Micellisation behaviour of mixtures of sodium dodecylsulphate and sodium lauroylsarcosinate in water

Abstract

The critical micelle concentrations of binary mixtures of sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS) and sodium lauroylsarcosinate (SLAS) have been determined in water by conductivity measurements at different mole fractions for each of the components. The critical micelle concentrations were slightly lower than that predicted from ideal mixing theory indicating positive synergistic interactions in mixed micelle formation. The results of the mixed systems were analysed using the Regular Solution Theory and the approach based on the Gibbs–Duhem equation which allowed for the determination of the composition of the mixed micelle, the activity coefficients and the pair-wise molecular interaction parameter β. The β values were all negative at all mole fractions investigated, showing a slight deviation from ideality, with an average value of –0.27. The excess free energy of the mixed systems was also calculated and the values were all negative for the mixed systems studied, an indication that the mixed micelles are thermodynamically stable relative to the individual component. This thermodynamic parameter also exhibits symmetrical behaviour with respect to micellar composition suggestive of a regular solution behaviour of the mixed surfactant system.