Mixed micelle behavior of Pluronic L64 and Triton X-100 with conventional and dimeric cationic surfactants

The mixed micellar properties of a triblock copolymer, Pluronic L64, (EO)13(PO)30(EO)13, and a nonionic surfactant, Triton X-100, in aqueous solution with conventional alkyl ammonium bromides and their dimeric homologues were investigated with the help of fluorescence and cloud point measurements. The composition of mixed micelles and the interaction parameter, beta, evaluated from the critical micelle concentration (cmc) data for different mixtures using Rubingh's and Motomura's theories are discussed. It has been observed that the mixed micelle formation between monomeric/dimeric alkyl ammonium bromides and L64 was due to synergistic interactions which increase with the increase in hydrophobicity of the cationic component. On the other hand, synergistic mixing was observed in the mixed micelles of Triton X-100 and monomeric cationic surfactants, the magnitude of which decreases slightly with the increase in hydrophobicity of the cationic component. Antagonistic interactions were observed in the case of Triton X-100 and dimeric cationic surfactants.     

Synergism and Physicochemical Properties of Anionic/Amphoteric Surfactant Mixtures with Nonionic Surfactant of Amine Oxide Type

The physicochemical properties of initial formulation, that is anionic/amphoteric surfactants mixture SLES/AOS/CAB (sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES), α-olefin sulfonates (AOS) and cocamidopropyl betaine (CAB) at ratio 80 : 15 : 5) with nonionic surfactant of amine oxide type (lauramine oxide (AO)) in various concentration (1–5%) were studied. To characterize the surfactants mixture, the critical micelle concentration (CMC), surface tension (γ), foam volume, biodegradability and irritability were determined. This study showed that adding of AO in those mixtures lowered both γ and CMC as well as enhanced SLES/AOS/CAB foaming properties, but did not significantly affect biodegradability and irritability of initial formulation. Moreover, an increase in AO concentration has a meaningful synergistic effect on the initial formulation properties. All those results indicates that a nonionic surfactant of amine oxide type significantly improves the performance of anionic/amphoteric mixed micelle systems, and because of that anionic/amphoteric/nonionic mixture can be used in considerably lower concentrations as a cleaning formulation.

     

Foaming and foam stability for mixed polymer-surfactant solutions: effects of surfactant type and polymer charge

Solutions of surfactant-polymer mixtures often exhibit different foaming properties, compared to the solutions of the individual components, due to the strong tendency for formation of polymer-surfactant complexes in the bulk and on the surface of the mixed solutions. A generally shared view in the literature is that electrostatic interactions govern the formation of these complexes, for example between anionic surfactants and cationic polymers. In this study we combine foam tests with model experiments to evaluate and explain the effect of several polymer-surfactant mixtures on the foaminess and foam stability of the respective solutions. Anionic, cationic, and nonionic surfactants (SDS, C(12)TAB, and C(12)EO(23)) were studied to clarify the role of surfactant charge. Highly hydrophilic cationic and nonionic polymers (polyvinylamine and polyvinylformamide, respectivey) were chosen to eliminate the (more trivial) effect of direct hydrophobic interactions between the surfactant tails and the hydrophobic regions on the polymer chains. Our experiments showed clearly that the presence of opposite charges is not a necessary condition for boosting the foaminess and foam stability in the surfactant-polymer mixtures studied. Clear foam boosting (synergistic) effects were observed in the mixtures of cationic surfactant and cationic polymer, cationic surfactant and nonionic polymer, and anionic surfactant and nonionic polymer. The mixtures of anionic surfactant and cationic polymer showed improved foam stability, however, the foaminess was strongly reduced, as compared to the surfactant solutions without polymer. No significant synergistic or antagonistic effects were observed for the mixture of nonionic surfactant (with low critical micelle concentration) and nonionic polymer. The results from the model experiments allowed us to explain the observed trends by the different adsorption dynamics and complex formation pattern in the systems studied.     

