S. Milioto

Thermodynamic properties and conductivities of some dodecylsurfactants in water

Densities, heat capacities, enthalpies of dilution, osmotic coefficients and conductivities are reported for dodecylamine hydrochloride, dodecyldimethylammonium and dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride in water over a wide range of concentration. The last two properties were also measured for dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide. From the thermodynamic data partial molar volumes, heat capacities and relative enthalpies and nonideal free energies and entropies were derived as a function of the surfactant concentration. The cmcs and degree of counterion dissociation were also calculated from the transport properties. It is shown that the trends of volumes, enthalpies, free energies and entropies are quite regular whereas heat capacities present maxima and minima at concentrations which depend on the nature of surfactants. Corresponding changes were observed in the osmotic coefficients and specific conductivities. The thermodynamic functions of micellization were evaluated on the basis of the pseudo-phase transition model. Finally, the effects of the introduction of methyl groups in the hydrophilic moiety of the surfactant and of the nature of the counterion on the thermodynamic properties of monomers and micelles are examined.

Copolymer−Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complexes in Water and in the Solid State. A Physico-Chemical Study

The formation of inclusion complexes (ICs) composed of cyclodextrins (CDs) and poly(ethylene oxides)-poly(propylene oxides)-poly(ethylene oxides) (PEO-PPO-PEO) was studied. To this purpose, native and hydroxypropyl cyclodextrins with different cavity size were chosen. The PEO-PPO-PEO copolymers were selected to study the role of the molecular weight, keeping constant the hydrophilic/hydrophobic ratio, and the hydrophilicity. The volumetric studies at 25 degrees C allowed to determine the equilibrium constant and the volume change for the IC formation in water as well as the IC stoichiometry. Surface tension experiments evidenced that the copolymer and the CD interfacial behavior is controlled by the formation of ICs taking place in the bulk phase. It was proved that the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is a valid method to describe quantitatively the IC in the solid state. The combination of volumes, DSC and FTIR techniques together with the geometric information highlighted the following points: (1) the included copolymer is in the amorphous state; (2) the IC composed of native CDs adopts a channel structure with two EO units incorporated into one CD molecule; (3) the IC composed of hydroxypropyl-cyclodextrin is a polymeric structure like a necklace decorated with CD rings. Finally, TGA experiments showed that the thermal stability of the IC depends on the nature of both components.

Partial molar volumes and compressibilities of alkyltrimethylammonium bromides

Density and ultrasound measurements were performed for dodecyl- and tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide at 15, 25 and 35°C and for hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide at 25, 35 and 45°C over a wide concentration region. From these and previously reported data, partial molar volumes and isentropic and isothermal compressibilities were derived as a function of the surfactant concentration. It is shown that by increasing the surfactant concentration the apparent molar volumes and compressibilities increase according to the expected behavior of surfactant solutions. However, anomalies are displayed in plots of apparent molar compressibility of tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide and of the speed of sound for all the surfactants studied as a function of concentration. These peculiarities can be ascribed to micellar structural transitions. The standard thermodynamic properties and the CH2 group contributions have been obtained by the additivity rule. The results obtained for the compressibility and volume properties are different from those reported in the literature. The volumes and compressibilities of micellization were graphically evaluated on the basis of the pseudo-phase transition model.

Binding constants and partial molar volumes of primary alcohols in sodium dodecylsulfate micelles

The densities of methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 1-butanol and 1-hexanol were measured in aqueous solutions of sodium dodecylsulfate at 25°C. The partial molar volumes of the alcohols at infinite dilution in the aqueous surfactants solutions were calculated and discussed using a mass-action model for the alcohol distribution between the aqueous and the micellar phase. The partial molar volumes of the alcohols in the aqueous and in the micellar phases, and the ratios between the binding constant and the aggregation number, were calculated. The partial molar volume for all the alcohols in micellar phase is 10 cm3-mol−1 smaller than that in octane. This can be related to the strong hydrophilic interaction between the head groups of the alcohol and the micellized surfactant. From the extrapolated values of the distribution constant and the partial molar volumes in the aqueous and micellar phases, the standard partial molar volume of heptanol in micellar solutions was found to decrease with increasing surfactant concentration. The standard free energy of transfer of alcohols from water to micelles was rationalized in terms of hydrophilic and hydrophobic contributions. A model is proposed in which the empty space around each solute is assumed to be the same in the gas and liquid phases, and is used to explain the behavior of micelles in the presence of amphiphilic solutes.

