Micellization and adsorption of a zwitterionic surfactant: N-dodecyl betaine-effect of salt

Time-resolved fluorescence quenching, self-diffusion measurements and calorimetric investigations have been used in order to investigate the effect of salt on aggregation in aqueous solutions and the adsorption onto silica gel of the zwitterionic surfactant N-dodecyl betaine (NDB).

The micelle aggregation number of NDB stays constant when the NDB or salt concentration increases but decreases with an increase of temperature. Evidence is presented for the binding of cations and anions to micellar aggregates. The degree of binding has been obtained for Na⁺, Ca²⁺ and Cl⁻ ions; it is always larger for the anion.

Enthalpies of micellization were obtained directly from calorimetric curves of NDB in dilution experiments. The observed decrease of the endothermic enthalpies of micellization with increasing temperature or salinity is attributed to a structural change in the water molecules around the alkyl chain of the free monomers.

The adsorption isotherms of NDB onto silica gel depend very little on temperature, and a plateau is reached near the CMC. At saturation, the adsorbed amount of NDB depends on the salt and follows the sequence NDB < (NDB + NaCl) < (NDB + CaCl₂).

The exothermic differential molar enthalpies of adsorption demonstrate the same behaviour as the enthalpies of micellization with varying temperature or salinity. Adsorption onto silica gel depends on the NDB concentration, the salt concentration and temperature.