Nonionic surface-active compounds IV. Micelle formation by polyoxyethylene alkanols and alkyl phenols in aqueous solution

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Critical micelle concentrations and micellar molecular weights, determined by light scattering, are presented for a series of commercially prepared polyoxyethylene lauryl alcohols and nonyl phenols. A relationship is shown to exist between average aggregation number and ethylene oxide mole ratio, and, on the basis of some simple assumptions, a rod-shaped micelle is shown to be most likely at long ethylene oxide chain lengths, whereas there is little to choose between a rod, disc, or sphere for short polyoxyethylene chains.