Mixed micellar properties of cationic trimeric-type quaternary ammonium salts and anionic sodium n-octyl sulfate surfactants.
The properties of quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic trimeric surfactants (m-2-m-2-m, m represents the carbon atom number in alkyl chain lengths of 8, 10, and 12) and oppositely charged anionic monomeric surfactant, sodium n-octyl sulfate (SOS), were characterized by employing several techniques such as static surface tension, fluorescence spectroscopy, and dynamic light-scattering measurements. The critical micelle concentrations (cmc) of m-2-m-2-m were much lower than those of the corresponding dimeric and monomeric surfactants, and decreased with increasing chain length. The addition of SOS to m-2-m-2-m solutions resulted in a further decrease of the cmc. The mixed surfactants showed higher efficiencies in lowering the surface tension than the individual surfactants. The fluorescence measurements suggested the formation of mixed micelles with a hydrophobic environment in the solutions even at lower concentrations. The dynamic light-scattering study indicated the presence of two different kinds of aggregates with different hydrodynamic diameters. The larger one was attributed to the mixed micelle of m-2-m-2-m and SOS. These results indicated a decline of the electrostatic repulsion between cationic head groups through the incorporation of anionic surfactant into the mixed surfactants.
Department of Applied Chemistry and Institute of Colloid and Interface Science, Tokyo University of Science, Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8601, Japan. yoshimura@ch.kagu.tus.ac.jp
Tomokazu
T
Yoshimura
Akiko
A
Ohno
Kunio
K
Esumi