Direct visualization of cationic surfactant aggregates at a cellulose-water interface

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Title: Direct visualization of cationic surfactant aggregates at a cellulose-water interface
Author(s): Notley, Shannon M.
Abstract: The structure of adsorbed aggregates of the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (C16TAB) at the cellulose−water interface was determined using soft-contact atomic force microscopy imaging. C16TAB was adsorbed to the surface from a solution with a concentration above the critical micelle concentration. Imaging of the surfactant aggregate layer showed predominantly spherical micellar structures at the cellulose−water interface with some areas of short rodlike aggregates. These structures are similar to those previously observed for C16TAB adsorbed to other hydrophilic surfaces such as silica; hence, a similar mechanism for the arrangement of C16TAB on cellulose is suggested, in agreement with previous neutron reflectivity data. The buildup of the surfactant layer proceeds via direct micelle adsorption to the uncharged cellulose surface. This occurs through polar interactions between the C16TAB headgroup and the hydrophilic substrate to form the observed admicelle structures.
Publication type: Journal article
Source: Journal of Physical Chemistry B, Vol. 113, no. 42 (Oct 2009), pp. 13895-13897
Publication year: 2009
FOR Code(s): 02 Physical Sciences; 03 Chemical Sciences; 09 Engineering
Keyword(s): Admicelles; Adsorption; Aggregates; Ammonium compounds; Atomic force microscopy; Cationic compounds; Cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromides; Cellulose surfaces; Critical micelle concentration; Direct micelle; Direct visualisation; Dyes; Hydrophilic substrate; Hydrophilic surfaces; Hydrophilicity; Micellar structures; Neutron reflectivity; Polar interactions; Silica; Surfactant aggregates; Surfactant layers; Water interface; Wettability
Publisher: American Chemical Society
ISSN: 1520-6106
Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jp9078234
Peer reviewed