Thermodynamic properties of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide in ethanol-water media with/without the presence of the divalent salt

Abstract

The physicochemical properties of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) in pure water and ethanol-water mixtures in the presence and absence of MnSO4.6H2O were studied by measuring the conductivity at room temperature. The concentration range of CTAB was ~1.00 × 10–5 M to ~1.00 × 10–2M and the concentration of MnSO4.6H2O was 0.001 M, 0.005 M, 0.01 M. With increasing ethanol content in the solvent composition, the critical micelle concentration (CMC) and the degree of micellar dissociation (α) of CTAB increased. With the help of CMC and α, the standard free energy of micellization (ΔGm ο ) was evaluated. With an increase in ethanol content, the negative values of ΔGmο decreased. CTAB micellization was tested in the context of specific solvent parameters. The solvent conductivity ratio at CMC to limiting conductivity was employed as a solvophobic influence. The addition of salt (MnSO4.6H2O) decreases the CMC of CTAB due to the screening of the electrostatic repulsion of the head groups. Here, we report that micellization is strongly influenced by salt concentration.