Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B 2005;6(3):219-221

Effect of polyoxypropylene chain length on the critical micelle concentration of propylene oxide-ethylene oxide block copolymers.

Zhi-Guo ZHANG 1 ; Hong YIN

Affiliations

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Country

China

Language

English

Abstract

In this work, the surface activity of block copolymer nonionic surfactants (RPE) has been determined, i.e., critical micelle concentration (CMC), surface excess concentration (gamma), surface area demand per molecule (A), surface tension at CMC (gamma(CMC)). A linear decrease of ln[CMC] vs number of oxypropylene units in copolymer molecule was observed. The change in the work of cohesion per oxypropylene group when passing from molecular into micellar state, calculated from the Shinoda equation, was 0.43 kT for the studied compounds.