• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.876-880
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• 1999

The surfactant self-diffusion coefficients of mixed micellar solutions of ionic and nonionic surfactants have been measured by the NMR pulsed field gradient spin echo(FT-PGSE) method. In addition, the line widths of $^1H$ NMR signal have been monitored. The system investgated are $C_{12}EO_5/SDS/D_2O$, $C_{12}EO_5/DTAC/D_2O$, and $C_{12}EO_8/SDS/D_2O$. In the sample series, the molar ratios of $D_2O$ to surfactant(ionic+nonionic) were kept constant while the surfactant mixing ratio was varied. For the $C_{12}EO_5$ system, the surfactant self-diffusion coefficient indicates minimum when the surfactant mixing ratio is about 20% ionic surfactant. The observed decrease in self-diffusion coefficients as nonionic surfactant was replaced by ionic surfactant is interpreted to mainly be due to an increased micelle-micelle repulsion. The increase in self-diffusion coefficients occurring at higher fraction of ionic surfactant is shown to be due to a decrease in micelle size. For the $C_{12}EO_8$ system, the effect of the surfactant mixing ratio is much weaker which can be understood by considering the molecular geometry and large headgroup area. The proton NMR line widths correlate well with the self-diffusion coefficients and broadening of the alkyl chain methylene signals is found when the self-diffusion coefficients is low.