micelles with a micellar weight of 1640 and ammonium decanoate with a micellar weight of 12,576; both materials appeared to form spherical micelles. Ammonium perfluoro-octanoate formed micelles with a micellar weight of 17,610. Evidence from the scattering experiments suggested that the micelles were cylindrical and a model for the micelle is proposed.     

The aggregation behavior of poly-(oxyethylene)-poly-(oxypropylene)-poly-(oxyethylene)-block-copolymers in aqueous solution

Aqueous solutions of blockcopolymers, consisting of a polyoxypropyleneblock (POP) with a polyoxyethylene-block (POE) at each side, were studied using surface and interfacial tension measurements, static and dynamic light scattering and smallangle neutron scattering techniques, electric birefringence, rheological and DSC-measurements. The compounds were commercial samples and had an approximate average composition EO₂₀PO₇₀EO₂₀, EO₁₈PO₅₈EO₁₈, and EO₁₀₆PO₆₉EO₁₀₆. All three compounds formed micelles above a critical concentration. The size of the micellar core is determined by the length of the hydrophobic poly-propyleneoxide block. The transfer energy of a propyleneoxide unit from the aqueous to the micellar phase is about 0.3 kT at room temperature and hence a quarter of the corresponding value for a CH₂-group.The aggregation number of the micelles increases strongly with increasing temperature while the hydrodynamic radius remains constant in first approximation. The smallangle neutron scattering (SANS) data show at higher concentrations a strong correlation peak. Both the SANS- and the light-scattering data can be interpreted on the basis of the theory of hard sphere particles.Solutions with a volume fraction beyond about 0.2 gellifie when the temperature is raised above a characteristic value that is at the lowest concentrations slightly above room temperature, shift to lower values with increasing concentrations. Below this gelation temperature DSC-measurements show a phase transition with enthalpies between 40J/g and 80J/g, which is probably due to the dehydration of the PO-groups; this transition can also be observed at low concentrations where no gelation takes place. The position of the correlation peak of the SANS-data is not affected by the gel formation. Some samples, however, show clear evidence of long-range order and seem therefore to consist of cubic liquid crystalline phases. The shear moduli of the gels can qualitatively be understood on the basis of hard sphere models.     

两亲性阴离子HBPN与阳离子表面活性剂CTAB络合机理的研究

用动态光散射研究了两亲性阴离子HBPN(高度枝化的聚酯纳米微粒)和阳离子表面活性剂CTAB(十六烷基三甲基溴化铵)在缓冲液中的相互作用及HBPN/CTAB络合物的形成.结果表明:在静电作用下,于碱性溶剂中,HBPN与由CTAB分子所构成的胶束形成了核壳结构络合物HBPN/CTAB.络合物粒径的大小和稳定性可以通过溶液的pH值和CTAB浓度来控制.     

Electron microscope study of viscoelastic cationic surfactant systems

Some cationic surfactants such as cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) show a very spectacular viscoelasticity in solution, in even very diluted states, with some aromatic substances added, such as salicylic acid. Formerly, the authors established that the remarkable solution behaviour was the result of the entanglement of such enormously elongated giant micelles, based on recognition of the existence of large aggregates, through direct observation of them as substantial images under the electron microscope.In this report, we further confirm the relation between micelle length and solution viscoelasticity after arbitrarily obtaining different size aggregates by altering the media pH, or by admixing shorter chain length surfactants than CTAB, which alone did not induce viscoelasticity.     

Effects of urea and a nonionic surfactant on the micellization and counterion binding properties of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide and sodium dodecyl sulfate

Micellization characteristics and counterion binding properties of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) in presence of urea and a nonionic surfactant polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate (PSML), and of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) in presence of urea as well as of several mixtures of CTAB with a bile salt, sodium cholate (NaC), and sodium chloride have been studied. Both urea and PSML have increased the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the surfactants, the former being more effective than the latter. The analysis of the results supports the pseudophase micellar model to hold over the mass action model. Pure CTAB micelles bind more counterions (96 %) than pure SDS micelles (87 %), and the decreasing effect of urea on the binding is less in case of the former than the latter. A 41 mixture of CTAB and sodium cholate (NaC) can micellize and the micelles bind 87 % bromide ion, whereas 21 and 11 mixtures do not micellize. Micelles of 11 mixture of CTAB and NaCl can bind counter bromide ions to the extent of 92 %. The limiting concentrations of urea required to effect counterion binding by CTAB and SDS micelles are 0.15 mol dm^–3 and 0.25 mol dm^–3, respectively. Such effect is shown by PSML on CTAB at a ratio 0.281. The activation energy of conduction of SDS has increased in the presence of urea up to a concentration of 4 mol dm^–3, at higher concentrations the activation energy has decreased, the effect being more for surfactant concentration above CMC than below.     