Studies of mixed surfactant solutions of cationic dimeric (gemini) surfactant with nonionic surfactant C12E6 in aqueous medium

The interaction between the alkanediyl-alpha,omega-type cationic gemini surfactant, [(C(16)H(33)N(+)(CH(3))(2)(CH(2))(4)N(+)(CH(3))(2)C(16)H(33))2Br(-)], 16-4-16 and the conventional nonionic surfactant [CH(3)(CH(2))(10)CH(2)(OCH(2)CH(2))(6)OH], C(12)E(6) in aqueous medium has been investigated. The critical micelle concentrations of different mixtures have been measured by surface tension using a du Nouy tensiometer in aqueous solution at different temperatures (303, 308, and 313 K). Maximum surface excess (Gamma(max)) and minimum area per molecule (A(min)) were evaluated from a surface tension vs log(10)C (C is concentration) plot. The cmc value of the mixture was used to compute beta(m), the interaction parameter. The beta(sigma), the interaction parameter at the monolayer air-water interface, was also calculated. We observed synergism in 16-4-16/C(12)E(6) system at all concentration ratios. The micelle aggregation number (N(agg)) has been measured using a steady state fluorescence quenching method at a total surfactant concentration approximately 2 mM at 25 degrees C. The micropolarity and the binding constant (K(sv)) of mixed systems were determined from the ratio of intensity of peaks (I(1)/I(3)) of the pyrene fluorescence emission spectrum. The micellar interiors were found to be reasonably polar. We also found, using Maeda's concept, that the chain-chain interactions are very important in this system.     

Properties of binary surfactant systems of nonionic surfactants C12E10, C12E23, and C12E42 with a cationic gemini surfactant in aqueous solutions

Properties of binary surfactant systems of nonionic surfactants poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) lauryl ethers (C(12)E(10), C(12)E(23), C(12)E(42)) with a cationic gemini surfactant, butanediyl-α,ω-bis(tetradecyldimethylammonium bromide) (14-4-14), have been investigated by Steady-state Fluorescence (FL), zeta potential, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Cryogenic Transmission Electron Microscopy (CryoTEM), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). Through FL measurements, critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the three binary systems for different mixing mole fractions is determined and the values fall between those of pure constituent surfactants. Ideal CMC (CMC(ideal)), mole fraction in aggregates (X), interaction parameter (β), activity coefficients (f(1) and f(2)), and excess free energy of mixing (ΔG(ex)) have been calculated. All these parameters indicate nonideal behavior and synergistic interactions between the constituent surfactants, which is explained in terms of electrostatic attraction between headgroups of constituent surfactants and reduction of electrostatic repulsion between headgroups of 14-4-14 due to the presence of nonionic surfactants. DLS, TEM and CryoTEM results show that nonionic surfactants facilitate the formation of larger aggregates. Micelles and vesicles in larger size compared with those of 14-4-14 coexist in the mixed solutions. Both surfactant composition and PEO chain length are found to play a strong effect on the properties of the binary systems.     

Adsorption of nonionic mixtures at the air-water interface: effects of temperature and electrolyte

Specular neutron reflection has been used to investigate the effects of temperature and added electrolyte on the adsorption of nonionic surfactants and nonionic surfactant mixtures at the air-water interface. For the alkyl poly-oxyethylene oxide nonionic surfactants, C(n)EO(m), the adsorption at the air-water interface is independent of temperature for surfactants with shorter ethylene oxide groups, whereas there is an increasing tendency for increased adsorption with temperature for surfactants with longer ethylene oxide groups. The addition of "salting in" (sodium thiocyanate, NaSCN) and "salting out" (sodium chloride, NaCl, sodium sulphate, Na2SO4) electrolyte results in reduced and enhanced adsorption, respectively, for C12EO8, whereas both types of electrolyte result in enhanced adsorption for C12EO12. The addition of electrolyte does not substantially alter the temperature dependence of the adsorption of the pure monolayers. For the nonionic mixtures of C12EO3/C12EO8 increasing temperature results in a surface richer in the least surface-active component, C12EO8. For the same nonionic mixture, the addition of "salting in" and "salting out" electrolyte results in an reduced and increased adsorption, respectively. The addition of "salting in" electrolyte results in a surface more rich in C12EO3, whereas for the addition of both "salting in" and "salting out" electrolyte the surface composition is essentially unaltered.     

