Structure and dynamics of micelles and cubic phase structures with ethoxylated phytosterol surfactant in water

Langmuir. 2008 Jun 1;24(13):6441-6. doi: 10.1021/la703758p. Epub 2008 May 29.

Abstract

The self-assembly of a sterol ethoxylate surfactant with 30 oxyethylene units in water was studied by 1H NMR self-diffusion measurements in a wide concentration range in the micellar region (0-25 wt %). The data showed that the surfactant aggregates do not interact by hard sphere interactions but rather a strong concentration dependence of the diffusion coefficient was noted which was explained by polymer scaling theory. In the cubic phase (30-65 wt %), the self-diffusion data from water, from surfactant, and from free polyoxyethylene suggest spherical micelles, although water diffusion was much restricted due to binding to the surfactant headgroup. From X-ray measurements in the cubic phase, the unit cell size was calculated, and together with surfactant self-diffusion measurements the exchange dynamics between free and aggregated surfactant was obtained.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Diffusion
  • Ethylene Glycols / chemistry*
  • Micelles*
  • Molecular Structure
  • Phytosterols / chemistry*
  • Surface-Active Agents / chemistry*
  • Water / chemistry*

Substances

  • Ethylene Glycols
  • Micelles
  • Phytosterols
  • Surface-Active Agents
  • Water