Microstructures of Aqueous Two‐Phase Systems Formed by Mixture of Polymer and Cationic‐Anionic Surfactants

Abstract

Microstructure and phase behavior of decyltriethylammonium bromide (C₁₀NE)/sodium decylsulfonate (C₁₀SO₃)/poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)/water quaternary systems were studied by freeze‐fracture transmission electron microscopy, small angle X‐ray diffraction, and dynamic light scattering methods. Aqueous two‐phase systems (ATPS) could be prepared by properly mixing the aqueous solution of PEO and equimolar mixed C₁₀NE and C₁₀SO₃. It was shown that the top phase of the ATPS was surfactant‐enriched and mainly composed of multi‐lamellar structure, while the bottom phase of the ATPS was polymer‐enriched in which some vesicles were observed.

Keywords:

• Aqueous two‐phases
• ATPS
• mixed catanionic surfactants
• poly(ethylene oxide)
• microstructure

Acknowledgment

This project was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 20273006, 29973002).