Mixed Micellization of Ionic and Nonionic Surfactants in Aqueous Solution

Abstract

Mixed micelles of binary surfactant mixtures consisting of nonionic/nonionic and cationic/nonionic surfactants have been prepared in different compositions of the components in aqueous solution in order to study their stability and ideality. Interfacial adsorption, minimum area per surfactant molecule at the interface, thermodynamics of micellization, and stability of mixed micelles have been investigated. The surfactant‐surfactant interaction in the mixed micelle has been determined employing regular solution theory to interpret the experimental findings. Effect of chain length of hydrophobic and hydrophilic moiety on the stability of mixed micelles has been included in the present study.

Keywords:

• Mixed micelles
• adsorption
• stability
• solution theory
• interface

Acknowledgment

Financial assistance (No. ERIP/ER/0103338/M/01) from DRDO, India, is gratefully acknowledged. One of the authors (SC) thanks DRDO for providing a JRF.