Heat capacities, volumes and solubilities of pentanol in aqueous alkyltrimethylammonium bromides

Apparent molar heat capacities and volumes of pentanol, 0.05m in decyl-, tetradecyl- and hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromides micellar solutions, were measured at 25°C. They were assumed to approach the standard infinite dilution values and rationalized by means of previously reported equations following which the distribution constant between the aqueous and the micellar phase, heat capacity, and volume of pentanol in both phases are simultaneously derived. The present results show that the volume of the micellar core does not seem to have a significant effect on the apparent molar volume and heat capacity of pentanol in the micellar phase and on the free energy of transfer of pentanol from the aqueous to the micellar phase. We report an equation correlating the free energy of transfer of alcohols in alkyltrimethylammonium bromides as a function of the number of carbon atoms in the alcohol and surfactant alkyl chain. Also, the apparent molar heat capacities of pentanol in micellar solutions as a function of surfactant concentration show evidence of two maxima, which, by increasing the alkyl chain length of surfactant display an opposite dependence on concentration. The second maximum can be attributed to a sphere to rod transition. The second transition was also found in the case of butoxyethanol in hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide. It is more difficult to explain the nature of the first maximum although an attempt is made.

Enthalpies of solution and dilution of butanol and pentanol in dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide micellar solutions

The enthalpies of solution and of dilution of 1-butanol and 1-pentanol were measured in micellar solutions of dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide by systematically changing the concentration of alcohols and surfactant. The enthalpies of solution at infinite dilution of alcohols at each surfactant concentration were evaluated from a linear plot. This quantity increases with surfactant concentration (up to 0.8m) with a curvature which depends on the alcohol alkyl chain length. The difficulties arising for a quantitative treatment of both the enthalpies of dilution and of solution at finite alcohol concentrations are discussed. The dependence on the surfactant concentration of the standard enthalpies of solution and the enthalpies of dilution for m→0 are rationalized. From the resulting equations the distribution constant, standard enthalpy of transfer, standard enthalpy of solution, and the alcohol-alcohol interaction parameter in the micellar phase are evaluated. The enthalpies of transfer obtained using this technique agree well with those previously reported from enthalpies of mixing. The distribution constants also agree with those reported in the literature from several approaches: mixing enthalpies, partial molar volumes, and the dependence of the cmc on added alcohol.

Mass-action model for solute distribution between aqueous and micellar phases: Mixing enthalpies of alcohols and dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide solutions

Abstract The mixing enthalpies of aqueous solutions of normal alkanols (from methanol to heptanol) and of dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide were measured taking the enthalpy of dilution of the surfactant solutions as the baseline of the mixing process. The measurements were generally made at a given alcohol concentration by systematically changing the surfactant concentration. In some cases measurements as a function of the alcohol concentration were also carried out. Below the CMC from the mixing enthalpies the pair and the triplet interaction parameters between alcohol and surfactant molecules were calculated. The trend of these parameters as a function of the number of carbon atoms in the alcohol alkyl chain is peculiar in that it is linear for the h RS pair parameter and of an exponential-type for h RSS , whereas the h RRS triplet parameter shows a minimum for butanol. Above the CMC the mixing enthalpies were rationalized using a previously reported model for the alcohol distribution between the aqueous and the micellar phases. From the resulting equation the distribution constant and the transfer enthalpy (and then the standard free energy and entropy) can be obtained at the same time. In the calculation of these quantities the role of the alcohol—surfactant interactions in the aqueous phase and of the displacement of the micellization equilibrium due to the added alcohol is pointed out. As predicted, the additivity rule always holds for the standard free energy of transfer but only holds up to butanol for enthalpy and entropy.

Aqueous laponite clay dispersions in the presence of poly(ethylene oxide) or poly(propylene oxide) oligomers and their triblock copolymers.

