Interaction between zwitterionic surface activity ionic liquid and anionic surfactant: Na(+)-driven wormlike micelles

The physicochemical properties of the mixed zwitterionic surface activity ionic liquid/anionic surfactant (N-alkyl-N'-carboxymethyl imidazolium inner salts/sodium dodecyl sulfate, [N-C(12), N'-CO(2)-Im]/SDS) at various molar ratios (R(1) = C([N-C(12),N'-CO(2)-Im])/(C([N-C(12),N'-CO(2)-Im]) + C(SDS)) were investigated by surface tension and steady-state fluorescence measurements. The results show that the mixed [N-C(12), N'-CO(2)-Im]/SDS system has a much lower cmc value and higher surface activity than individual surfactant. Compared with the mixed zwitterionic betaine surfactant/SDS system, the mixture studied exhibits a stronger synergism, i.e., more negative interaction parameters (β(m) and β(σ)). Through addition of NaCl, the wormlike micelles (WMs) could be formed in a [N-C(12), N'-CO(2)-Im]/SDS system. Steady and dynamic rheology was employed to characterize the WMs with different surfactant ratio (R(1)), NaCl concentration, and temperature. An optimal composition, viz., C(T) = 60 mM, R(1) = 0.45, and C(NaCl) = 0.10 M, was detected to form the strongest and longest wormlike micelles. Compared with the WMs formed by a traditional zwitterionic C(12) betaine/anionic surfactant mixture (e.g., laurylamidopropyl betaine/SDS), the WMs studied have a stronger network structure, which is expected to have potential applications in some fields, such as in nanomaterials synthesis, personal care products, and flooding liquid for tertiary oil recovery.