A comprehensive assessment of interfacial and bulk properties of sodium dodecylsulfate via addition of competitive Hofmeister ions in presence of Cosolvent: A combined experimental and theoretical study

Abstract

The synergistic interaction of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and added electrolyte in presence of cosolvent is investigated by determining the critical micelle concentration of SDS. The present system is carried out with two different types of counterions from Hofmeister series where Hofmeister chaotropic ion i.e. NH4+ is attracted more towards the negatively charged chaotropic dodecyl sulphate headgroup of SDS than the kosmotropic ion. To understand the thermodynamic behavior of SDS micelle, counterion binding constant values are measured using the well-established Corrin-Harkins or modified Corrin-Harkins equations. Various assessments of aggregation and adsorption phenomena of SDS micelle are established from both experimental and theoretical concepts. The exchange of counterion i.e. Na+ ion by NH4+ ions can occur at a particular electrolyte concentration where SDS micelle leads to the formation of ammonium dodecyl sulphate (AmDS) in the present cosolvent media. Therefore, the Hofmeister chaotropic ion (NH4+) is found to be a competitive ion. In addition to that, solvophobicity of the cosolvent mixture is another important parameter which could influence SDS micellization differently.