Adsorption and desorption kinetics of CmE8 on impulsively expanded or compressed air–water interfaces

The adsorption kinetics of C_mE₈ (m=10, 12, and 14) at an air–water interface are investigated. A pendant bubble is formed in aqueous surfactant solution and allowed to attain equilibrium. The bubble is then impulsively expanded or compressed with some change of area large enough to appreciably deplete or enrich the surface concentration and change the surface tension. The surfactant is then allowed to re-equilibrate. The surface tension evolution during this process is measured using video images of the pendant drop. The surface tension evolution is compared to mass transfer arguments. First, the re-equilibration of interfaces laden with C₁₄E₈ are studied. For compressed interfaces, surfactant must desorb to restore equilibrium. The surface tension rises more slowly than predicted by a diffusion-controlled evolution, implying that the re-equilibration is mixed diffusive-kinetic controlled. By analyzing the surface tension evolution in terms of a mixed kinetic-diffusive model, values for the kinetic constants for adsorption and desorption are found. These results are compared to those obtained previously for C_mE₈ (m=10 and 12). For all of these molecules, the adsorption rate constant is similar (β₁=5.6±1.0×10^?6 cm³ (mol s)^?1). However, the desorption rate constant (₁) varies strongly. Increasing m by 2 lowers the desorption rate constant ₁ by nearly a factor of 15. This is consistent with an increased resistance to re-immersion into water with the length of a hydrocarbon chain.