Kinetics of micellization from ultrasonic relaxation studies
Abstract
The kinetics of micelle formation for a range of ionic surfactants in aqueous solution have been investigated using the ultrasonic relaxation technique. In order to understand the concentration dependance of both the relaxation time and the relaxation strength, and other aspects of the relaxation data, it was necessary to modify our previous two state kinetic model describing micellisation. In this new theoretical treatment the interchange of the monomers to and from the micelles is assumed to be an adsorption mechanism governed by the fundamental kinetic principles introduced by Langmuir in his adsorption theory. Finally we have reconsidered the origin of the chemical relaxation observed in detergent solutions resulting from temperature- and pressure-jump experiments.