Micelle–monomer equilibria in solutions of ionic surfactants and in ionic–nonionic mixtures: A generalized phase separation model

On the basis of a detailed physicochemical model, a complete system of equations is formulated that describes the equilibrium between micelles and monomers in solutions of ionic surfactants and their mixtures with nonionic surfactants. The equations of the system express mass balances, chemical and mechanical equilibria. Each nonionic surfactant is characterized by a single thermodynamic parameter — its micellization constant. Each ionic surfactant is characterized by three parameters, including the Stern constant that quantifies the counterion binding. In the case of mixed micelles, each pair of surfactants is characterized with an interaction parameter, β, in terms of the regular solution theory. The comparison of the model with experimental data for surfactant binary mixtures shows that β is constant — independent of the micelle composition and electrolyte concentration. The solution of the system of equations gives the concentrations of all monomeric species, the micelle composition, ionization degree, surface potential and mean area per head group. Upon additional assumptions for the micelle shape, the mean aggregation number can be also estimated. The model gives quantitative theoretical interpretation of the dependence of the critical micellization concentration (CMC) of ionic surfactants on the ionic strength; of the CMC of mixed surfactant solutions, and of the electrolytic conductivity of micellar solutions. It turns out, that in the absence of added salt the conductivity is completely dominated by the contribution of the small ions: monomers and counterions. The theoretical predictions are in good agreement with experimental data.     

Ultralow interfacial tension for enhanced oil recovery at very low surfactant concentrations

The interfacial tension (IFT) between alkanes and several individual surfactants and their mixtures has been investigated, using three kinds of alkyl hydrocarbons: decane, dodecane, and tetradecane. For individual and mixed surfactant systems, critical micelle concentrations and areas per molecule at the hydrocarbon-aqueous solution interface were calculated; for the mixed surfactant systems, betasigma(LL), the molecular interaction parameter at the hydrocarbon-aqueous solution interface, and beta(M), the molecular interaction parameter in mixed micelle formation, were calculated. It was found that IFT in the 10(-3) mN/m (ultralow) range can be obtained at surfactant concentrations below 0.05 wt % and even at concentrations below 0.01 wt %, when mixtures of certain surfactants are used at the proper ratio. Surfactants with branched-chain alkyl groups show a much better IFT reduction effectiveness than those with straight-chain alkyl groups. Contrary to what has been observed at the air-aqueous solution surface, mixtures of two homologues with two hydrophobic groups show significant molecular interactions, with both betasigma(LL) and beta(M) having negative values in the 4-5 range in some cases, with the betasigma(LL) value more negative than beta(M). The relationship between micellar shape and ultralow IFT was investigated by calculating the critical packing parameter of the surfactants. It was found that ultralow IFT between the surfactant mixtures and the three hydrocarbons investigated could reach ultralow (<10(-2) mN/m) values when the critical packing parameter is very close to 1.     

Dynamic surface tension of micellar solutions in the millisecond and submillisecond time range

The analysis of the available bubble life times and dead times for the bubble pressure tensiometer BPA-1S shows that dynamic surface tensions can be measured also for surfactant solutions at concentrations many times higher than the corresponding CMC. For the three nonionic surfactants Triton X-100, Triton X-45, and C14EO8 experiments are performed for solutions with a concentration of up to 200 times the CMC (C14EO8). Comparison of the experimental data with micelle kinetics models yields rate constants for the fast micelle dissolution process, which are in a good agreement with values obtained by other experimental methodologies.     

