From Static to Dynamic Modeling of Surfactants Micellization

Abstract

Abstract Micelles and micellization appeal long lasting interest as promising drug carriers. A conventional parameter providing information about formation of micelles is critical micelle concentration (cmc). Its value roughly separates two states of the surfactant solution – namely states with and without presence of micelles. If concentration of surfactants in water solution approaches cmc some physical quantities abruptly change, and this phenomenon is a key to determine value of the cmc. From numerous approaches for determination of the cmc the paper considers the conductivity-based method. But rather than studying the mechanism of micellization that is primarily carried out by the colloid chemists, the paper is focused on the development of an information rich and optimal dynamical model of the conductivity vs. concentration dependence. The model is derived from the solutions of the 1st order differential equation. The optimal model parameters are determined by the downhill simplex algorithm and the cmc is computed on the basis of the curvature of the concentration dependence of the conductivity.