The effect of polyethylene oxide (PEO) or polypropylene oxide (PPO) oligomers of various molecular weight (Mw) as well as of triblock copolymers, based on PEO and PPO blocks, on aqueous laponite RD suspensions was studied with small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The radius of gyration (RG) increases for low M w whereas the opposite occurs for larger Mw. This behavior is explained on the basis that an effective R G is given by two contributions: (1) the size of the particles coated with the polymer and (2) the interactions between the laponite RD particles which are attractive for small and repulsive for large polymers. The SANS curves in the whole Q-range are well described by a model of noninteracting polydisperse core+shell disks, where the thickness of the polymer layer increases with the Mw. The adsorbed polymer is in a more compact conformation compared to a random coil distribution while the fraction of the polymer in the shell formed around the laponite RD particles is nearly independent of Mw. For increasing laponite RD amounts, at a given polymer composition, the thickness of the polymer slightly changes. In some cases, where also gelation is sped up, a structure factor with attractive interaction was employed which allowed to evaluate the attractive forces between the laponite RD particles. The gelation time was determined for mixtures at fixed copolymer and laponite RD concentrations. Surprisingly, it is observed that gels are formed despite the fact that the binding sites of the laponite RD particles are almost covered but the polymer size is too small to prevent aggregation. The gelation rate is correlated to structure and thermodynamics of these systems. Namely, when the balance between the steric forces and the depletion attractive forces undergoes an abrupt change the gelation time also undergoes a sharp variation. For lower and comparable Mw, PPO speeds up the gelation more efficiently than PEO while for higher Mw the gelation kinetics is slowed down again. Interestingly, copolymers of PEO and PPO blocks do not induce gelation in the time-window where the homopolymers do.

The solubilisation behaviour of some dichloroalkanes in aqueous solutions of PEO–PPO–PEO triblock copolymers: a dynamic light scattering, fluorescence spectroscopy, and SANS study

The aggregation behaviour of PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymers in water and in water + chlorinated additive mixtures was studied by means of fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The copolymers were chosen such as to investigate the effects of molecular architecture (L35 and 10R5) and molecular weight by keeping constant the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance (F88 and F108). 1,2-Dichloroethane was used as a prototype of water basins contaminants. The hydrodynamic radius of the block copolymer aggregates (R(h,M)) and the intensity ratio of pyrene of the first and the third vibrational band (I(1)/I(3)) were determined as a function of temperature (10-45 degrees C) and concentration. The copolymer architecture essentially does not affect R(h,M) in the entire range of temperature and concentration investigated. At a given temperature, increasing macromolecular size leads to a decrease of R(h,M). With rising temperature R(h,M) also decreases. According to the DLS results, the I(1)/I(3) change with temperature clearly detects the aggregation only for F88 and F108. The presence of 1,2-dichloroethane, at concentrations close to its solubility in water, does not lead to changes in the distribution of hydrodynamic radii for L35 and 10R5. Larger quantities of additive induce the formation of quite polydisperse mixed aggregates for L35 and of networks for 10R5. In the case of F88 and F108, low concentrations of additive lead to formation of mixed aggregates with smaller R(h,M). The SANS results corroborate the DLS and fluorescence findings proving enhancement of the copolymer aggregation through the presence of 1,2-dichloroethane. The DLS findings combined with those from the fluorescence spectroscopy provide some insight into the site of solubilisation of the additive in the aggregates.

Thermodynamic properties of N-octyl-, N-decyl- and N-dodecylpyridinium chlorides in water

Densities, heat capacities and enthalpies of dilution at 25°C and osmotic coefficients at 37°C were measured for N-octyl-, N-decyl- and N-dodecyl-pyridinium chlorides in water over a wide concentration region. Conductivity measurements were performed in order to evaluate the cmc and the degree of counterion dissociation. Partial molar volumes, heat capacities, relative enthalpies and nonideal free energies and entropies at 25°C were derived from the experimental data as functions of the surfactant concentration. The changes with concentration of these properties are quite regular with the exception of the heat capacities which display anomalies at about 0.9, 0.25 and 0.12 mol-kg−1 for the octyl, decyl and dodecyl compounds, respectively. At these concentrations there were also changes in the slopes of the specific conductivity and of the product of the osmotic coefficients and the molality vs. concentration. These peculiarities can be ascribed to micelle structural transitions. The thermodynamic functions of micellization were graphically evaluated on the basis of the pseudo-phase transition model. These data have been compared to those for alkyltrimethylammonium bromides and alkylnicotinamide chlorides. It is shown that the introduction of the hydrophilic CONH2 group lowers the hydrophilic character of the pyridinium ring.