Mixed Micellization of Dimeric (Gemini) Surfactants and Conventional Surfactants

The aqueous solutions of mixtures of various conventional surfactants and dimeric anionic and cationic surfactants have been investigated by electrical conductivity, spectrofluorometry, and time-resolved fluorescence quenching to determine the critical micelle concentrations and the micelle aggregation numbers in these mixtures. The following systems have been investigated: 12-2-12/DTAB, 12-2-12/C(12)E(6), 12-2-12/C(12)E(8), 12-3-12/C(12)E(8), Dim3/C(12)E(8), and Dim4/C(12)E(8) (12-2-12 and 12-3-12=dimethylene-1,2- and trimethylene-1,3-bis(dodecyldimethylammonium bromide), respectively; C(12)E(6) and C(12)E(8)=hexa- and octaethyleneglycol monododecylethers, respectively; Dim3 and Dim4=anionic dimeric surfactants of the disodium sulfonate type, Scheme 1; DTAB=dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide). For the sake of comparison the conventional surfactant mixtures DTAB/C(12)E(8) and SDS/C(12)E(8) (SDS=sodium dodecylsulfate) have also been investigated (reference systems). Synergism in micelle formation (presence of a minimum in the cmc vs composition plot) has been observed for the Dim4/C(12)E(8) mixture but not for other dimeric surfactant/nonionic surfactant mixtures investigated. The aggregation numbers of the mixed reference systems DTAB/C(12)E(8) and SDS/C(12)E(8) vary monotonously with composition from the value of the aggregation number of the pure C(12)E(8) to that of the pure ionic component. In contrast, the aggregation number of the dimeric surfactant/C(12)E(8) mixtures goes through a minimum at a low value of the dimeric surfactant mole fraction. This minimum does not appear to be correlated to the existence of synergism in micelle formation. The initial decrease of the aggregation number of the nonionic surfactant upon addition of ionic surfactant, up to a mole fraction of ionic surfactant of about 0.2 (in equivalent per total equivalent), depends little on the nature the surfactant, whether conventional or dimeric. The results also show that the microviscosity of the systems containing dimeric surfactants is larger than that of the reference systems. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.     

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.     

Synergistic Behavior of Binary Mixed Micellar Solution

Conductivity measurement has been used to study the properties of aqueous solutions of the nonionic polyoxyethylene sorbitan(20)monooleate (T₈₀) and the cationic 1,1′ lauryl amido propyl ammonium chloride (LAPACl) and their mixtures in the presence of 0.1 M HCl and at 303 K. The values of the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the individual surfactants and their mixtures were determined from the conductometric measurements. Based on Rubingh's theory (approximation of the theory of regular solutions), the compositions of micelles (X₁), and the parameters of interaction between the molecules of cationic and nonionic surfactants (β) were calculated for mixture of systems LAPACl+α T₈₀ and T₈₀+α LAPACl. The mixture LAPACl+α T₈₀ showed synergistic interactions up to α=0.2 whereas those of T₈₀+α LAPACl registered antagonistic behavior. The study disclosed that for cationic/nonionic surfactants mixtures, the priority is for mixtures of cationic base with small mole fraction of nonionic surfactant and not the reverse.     

Corrosion Inhibition Efficiency in Relation to Micellar Interaction Parameters of Cationic/Nonionic Surfactant Mixtures for Carbon Steel Pipelines in 1 M HCl Solution

