Determination of interaction parameters of mixed surfactant system using a Monte Carlo simulation technique

Abstract

Results are presented from a Metropolis Monte Carlo Simulation in NVT ensemble of a three-dimensional lattice model of binary mixtures of two surfactants in water. A simple method is used to investigate the aggregation of mixed surfactants and formation of micelles where lattice theory was employed for consideration of such a system. The monomer concentration as a function of overall volume fraction of surfactants shows a sharp break at the critical micelle concentration (cmc) at sufficiently low temperature. We investigated the correlation between interaction energy parameter (α) as an input of interaction energy in lattice theory and interaction energy parameter (β) as an output of simulation method. Different values of these parameters illustrate synergism or antagonism in the mixed micelle system.