Abstract
•Mixed micellization behavior of ionic liquid with non-ionic surfactants has been studied.•The synergism between surfactant mixtures has been confirmed.•Non-ideality of mixed system was studied.•F-127+SAIL mixed system has higher synergism than TX-100+SAIL.
Although ionic liquids have a great deal of application, a few of the most popular ones are in separations, battery electrolyte development, and electrocatalysis. The synergistic interaction between surface-active ionic liquid (1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, SAIL) and pluronic (F-127)/non-ionic surfactant (TX-100) has been investigated at 298.15 K. The examined mixture's critical micelle concentration (cmc) values for various compositions are significantly lower than those of pure amphiphiles (due to the strong attractive interaction between components). In this study, the surface tension method was used to calculate the cmc values of single and mixed amphiphiles. The mole fractions of the components in the mixed micelle as well as the mixed monolayer and interaction parameter were specified by regular solution theory (RST) using the data from experimental observations. Several thermodynamic parameters were also calculated for the mixed micellization of SAIL with F-127/TX-100. In the current mixed systems, the data obtained show that the ΔGM and ΔGIdealM are negative while ΔSM is positive, implying a spontaneous process of micellization. Using Maeda's theory, it was found that the stability of mixed micelles in these systems depended profoundly on chain-chain interactions. UV-visible spectroscopy further supports the positive interaction between SAIL and nonionic surfactants. The SAIL absorption spectra demonstrate an increase in absorption with increasing surfactant concentrations without any shift, supporting the creation of a new complex. The F-127+SAIL mixture has a higher binding constant value, indicating that SAIL interacts with pluronic more effectively.