Micellization Behaviour of m-E2-m Biodegradable Gemini Surfactants in Presence of Sodium Alkanoates (Sodium Propionate, Sodium Hexanoate, Sodium Decanoate)

Abstract

Abstract The present study involves the micellization of novel biodegradable gemini surfactants (1,2-diyl-bis(N,N-dimethyl-N-alkyl-ammoniumacetoxy) dichlorides, m-E2-m; m = 12,14,16 is the number of carbon atoms in the tail and E2 represents the diester-group-containing spacer) in presence of sodium alkanoates (sodium propionate, sodium hexanoate, sodium decanoate). The techniques of tensiometry and spectrofluorimetry were utilized to probe the changes in various physicochemical parameters, viz. critical micellar concentration (CMC), surface excess concentration (Γmax), minimum area per head group (Amin), Gibbs free energy of micellization (ΔG° mic), Gibbs free energy of adsorption (ΔG° ads), aggregation number (Nagg) and local polarity index (I1/I3). Results depict that the alkanoates are effective in bringing significant changes in the physicochemical parameters of the m-E2-m geminis; the order being followed is NaDec > NaHx > NaPr. Both hydrophobic and electrostatic factors were found to be contributive. This study can be helpful to understand tuning and evolution of biodegradable microstructures in amphiphilic salt environments, which may have implications in biomedical research (gene transfection and drug delivery).