Abstract
Kinetics of the redox reaction between colloidal MnO^sub 2^ and glycolic acid have been studied spectrophotometrically by monitoring the decay in the absorbance of colloidal MnO^sub 2^ in absence and presence of surfactants. Anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate has no effect, non-ionic Triton X-100 catalyzed the reaction and experiments were not possible in presence of cationic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide due to the precipitation of MnO^sub 2^.The reaction followed the same type of kinetic behavior, i.e., fractional-, first- and fractional-order dependencies, respectively, in [glycolic acid], [MnO^sub 2^] and [H^sup +^ ] in both the media. Effects of gum arabic and manganese(II) have also been studied and discussed. Mechanisms in accordance with the experimental data are proposed for the reaction.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]