Studies of solubilized micellar solutions. Pt. 3. The viscosity of solutions formed with nonionic surfactants

Journal Article · Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 EDT 1974 · J. Colloid Interface Sci.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0021-9797(74)90010-1· OSTI ID:6739348

Attwood, D; Currie, L R.J.; Elworthy, P H

Viscosity studies have been carried out on a series of oil/water solubilized micellar solutions (so-called microemulsions of liquid paraffin, glycerol, water and blends of Tween 60 and Span 80. The variation of relative viscosity, eta rel, with volume fraction, phi, of the micelles conformed to eta rel = exp (a phi/(1 - k phi)), where a is a constant and k is the hydrodynamic interaction coefficient. The value of k was found to be independent of micellar diameter over the range 13.3 to 48.6 nm. Decrease in the surfactant/glycerol molar ratio of the solution from 0.231 to 0.028 produced a linear decrease in k from 1.10 to 0.62. For phi < 0.15, an exponential relationship existed between eta rel and the surfactant concentration. The effect of the surfactant concentration on the viscosity has been discussed in terms of the interaction between the polyoxyethylene chains at the surface of the micelles. Allowance for the hydration of the polyoxethylene chain, reduced the value of a toward the theoretical value of 2.5 for solid spheres. Increase of the Tween/Span molar ratio from 1.0 to 1.6 had no significant effect on the values of a or k. (12 refs.)

• Research Organization: Manchester Univ
• OSTI ID: 6739348
• Journal Information: J. Colloid Interface Sci.; (United States), Vol. 46:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
MICROEMULSIONS
VISCOSITY
EVALUATION
MATHEMATICS
SURFACTANTS
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
EMULSIONS
400301* - Organic Chemistry- Chemical &amp; Physicochemical Properties- (-1987)
360602 - Other Materials- Structure &amp; Phase Studies