Scattering of Laser Light from Mixed Micelles

Dynamic and static scattering of light was employed to investigate mixed micelles of two homologous anionic surfactants-sodium octyl sulfate and sodium hexadecyl sulfate, above the phase boundary temperature and critical micelle concentrations (cmc). The results indicate that the mixed micelles change from prolate to sphcrical as the molar ratio SOS/SHS increases from 1 to 8. Below 1 or above 8, the formation of micelles is due to one surfactant dissolving the other.     

Reverse micellar synthesis and properties of nanocrystalline GMR materials (LaMnO3, La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 and La0.67Ca0.33MnO3): Ramifications of size considerations

Nanoparticles of complex manganites (viz. LaMnO₃, La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃ and La_0.67Ca{0.33}MnO₃) have been synthesized using the reverse micellar route. These manganites are prepared at 800‡C and the monophasic nature of all the oxides has been established by powder X-ray diffraction studies. TEM studies show an average grain size of 68, 80 and 50 nm for LaMnO₃, La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃ and La_0.67Ca{0.33}MnO₃respectively. Ferromagnetic ordering is observed at around 250 K for LaMnO₃, 350 K for La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃ and 200 K for La_0.67Ca{0.33}MnO₃. These Curie temperatures correspond well with those reported for bulk materials with similar composition.     

An application of the modified Poisson- Boltzmann equation in studies of osmotic properties of micellar solutions

The spherical cell model of colloidal solutions is applied in calculations of the osmotic pressure of micellar systems. The predictions of the nonlinear Poisson-Boltzmann equation (MPB) and of the Modified Poisson-Boltzmann equation (MPB) containing the leading terms of the fluctuation potential and the exclusion volume corrections to the mean potential acting on simple ions are compared with the results of recent computer simulations. Both PB and MPB seem satisfactory for solutions with monovalent counterions while the MPB is preferable for studies of the solutions containing divalent countenons.On leave from the University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia     

Determination of propazine by differential pulse polarography in micellar and emulsified media

An electroanalytical study of the herbicide propazine's reduction process in micellar solutions and oil-in-water emulsions is reported. The anionic surfactant sodium pentanesulphonate was chosen as the most suitable. The differential pulse polarograms of micellar solutions had two reduction peaks below pH 2.0, whereas only one peak was obtained above pH 2.O. Ethyl acetate was chosen as the organic solvent to form propazine emulsions. Unlike in micellar solutions, the DPP polarograms of propazine emulsions showed only one peak even at pH < 2.0, suggesting that propazine hydrolysis was hindered in the emulsified medium. The limiting current is diffusion-controlled and the electrode process is irreversible. Propazine can be determined by differential pulse polarography over the 1.0 × 10^–1 – 1.0 × 10^–1moll^–1 and 1.0 × 10^–15 – 4.0 × 10^–1 moll^–1 concentration ranges and the limit of detection was 2.8 × 10^–1 moll^–1. Of the potential interferents simazine, methoprotryne and terbutryn (alls-triazines), thiram (a dithiocarbamate), dinoseb (nitrophenolic), and heptachlor (chlorinated cyclo-diene herbicide), only the first two were significant (10% error for equimolar concentrations). The method was applied to the determination of propazine in spiked drinking water. At a concentration level of 2.0 × 10^–1 moll^–1 a recovery of 94 ± 6% was obtained, after tenfold concentration on Sep-Pak.     

Micellar effects of surfactants in cleavage of 4-nitro-phenyl diethyl phosphonate by hydroperoxide anion

We have studied the nucleophilicity of the hydroperoxide anion relative to 4-nitrophenyl diethyl phosphonate (NPDEPS) in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (water, 25 °C) while varying the acidity of the medium and the hydroperoxide anion concentration over a broad range. The increase in the reaction rate when the reaction is transferred to a micellar pseudophase is as high as ∼10-fold, which is explained by concentration effects. In CTAB micelles, as in water, the hydroperoxide ion is one of the most effective α-nucleophiles, and the size of the α-effect, characterized by the ratio of the second-order rate constants for reactions of HOO⁻ and OH⁻ anions with NPDEPS, remains practically constant and reaches a value of ∼50-fold. __________ Translated from Teoreticheskaya i éksperimental’naya Khimiya, Vol. 42, No. 6, pp. 357–363, November–December, 2006.     

