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Surfactant-induced surface freezing at the alkane-water interface

Lei, Q.; Bain, C.D.

Authors

Q. Lei



Abstract

Long-chain alkanes exhibit surface freezing at the alkane-air but not the alkane-water interface. Ellipsometry and surface tensiometry are used to show that a simple cationic surfactant, hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), can induce surface freezing at the tetradecane-water interface even when present in mole fractions as low as 0.1. The surface-freezing temperature Ts is a linear function of the interfacial excess of CTAB. The excess surface entropy below Ts, S = –0.76±0.02 mJ K–1 m–2, is consistent with a rotator phase. Ellipsometry provides strong evidence for a frozen monolayer in which the chains are oriented near the surface normal.

Citation

Lei, Q., & Bain, C. (2004). Surfactant-induced surface freezing at the alkane-water interface. Physical Review Letters, 92(17), https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.92.176103

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Apr 30, 2004
Deposit Date Apr 20, 2007
Journal Physical Review Letters
Print ISSN 0031-9007
Electronic ISSN 1079-7114
Publisher American Physical Society
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 92
Issue 17
DOI https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.92.176103


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