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Chain-length and solvent dependent morphological changes in sodium soap fibers
Marc C A Stuart1, Jan van Esch, John C van de Pas
1Formulation Unit, Unilever Research and Development, Olivier van Noordlaan120, 3133 AT Vlaardingen, The Netherlands. m.c.a.stuart@rug.nl
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|May 10, 2007
Summary
Sodium soap fiber morphology changes with alkyl chain length and solvent. Short-chain soaps show perpendicular bilayers, while long-chain soaps exhibit parallel bilayers, impacting dissolution enthalpy.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Physical Chemistry
Background:
- Sodium soaps form lamellar fibers in aqueous and mixed solvents.
- Fiber morphology is crucial for understanding material properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of alkyl chain length and solvent polarity on sodium soap fiber morphology.
- To correlate morphological changes with thermal properties.
Main Methods:
- Cryotransmission electron microscopy (Cryo-TEM) for high-resolution imaging.
- Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for thermal analysis.
- Systematic variation of sodium soap alkyl chain lengths (C10-C20).
Main Results:
- Lamellar fiber morphology is dependent on both alkyl chain length and solvent polarity.
- Short-chain soaps (C10-C14) display bilayer planes perpendicular to fiber width, with visible striations.
- Long-chain soaps (C16-C20) exhibit bilayer planes parallel to fiber width, obscuring striations.
- A distinct change in dissolution enthalpy was observed correlating with the morphological shift.
Conclusions:
- Alkyl chain length dictates sodium soap fiber lamellar structure in different solvents.
- The observed morphological transition impacts the material's thermal behavior, specifically dissolution enthalpy.
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