Solution Properties of Mono- and Di-hexadecyl Cationic Mixed Surfactant Systems: Specific Coexistence Effect Among Various Aggregates

Abstract

We have synthesized the surfactant cationic dihexadecyl dimethyl ammonium bromide [16-16]. The aggregates of [16-16] and hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (C16TAB) were prepared in aqueous solution in different mixing ratio (x[16-16]) of [16-16]. The effect of mixing ratio (x[16-16]) and experimental temperature on the aggregates formation were studied using a number of physicochemical methods. With an increase in x[16-16], the structure of aggregates changed from spherical micelles to vesicles. In the range of specific ratio (0.2 ≤ x[16-16] ≤ 0.4) and temperature (35 and 45 ºC), worm-like micelles existed. We have demonstrated that x[16-16] and temperature played an important role in deciding the type of aggregate formed in solution.