Abstract
Salts have the ability to influence the water activity and self-association of ionic micelles. In the present case, gemini surfactants; ethanediyl-alpha,omega-bis(dimethyl alkyl ammonium bromide) (referred to as m-2-m, m = 10, 12, 14) are synthesized and their micellization study in aqueous medium in presence of monovalent inorganic (NaBr, NaNO3, NaCl, KCl, LiCl) and organic salts (NaTos, NaBenz, NaSal) at 303 K is systematically investigated by conductometric and tensiometric methods. All the salts have the tendency to lower the critical micelle concentration of the surfactants. The effect of inorganic salts on the micellization properties has been found to obey the Hofmeister series. Organic salts reduce the CMC more effectively as compared to inorganic salts. The theoretical models of Rubingh and Rosen have been used to compare the results and obtain the interaction parameters, minimum area per molecule, surface excess, mixed micelle composition, activity coefficients and free energies of micellization/adsorption.