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Competitive adsorption of surfactants at air/water interfaces
A Graciaa1, P Creux, J Lachaise
1Laboratoire des Fluides Complex, Groupe des Systemes Disperses, BP 1155 Pau Cedex, France.
Abstract:
The zeta potential of an air bubble suspended in an aqueous solution of mixed fluorocarbon and hydrocarbon anionic surfactants is studied over a wide range of concentrations and mixture compositions. The zeta potential is related to surfactant ion adsorption. The two surfactants, which exhibit an antipathy manifested by micellar demixing, compete for surface sites. The total surfactant adsorption is reduced when both surfactants are present. Adsorption phenomena are closely correlated to the micellar phase diagram.
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The various IMFs between identical molecules of a substance are examples of cohesive forces. The molecules within a liquid are surrounded by other molecules and are attracted equally in all directions by the cohesive forces within the liquid. However, the molecules on the surface of a liquid are attracted only by about one-half as many molecules. Because of the unbalanced molecular attractions on the surface molecules, liquids contract to form a shape that minimizes the number...
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