Conductometric and fluorometric investigations on the mixed micellar systems of cationic surfactants in aqueous media

Micellar properties of binary mixtures of hexadecyldiethylethanolammonium bromide surfactant with tetradecyldimethylammonium, trimethylammonium, triphenylphosphonium, diethylethanolammonium, and pyridinium bromide surfactants have been characterized employing conductometric and fluorescence techniques. The critical micelle concentration (cmc*) and the degree of counter-ion binding values (delta) of the binary systems were determined from the conductivity measurements. The results were analyzed in light of various existing theories to calculate micellar composition, activity coefficients, and the interaction parameter (beta). Partial contribution of each surfactant, cmc1*, cmc2*, to the overall cmc* value was also evaluated. Aggregation numbers and micropolarity of the mixed micelles were determined from fluorescence measurements. The results were discussed in terms of synergetic interactions in these systems on the basis of the head group/head group and tail/tail interactions and the counter-ion binding.