Surfactant Aggregation, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1992

Surface Active Agents (surfactants) are vital components in biological systems, form key ingredients in consumer products and play an important role in many industrial processes. For example, cell membranes owe their structure to the aggregation of surfactants known as lipids which form a major component of the membrane. Other natural surfactants occur in the digestive system, in the lungs, and even in such substances as crude oil. Man-made surfactants are used in a wide range of domestic and industrial products and processes. In addition to detergents and personal care products, surfactants have found uses in almost every branch of the chemical industry as well as in several other industries. These include dyestuffs, fibres, mineral process­ ing, oil field chemicals, paints, pesticides, pharmaceuticals and plastics. Surfactants are versatile materials which are manufactured in a huge variety of forms to suit all of these applications. As a result of their importance, the technical literature on all aspects of surfactant behaviour is now very extensive. Surprisingly, however, the treatment in textbooks has been somewhat fragmented, often in the form of conference proceedings or edited, multi-authored works, both lacking in continuity.

1 Nature of Surfactants.- 1.1 Introduction to surfactants.- 1.2 Natural surfactants.- 1.3 Synthetic surfactants.- 1.4 Types of surfactant.- 1.5 Surface activity.- References.- 2 Adsorption at liquid interfaces.- 2.1 Introduction.- 2.2 Direct measurement of amount adsorbed.- 2.3 Adsorption studied via surface and interfacial tension measurement.- 2.4 Adsorption of ionic surfactants.- 2.5 Equations of state for adsorbed surfactants.- 2.6 Adsorption at the liquid/liquid interface.- 2.7 Ultra-low interfacial tensions.- 2.8 Physical properties of adsorbed monolayers.- 2.9 Dynamic aspects of adsorbed surfactants.- References.- 3 Insoluble monolayers.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 Historical background.- 3.3 Phase changes and types of film.- 3.4 Ionised monolayers.- 3.5 X-ray and neutron scattering.- 3.6 Dynamic effects.- 3.7 Practical applications of insoluble monolayers.- References.- 4 Langmuir—Blodgett multilayers.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 Historical background.- 4.3 Types of monolayer deposition.- 4.4 Structure of multilayers.- 4.5 Applications of LB films.- 4.6 Self-assembly systems.- References.- 5 Micelle formation.- 5.1 Evidence for micelle formation.- 5.2 Structure of micelles.- 5.3 Dynamics of micellar aggregation.- 5.4 The critical micelle concentration (CMC).- 5.5 Thermodynamics of micelle formation.- 5.6 Solubilisation.- 5.7 Applications of micellar solutions.- References.- 6 Mixed-micelle formation.- 6.1 Qualitative observations.- 6.2 Thermodynamics of mixed-micelle formation.- 6.3 Thermodynamics of non-ideal mixed-micelle formation.- 6.4 Some major findings—surfactant synergisms.- 6.5 Further examples of mixed-micelle formation.- 6.6 Positive deviations from ideality—mixtures of perfluoro and hydrocarbon surfactants.- References.- 7 General phase behaviour ofsurfactants.- 7.1 General features of surfactant phase behaviour.- 7.2 The Krafft boundary.- 7.3 The cloud point.- 7.4 Mesomorphic phases.- 7.4.1 Quantitative phase diagram ‘cuts’.- 7.4.2 Quantitative phase cuts—‘diffusive interfacial transport’.- 7.4.3 General disposition of mesomorphic phases.- 7.4.4 Hexagonal phases H1 and H2.- 7.4.5 Lamellar phase L?.- 7.4.6 Cubic phases.- 7.4.7 Fluctuations close to phase boundaries.- 7.4.8 Physical state of molecules in liquid-crystal phases.- 7.4.9 The surfactant molecules.- 7.4.10 The state of water molecules.- 7.4.11 Other lyotropic liquid-crystalline phases.- 7.4.12 Applications of surfactant phase information.- References.- 8 Dispersions of surfactant aggregates.- 8.1 Introduction.- 8.2 Vesicles and liposomes.- 8.3 Applications of liposomes.- 8.4 Dispersions of crystals.- References.- 9 Adsorption on solids.- 9.1 Introduction.- 9.2 Adsorption at very low concentration.- 9.3 Lateral interactions between adsorbed surfactant molecules.- 9.4 Effect of surfactant structure on adsorption.- 9.5 Stabilisation of dispersions.- 9.6 Other applications.- References.- 10 Microemulsions.- 10.1 Definition of microemulsions.- 10.2 Use of co-surfactants.- 10.3 Interfacial tension in microemulsions.- 10.4 Properties of microemulsions.- 10.5 Applications of microemulsions.- References.- 11 Surfactant bilayers, foams and emulsions.- 11.1 Introduction.- 11.2 Soap films.- 11.3 Measurement of film thickness.- 11.4 Foams and foam stability.- 11.5 Lipid bilayers.- 11.6 Formation and stability of emulsions.- References.