The effect of different nine molar mixed ratios of didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride as a cationic surfactant and nonyl phenol ethoxylate (e.o. = 9) as a nonionic surfactant, on the inhibition behavior of carbon steel have been examined using the weight loss and the potensiodynamic methods. The results show that these mixed cationic/nonionic surfactant mixtures (II to X) can be used to inhibit the corrosion of steel pipelines in the petroleum acid job. The surface active properties of the used surfactant mixtures were calculated using the surface tension measurements and the critical micelle concentration (CMC) values. The micellar interaction parameters of the investigated mixtures were calculated using the data of CMC. From the corrosion results it was found that, the maximum synergistic effect was obtained by the mixtures VIII (30%C + 70%N) and IV (70%C + 30%N). They exhibited inhibition efficiency expressed by the rate of corrosion as 5.15 and 1.53 miles per year respectively, at 400 ppm. The positive synergistic behavior of these mixtures pronounced the better results than which obtained by the individual inhibitors (cationic or nonionic alone). At the same time the maximum micellar interaction parameter was obtained by the mixtures VIII and IV (?1.85 and ?1.80, respectively). These results justified the strong relationship between the corrosion inhibition efficiency and the micellar interaction parameters of the mixed surfactants which used as an organic corrosion inhibitors.     

Physicochemical properties of mixed surfacant systems: sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate with triton X 100

The physicochemical properties of a mixed surfactant system were studied under various conditions. The surfactants were anionic sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate and nonionic Triton X 100. Variation of specific conductivity with concentration was used to determine the critical micelle concentration of anionic as well as the mixed surfactants. Iodine solubilization method was used to determine the CMC of the nonionic surfactant. The interaction parameter between the surfactant molecules were calculated. The wetting, foaming and detergent properties of mixed surfactant systems were studied. The variation of contact angle of the solution with teflon surface as a function of surfactant concentration was found to be a reasonably good method to determine the critical micelle concentration. Viscosity and cloud points were also determined. All these quantities are discussed. Received: 14 January 1998 Accepted: 11 June 1998     

Micellization and catalytic activity of the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-Brij 97-water mixed micellar system

Surface tension measurements and the kinetic study of the basic hydrolysis of ethyl p-nitrophenyl chloromethyl phosphonate were used to examine the structural behavior and catalytic activity of the cethyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-polyoxyethylene (10) oleyl ether, C(18)H(35)(OCH(2)CH(2))(10)OH (Brij 97)-water mixed micellar system. Application of the regular solution model to the experimental data yields the value of the interaction parameter beta as -4.6, which indicates an attractive interaction of the surfactants in the mixed micelle and reflects synergistic solution behavior of the mixture. The mixed micellar composition is found to be enriched in the surfactant with the lower critical micelle concentration (cmc). In the kinetic study a nonmonotonic change in the pseudo-first-order rate constant of basic hydrolysis of the substrate is observed with increasing mole fraction of nonionic surfactant. The pseudophase micellar model reveals that the concentration factor mainly contributes to the catalytic effect, while the microenvironmental factor plays a negative role.     

Unusual micelle and surface adsorption behavior in mixtures of surfactants with an ethylene oxide-propylene oxide triblock copolymer

Micellization and adsorption at the air-solution interface of binary mixtures of the triblock copolymer of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, EO23PO52EO23 (EPE), and the surfactants sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), dodecyl trimethylammonium chloride (DTAC), and tetraethylene glycol monooctyl ether (C8EO4) have been studied by neutron reflectivity and surface tension. The synergistic attractive interaction between the polymer and the ionic surfactants has been analyzed in the framework of the pseudo phase approximation and gives rise to a stronger interaction for EPE/SDS than EPE/DTAC. In contrast, the interaction of the nonionic surfactant C8EO4 with the copolymer EPE shows an unexpected and rather different behavior, resulting in a strongly repulsive interaction, characterized by a positive interaction parameter. The neutron reflectivity measurements of the surface excess, where the predicted and measured surface excesses are directly compared, provide evidence that challenges the applicability of the pseudo phase approximation for describing the surface mixing behavior. Structural information on the mixed adsorbed layer provides evidence which in part explains the observed discrepancies between the measured surface excesses and the behavior predicted from the pseudo phase approximation. Furthermore the structural evidence can be use to rationalize the differences in behavior observed between the ionic and nonionic surfactants.     

