The solution properties of the surfactants dodecyl-, tetradecyl-,
and hexadecyl(cetyl)trimethylammonium
bromide (DTAB, TTAB, and CTAB, respectively) as well as
hexadecylpyridinium chloride (CPC) in pure
and mixed states (binary and ternary combinations) have been studied.
The critical micelle concentration
(cmc), counterion binding, aggregation number, polarity, thermodynamics
of micellization, interfacial
adsorption, etc., have been quantitatively estimated by surface
tension, conductance, spectrophotometry,
fluorescence, and calorimetric methods. The micellar compositions,
activities of the components in the micelle,
and their mutual interactions have been estimated from Rubingh's
theory. The surfactant mixtures have
been found to be nonideal, with a lower degree of counterion
association compared to pure states, but possess
more or less comparable micellar polarity and energetic
parameters.