Solubility Study of Nimodipine Inclusion Complexation with α- and β-Cyclodextrin and some Substituted Cyclodextrins

The solubility of nimodipine was measured in aqueous solutions of the following cyclodextrins: -cyclodextrin (-CD), hydroxypropyl--CD (HP--CD), -cyclodextrin (-CD), random substituted methyl--CD (M--CD), three hydroxypropyl--CDs (HP--CD) with mutually different average degree of substitution, and hydroxypropyl--cyclodextrin (HP--CD). From the determined linear solubility diagrams the values of the binding constant K₁₁ of the inclusion complexes of nimodipine with the respective CDs were evaluated. The -CDs efficiently solubilized sparingly soluble nimodipine, the highest value of K₁₁ was found for M--CD (1680 M^-1), followed by -CD (550 M^-1) and HP--CDs, where the higher degree of substitution lowered K₁₁. Only slight solubilization of nimodipine was observed in the solutions of the -CDs and HP--CD.     

Aminolysis ofO-alkylO-4-nitropyenyl chloromethylphosphonates in reverse micellar solutions of the nonionic surfactant

The reaction ofn-hexylamine withO-alkylO-4-nitrophenyl chloromethylphosphonates in toluene solutions of poly(ethylene glycol)-600 monolaurate (PM) has been studied by spectrophotometry. The reverse micelles of the nonionic surfactant increase more than tenfold the observed rate constant of aminolysis. The catalytic activity of the surfactant is practically independent of the alkyl radical length of phosphonate. An increase in the concentration of amine results in a decrease in the catalytic efficiency. The character of the dependence of the rate constant on the concentration of PM is affected by the alkyl chain length of the substrate. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 1735–1738, September, 1998.     

Complexation of Al(III) by 8-Hydroxyquinoline and Drastic Fluorescence Enhancement in Reverse Micelles

Complexation of Al^IIIby 8-hydroxyquinoline and fluorescence behavior of the quinolinate(s) were studied in reverse micellar systems at low water content, and compared to aqueous media. Two surfactants were used: one was cationic (CTAC: cetyltrimethylammonium chloride) and the other was anionic (AOT: sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate). The results obtained in the CTAC/dichloromethane system (W= [H₂O]/[surfactant] = 0.9) showed that complexation occurred very likely in the oil phase and no micellar effect was observed. On the contrary, in the presence of AOT, specific micellar effects were observed due to the presence of the anionic polar heads: stabilization of the positively charged 1:1 and 1:2 chelates, at the expense of the neutral water-insoluble 1:3 chelate which is formed in aqueous solutions under similar conditions;drastic fluorescence enhancement factorsof 120 and 100 in AOT/heptane (W= 1.5) and AOT/dichloromethane (W= 1.6), respectively. Such factors have never been reported so far in either hydroorganic or direct micellar systems. In return, the length of time for the production of the complex(es) is increased because of the microheterogeneity of the medium and the small sizes of the water pools.     

Calorimetric study on the solubilization of some primary alcohols by reversed AOT micelles

A calorimetric method to evaluate, at the same time, the distribution constant and the standard enthalpy of transfer of a solute partitioned between organic phase and reversed micelles is proposed. The method was applied to the partition of methanol, 1-propanol and 1-pentanol between n-heptane and AOT reversed micelles containing water at 25°C. The results show that the distribution constant decreases as the alcohol alkyl chain length increases and that the solubilization site can change as the water content of reversed AOT micelles increases. In particular, at sufficiently high water content, methanol seems to be preferably solubilized in the aqueous pseudophase whereas 1-pentanol prefers always the palisade layer as site of solubilization.In part from Doctor in Biology thesis of F. Pinio, University of Palermo, Italy.     

Volumes,heat capacities and solubilities of amyl compounds in decyltrimethylammonium bromide aqueous solutions

Apparent molar heat capacities and volumes of amylamine (PentNH₂) 0.02m, capronitrile (PentCN) 0.02m and nitropentane (PentNO₂) 0.009m in decyltrimethylammonium bromide (DeTAB) micellar solutions, in water and in octane were measured at 25°C. By assuming that their concentration approaches the standard infinite dilution state, heat capacities and volumes were rationalized by means of previously reported equations following which the distribution constant between the aqueous and the micellar phase and heat capacity and volume of the additives in both phases are simultaneously derived. The present results are compared to those we have previously obtained for pentanol (PentOH). The thermodynamic properties of PentNH₂ in water and in micellar phase are substantially identical to those of PentOH but different from those of PentCN and PentNO₂ whereas the opposite behavior was observed in their pure liquid state and in octane. The nature of the solvent medium seems to affect the thermodynamic behavior of PentNH₂. Also, the study of the apparent molar heat capacities of the amyl compounds investigated here in micellar solutions as a function of surfactant concentration shows evidence of a maximum at about 0.4m DeTAB, which can be attributed to a micellar structural transition. Accordingly, the solubilities of PentCN and PentNO₂ as a function of the DeTAB concentration drop in the neighborhood of the concentration where heat capacities display the maximum.