FORMATION OF CRITICAL MICELLES OF SLES IN AQUEOUS SYSTEMS AND IN THE PRESENCE OF ALCOHOLS USING ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY MEASUREMENTS

*Assist. Lect. Marwa Mohammad Ali Sulaiman

ABSTRACT

Electrical Conductivity measurements are considered an accurate method for determining the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the SLES compound in its pure state and in the presence of organic additives such as )ethanol and pentanol( these additives alter the attractive and repulsive forces between micelle molecules which leads to either an increase or decrease in the value of the critical micelle concentration. The measurements were carried out under a temperature range of 298–313 K. The importance of this range lies in monitoring the effect of thermal energy on the decomposition or formation of Micelles. Furthermore, the Thermodynamic functions (ΔG°, ΔH°, ΔS°) were calculated, and their effects on the studied compound were investigated in order to understand the physical mechanism of the ionic Aggregation process and the extent of its Spontaneity in Micelle formation under the studied conditions.

Keywords: Electrical conductivity, alcohols, surfactants, micelles.