Physicochemistry of mixed micellization: Binary and ternary mixtures of cationic surfactants in aqueous medium

The importance of studying mixed micellization lies in tuning the performance of an amphiphile to bend through variation of stoichiometry of the blend. In this study, the binary and ternary mixed systems of cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide, and dodecylpyridinium chloride (DPC) have been studied at 30°C using tensiometry and conductometry. In most cases, the cmc observed from either method is in close proximity whereas in CPC/DPC mixtures, tensometric cmc precedes conductometric cmc which may arise from a lowering in degree of counterion binding on micellar interface in the mixed system with lower stoichiometric mole fraction of CPC. Various existing theories have been used and the results were compared with the experimental observations.