MICELLE FORMATION IN MIXTURES OF ANIONIC AND NONIONIC SURFACTANTS

ABSTRACT

The critical micelle concentration of mixtures of anionic and nonionic surfactants was measured. The anionic surfactants were alkylbenzene sulfonates and the nonionic surfactants were polyoxyethylene nonylphenols and a polyoxy-ethylene alcohol. The effect of added electrolyte, the number of ethylene oxide units in the polyethoxylate, and the anionic alkyl chain length were studied. All systems showed substantial negative deviations (lower CMC) from ideal solution theory. The results can be represented by regular solution theory. Charge separation appears to be the source of the nonideality. This considers the reduction of electrostatic repulsion between the ionic surfactant head groups in the mixed micelle, due to the insertion of nonionic hydrophilic groups between these charged groups, to be the cause of enhanced micelle formation. The physical basis of regular solution theory was shown to be consistent with the charge separation effect.