Nonelectrolyte-Induced Micellar Shape Changes in Aqueous Solutions of Silicone Surfactants

Abstract

Dynamic light scattering, cloud point (CP), and surface tension studies have been carried out to examine the influence of six (including two acetates, two alkoxyethanols, and two sugars) nonelectrolyte additives on two silicone surfactants based on poly (dimethyl siloxane)—graft—polyethers in aqueous solutions. The results indicate that the presence of alkoxyethanols induced the oblate ellipsoidal to spherical micellar transition, while sugars increase the size of the ellipsoidal micelles. The effect of cosolvent or additives on critical micelle concentration (CMC) and CP is discussed on the basis of water structure making and breaking effect. The thermodynamic and surface active parameters were calculated from the surface tension isotherm curves.