Molecular-thermodynamic theories of micellization of multicomponent surfactant mixtures and of pH-sensitive surfactants

This thesis focuses on two research areas that are particularly relevant to the practical application of surfactant science: (1) the micellization of multicomponent surfactant mixtures, and (2) the micellization of pH-sensitive (or amphoteric) surfactants. Surfactant formulations of practical utility typically consist of many surfactant components. In many practical applications, pH-sensitive surfactants are added as a secondary surfactant because they enhance performance properties, including solubility, foaming, and mildness to the skin or to the eyes. In addition, pH-sensitive surfactants may be used eectively in novel applications where pH variations can be utilized to control self-assembly, including controlled drug release, targeted gene delivery, and the fabrication of nanoscale materials for optics, electronics, and sensors. First, a molecular-thermodynamic (MT) theory was developed to account for counterion binding to mixed micelles composed of ionic-nonionic and ionic-zwitterionic binary surfactant mixtures. The theory successfully predicted the degree of counterion binding ([beta]) of monovalent and multivalent ions to mixed micelles as a function of the micelle composition ([alpha]).

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Chemical Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2006

Author dc:creator

• Goldsipe, Arthur Clayton

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Daniel Blankschtein.

• Chemical Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/34277

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/34277