Viscoelastic micellar water/CTAB/NaNO(3) solutions: rheology, SANS and cryo-TEM analysis

Aqueous micellar solutions of the cationic surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and sodium nitrate (NaNO(3)) were examined using steady and dynamic rheology, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and cryogenic-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). Upon addition of NaNO(3), the CTAB spherical micelles transform into long, flexible wormlike micelles, conveying viscoelastic properties to the solutions. The zero-shear viscosity (eta(0)) versus NaNO(3) concentration curve exhibits a well-defined maximum. Likewise, upon increase in temperature, the viscosity decreases. Dynamic rheological data of the entangled micellar solutions can be well described by the Maxwell model. Changes in the structural parameters of the micelles with addition of NaNO(3) were inferred from SANS measurements. The intensity of scattered neutrons at the low q region was found to increase with increasing NaNO(3) concentration. This suggests an increase in size of the micelles and/or decrease of intermicellar interactions with increasing salt concentration. Analysis of the SANS data using prolate ellipsoidal structure and Yukawa form of interaction potential between micelles indicates that addition of NaNO(3) leads to a decrease in the surface charge of the ellipsoidal micelles and consequently an increase in their length. The structural transition from spherical to entangled threadlike micelles, induced by the addition of NaNO(3) to CTAB micelles is further confirmed by cryo-TEM.     

Investigations of a series of nonionic surfactants of sugar-lipid hybrids by light scattering and electron microscopy

Sugar-lipid hybrids of the type C_nC_m were prepared by coupling an alkane chain (C_n) with a maltooligosaccharide (G_m) over an amide linkage. Coupling was performed with maltobionolactone (G₂) and n-alkylamine chains C_n withn=8,10,12,14,16, i.e. variation of the hydrophobic part of the molecule, and with hexadecylamine (C₁₆) and different maltooligosaccharides (G_m, m=2,3,4,6). The solution properties of the various products were studied by means of static and dynamic light scattering (LS) and by electron-microscopy (EM).The results may be summarized as follows: If the alkane chain is shorter thann=14, small spherical micelles with a radius of about 3 nm are observed. In time these micelles aggregate further to form increasingly larger spherical clusters which eventually precipitate. Long rod-like micelles form whenn 14. Contour length and chain stiffness were determined by applying theories of semiflexible chains. A qualitative confirmation of the light scattering results, i.e., micelle size and shape, was obtained from electron microscopy.     

A non-aqueous microemulsion system of ethylene glycol,sodium dodecyl sulfate,toluene, and decanol

The microemulsion liquid in the system ethylene glycol, sodium dodecyl sulfate, decanol, and toluene was investigated by determination of solubility regions and of light scattering intensity.The system without hydrocarbons showed a critical point which remained in the system during the addition of toluene to high content. No other indications of association structures was formed and the microemulsions should be considered as solutions with critical behavior.     

Stability of spherical and rod-like micelles of ionic surfactants,in relation to their counterion binding and modes of hydration

Aqueous salt solutions of ionic surfactants in both spherical and rod-like micelles have been treated on the basis of a statistical thermodynamic theory, and the double logarithmic relationship between micelle molecular weight and ionic strength is derived for each micelle. Counterion binding on both micelles are assumed to occur specifically, and their degrees of dissociation are related to the slopes of the linear double logarithmic relations. It is found from the relationship observed for typical surfactants that the effective charge of spherical micelles is 29±4. The degree of dissociation of rod-like micelles of these surfactants is primarily determined by the counterion species, yielding values 0.8 for Na⁺, 0.4–0.6 for Cl^– and 0.2–0.3 for Br^–. Hydrophilic hydration of both micelles can be evaluated from the intercepts of the linear relations. Hydrophilic hydration acts repulsively in spherical micelles, while it is attractive or much less repulsive in rod-like micelles.     

Characteristics of rodlike micelles of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride in aqueous NaCl solutions: Their flexibility and the scaling laws in dilute and semidilute regimes

Static light scattering has been measured for aqueous NaCl solutions of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) at 25 °C. While spherical micelles are formed above the critical micelle concentration for 0–1.5 M NaCl solutions, rodlike micelles are formed at NaCl concentrations higher than 1.18 M.The aggregation number of rodlike micelles increases markedly with increasing NaCl concentration, and it is as large as 11400 in 4.0 M NaCl. Long rodlike micelles are semiflexible and behave like wormlike chains. Their contour length and persistence length have been calculated as 630 and 46.4 nm, respectively, in 4.0 M NaCl.Rodlike micelles overlap and entangle together to form a network in semidilute solutions above a threshold micelle concentration. The radius of gyration of the blob can be scaled for its molecular weight with the exponent, 0.55, coinciding with that for isolated rodlike micelles in dilute solutions. The scaling laws for the reciprocal envelope of light scattered in the semidilute regime and for the molecular weight and the radius of gyration of the blob are also discussed with reference to the micelle concentration.     

Dependence of the activity of a rhizopus lipase on microemulsion composition

Enzymatic hydrolysis of a model triglyceride, palm oil, was carried out with lipase fromRhizopus sp. in microemulsions with varying water content. The microemulsions were based on a nonionic surfactant, pentaethylene glycol monododecyl ether (C12 EO5), buffered water solution and an oil component consisting of isooctane and palm oil at a weight ratio of 20:1. The structure of the microemulsions was characterized using Fourier transform pulsed-gradient spin-echo¹H NMR. The rate of reaction decreased as the water content of the reaction medium was increased. The self-diffusion coefficient of water, D_w was found to be constant within the interval 1–20% water. The difference in reactivity is believed to be due to a difference in structure of the palisade layer between water and hydrocarbon microdomains. The nonionic surfactant was demonstrated to be unsuitable for enzymatic reactions since only partial hydrolysis was obtained in all experiments. The surfactant, however, did not cause enzyme deactivation, even at very high concentrations.