Re-entrant Phase Behavior of a Concentrated Anionic Surfactant System with Strongly Binding Counterions

Ghosh, Sajal Kumar and Rathee, Vikram and Krishnaswamy, Rema and Raghunathan, VA and Sood, AK (2009) Re-entrant Phase Behavior of a Concentrated Anionic Surfactant System with Strongly Binding Counterions. In: Langmuir, 25 (15). pp. 8497-8506.

PDF pdf.pdf - Published Version Restricted to Registered users only Download (966kB) | Request a copy

Abstract

The phase behavior of the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in the presence of the strongly binding counterion p-toluidine hydrochloride (PTHC) has been examined using small-angle X-ray diffraction and polarizing microscopy. A hexagonal-to-lamellar transition on varying the PTHC to SDS molar ratio (alpha) occurs through a nematic phase of rodlike micelles (N-C) -> isotropic (I) -> nematic of disklike micelles (N-D) at a fixed surfactant concentration (phi). The lamellar phase is found to coexist with an isotropic phase (l') over a large region of the phase diagram. Deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance investigations of the phase behavior at phi = 0.4 confirm the transition from N-C to N-D on varying alpha. The viscoelastic and flow behaviors of the different phases were examined. A decrease in the steady shear viscosity across the different phases with increasing alpha suggests a decrease in the aspect ratio of the micellar aggregates. From the transient shear stress response of the N-C and N-D nematic phases in step shear experiments, they were characterized to be tumbling and now aligning, respectively. Our studies reveal that by tuning the morphology of the surfactant micelles strongly binding counterions modify the phase behavior and rheological properties of concentrated surfactant solutions.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Langmuir
Publisher:	American Chemical Society
Additional Information:	Copyrights of this article belongs to American Chemical Society.
Department/Centre:	Division of Physical & Mathematical Sciences > Physics
Date Deposited:	03 Jan 2010 08:48
Last Modified:	19 Sep 2010 05:40
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/22069

Actions (login required)

View Item