Micellar catalysis in mixed anionic/cationic surfactant systems

Abstract

Dye solubility and stopped-flow kinetic studies were conducted in sodium dodecylsulfate/dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide and sodium dodecylsulfate/decyltrimethylammonium bromide micellar solutions with excess anionic surfactant. The enhanced rate in the presence of anionic micelles of the Ni2+(aq)/pyridine-2-azo-p-dimethylaniline (PADA) complexation reaction was used as a probe of the mixed micellar situation. PADA solubilities and the kinetic parameters derived through the Robinson model for micellar catalysis were consistent with a complete incorporation of the cationic surfactant into the sodium dodecylsulfate micelles.