Structure of sodium alkyl sulfate micelles

Apparent and partial molar volumes of aggregated sodium octyl-, decyl-, dodecyl-, and tetradecyl sulfate molecules have been determined rigorously in terms of the pseudophase separation model. Mass density inside the micellar core—a basic thermodynamic parameter in the research of micelles by nuclear techniques—has been derived from the partial molar volumes.Micellar aggregation numbers of the same surfactants, obtained from small-angle neutron scattering SANS] by systematically varying the surfactant concentration and solution temperature are published. A survey is given of the physical models and evaluation algorithms applied in SANS, together with a critical comparison of available experimental data published by various research teams.By utilizing a new least-squares fitting algorithm based on a microscopic diffusion model, the formation and annihilation parameters of ortho-positronium Co-Ps) in the micellar pseudophase and in the aqueous solvent, as well as the o-Ps diffusion coefficient in the solvent are deduced by evaluating conventionally measured positron lifetime spectra. From the pickoff annihilation rate of o-Ps in micelles the surface tension of the micellar core around the solubilization site of o-Ps is calculated. SANS results are utilized to determine the diffusion coefficient of o-Ps in normal and in 99.85% heavy water as a function of temperature. A definite isotopic effect in the two solvents can be seen from the results obtained for the diffusion coefficient and its activation energy. The Arrhenius plot of o-Ps diffusion coefficients indicates that o-Ps diffuses in both media without tunnelling.