New methodology to determine the rate-limiting adsorption kinetics mechanism from experimental dynamic surface tension data

We present a new methodology to determine the rate-limiting adsorption kinetics mechanism (diffusion-controlled vs mixed diffusion-barrier controlled), including deducing the kinetics parameters (the diffusion coefficient, D, and the energy-barrier parameter, beta), from the experimental short-time dynamic surface tension (DST) data. The new methodology has the following advantages over the existing procedure used to analyze the experimental DST data: (a) it does not require using a model for the equilibrium adsorption isotherm, and (b) it only requires using the experimental short-time DST data measured at two initial surfactant bulk solution concentrations. We apply the new methodology to analyze the experimental short-time DST data of the following alkyl poly(ethylene oxide), CiEj, nonionic surfactants: C12E4, C12E6, C12E8, and C10E8 measured using the pendant-bubble apparatus. We find that for C12E4 and C12E6, the effect of the energy barrier on the overall rate of surfactant adsorption can be neglected for surfactant bulk solution concentrations below their respective critical micelle concentrations (CMCs), and therefore, that the rate-limiting adsorption kinetics mechanism for C12E4 and C12E6 is diffusion-controlled at any of their premicellar surfactant bulk solution concentrations. On the other hand, for C12E8 and C10E8, we find that their respective CMC values are large enough to observe a significant effect of the energy barrier on the overall rate of surfactant adsorption. In other words, for C12E8 and C10E8, the rate-limiting adsorption kinetics mechanism shifts from diffusion-controlled to mixed diffusion-barrier controlled as their premicellar surfactant bulk solution concentrations increase. We test the new methodology by predicting the short-time DST profiles at other initial surfactant bulk solution concentrations, and then comparing the predicted DST profiles with those measured experimentally. Very good agreement is obtained for the four CiEj nonionic surfactants considered. We also compare the results of implementing the new methodology with those of implementing the existing procedure, and conclude that using a model for the equilibrium adsorption isotherm can lead not only to different values of D and beta, but it can also lead to a completely different determination of the rate-limiting adsorption kinetics mechanism. Since the new methodology proposed here does not require using a model for the equilibrium adsorption isotherm, we conclude that it should provide a more reliable determination of the rate-limiting adsorption kinetics mechanism, including the deduced kinetics parameters, D and beta.     

Micellar Interactions in Nonionic/Ionic Mixed Surfactant Systems

To study the influence of the chemical nature of headgroups and the type of counterion on the process of micellization in mixed surfactant systems, the cmc's of several binary mixtures of surfactants with the same length of hydrocarbon tail but with different headgroups have been determined as a function of the monomer composition using surface tension measurements. Based on these results, the interaction parameter between the surfactant species in mixed micelles has been determined using the pseudophase separation model. Experiments were carried out with (a) the nonionic/anionic C(12)E(6)/SDS ((hexa(ethyleneglycol) mono-n-dodecyl ether)/(sodium dodecyl sulfate)), (b) amphoteric/anionic DDAO/SDS ((dodecyldimethylamine oxide)/(sodium dodecyl sulfate)), and (c) amphoteric/nonionic C(12)E(6)/DDAO mixed surfactant systems. In the case of the mixed surfactant systems containing DDAO, experiments were carried out at pH 2 and pH 8 where the surfactant was in the cationic and nonionic form, respectively. It was shown that the mixtures of the nonionic surfactants with different kinds of headgroups exhibit almost ideal behavior, whereas for the nonionic/ionic surfactant mixtures, significant deviations from ideal behavior (attractive interactions) have been found, suggesting binding between the head groups. Molecular orbital calculations confirmed the existence of the strong specific interaction between (1) SDS and nonionic and cationic forms of DDAO and between (2) C(12)E(6) and the cationic form of DDAO. In the case for the C(12)E(6)/SDS system, an alternative mechanism for the stabilization of mixed micelles was suggested, which involved the lowering in the free energy of the hydration layer. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.