Surfactant - Alcohol interactions: An ultrasonic, UV and FTIR analysis

• Published in: Vacuum 2019-10, Vol.168, p.108835, Article 108835
• Main Authors: Chithralekha, N., Panneerselvam, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alcohols; Critical micelle concentration (CMC); Density; Sorbitan sesquioleate; Ultrasonic velocity; Viscosity
• ISSN: 0042-207X; 1879-2715
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vacuum.2019.108835

The study focuses on the density, viscosity and ultrasonic velocity of non-ionic surfactant sorbitan sesquioleate with alcohols. Sorbitan sesquioleate dissolves in water-anisyl alcohol, water-benzyl alcohol and water-cinnamyl alcohol. Different concentrations of these mixtures are determined in order to view the Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC). To study the molecular interaction of the mixture of surfactant and alcohols, various acoustical parameters such as adiabatic compressibility (β), intermolecular free length (Lf), internal pressure (πi), Rao's constant (Ra), absorption coefficient (α/f2), free volume (Vf), cohesive energy (CE), relaxation time (τ), acoustical impedance (Za) and solvation number (Sn) have been calculated. The trends in the variation of these parameters are used to discuss the molecular interactions present among the mixtures. UV and FTIR analysis confirm this interaction of the mixture of surfactant and alcohols. •Physico - Chemical analysis on non-ionic surfactant with different alcohol solutions.•Study the molecular interactions at different temperatures.•Results confirmed with UV and FT-IR studies.