Thermodynamic Properties of CTAB in Aqueous Solutions of Neutral Polymers at 25°C

Interactions of polyethylene glycols (PEGs) and polypropylene glycols (PPOs) in aqueous solutions of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) were investigated through thermodynamic properties at 25°C. The densities and heat capacities of the solutions were measured with a vibrating tube densimeter and a Picker flow microcalorimeter, respectively. The variations in the apparent molar volumes and heat capacities of both solutes, calculated from the densities and heat capacities of the solutions, are unusually large in the vicinity of the CMC, reflecting the existence of very strong interactions between CTAB and PPOs. With the more hydrophilic polymers, PEGs, the apparent properties of CTAB are less affected by the presence of the polymer, indicating that PEGs interact only weakly with CTAB. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.