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Updated: Aug 22, 2026

Synthesis and Characterization of Supramolecular Colloids
Published on: April 22, 2016
Synthesis, characterization, and SANS studies of novel alkanediyl-alpha,omega-bis(hydroxyethylmethylhexadecylammonium
Vikas Sharma1, Mahendra Borse, V K Aswal
1Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, M.S. University of Baroda, Vadodara 390 002, Gujarat, India.
Abstract:
A series of novel gemini cationic surfactants alkanediyl-alpha,omega-bis (hydroxyethylmethylhexadecylammonium bromide) with polymethylene spacer chain length of 4, 6, 8, and 10 carbon atoms was synthesized and characterized. Critical micellar concentrations of the gemini surfactants in aqueous solutions as determined by the surface tension and conductance measurements were observed to be in the range 1.39-3.63 microM. The critical micellar concentration was observed to increase initially with spacer length up to 6 methylene groups and to decrease thereafter with the increase in spacer length. The micellar microstructure in aqueous solutions examined through small angle neutron scattering (SANS) revealed that the extent of aggregation growth and variation in shapes of micelles strongly depend on head group polarity, spacer chain length, and temperature. The propensity to micellar growth with spacer chain length 4 was found to be much higher than with the longer spacer lengths. The fractional charge on the micelle increases with increased spacer chain length and temperature.
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