Interaction between a stationary mercury electrode and a hydrogen bubble in an aqueous sodium dodecyl sulphate solution

Abstract

The stability and rupture of thin liquid films formed from an aqueous solution of Na 2SO 4 (0.05 mol dm −3) in the presence of 5 × 10 −5 mol dm −3 sodium dodecyl sulphate between a stationary mercury electrode and a hydrogen bubble has been investigated as a function of electrode potential. The electrostatic component of disjoining pressure has been calculated using the results of capacity measurement for the mercury-solution interface. Special attention has been paid to films formed on positively charged mercury surfaces. In this case, despite the positive electrode polarization, the outer Helmholtz plane potential is found to be negative due to the high surface activity of the dodecyl sulphate anion. The van der Waals component of disjoining pressure has been calculated on the basis of a double sheath model of the two interacting surfaces, taking into consideration the orientation of the adsorbed surfactant layers at the interfaces. Calculations of the total disjoining pressure can explain film stability at negative mercury potentials, but do not explain film rupture when the polarization of the mercury is positive. The existence of a hydrophobic attractive interaction is postulated in the latter case.