Electromotive force studies associated with the binding of two cationic surfactants and their mixture to poly (ethylene glycol), poly (vinyl alcohol) and (vinyl acetate-ethylene) copolymer

Abstract

Electromotive Force (EMF) measurements of the cationic surfactants, tetradecylpyridinium bromide (TPyB) and hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HTAB) and their mixture in absence and presence of two non-ionic polymers, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and one non-ionic copolymer, vinyl acetate-ethylene (Sok), are reported here. The polymer/surfactant complexes exist for those polymers whose microstructures contain side groups with hydrophobic character. EMF curves for mixed surfactant systems show two breaks, <i>C</i>₁ and <i>C</i>₂corresponding to two aggregation processes that is mainly attributed to structural transition of mixed micelles at <i>C</i>₁ with a further increase in surfactant concentration. The data also show the presence or interaction between mixed micelles and the neutral polymers.