A comparative study on the aggregate formation of two oxazine dyes in aqueous and aqueous urea solutions

The visible absorption spectra of two oxazine dyes, brilliant cresyl blue and nile blue, in aqueous and aqueous urea solutions (0.01–1 M) were studied as a function of the dye concentration. Due to structural similarity of the investigated dyes, their spectral features were compared. The dimerization behavior of the dyes in water with or without urea was analyzed in terms of monomer–dimer equilibrium. The nature and structure of the interacting pairs for these dyes were discussed using the exciton theory. The dimerization constant values of the dyes in aqueous and aqueous urea solutions were calculated. For both the dyes in aqueous urea solutions, a reduction in dimer formation was observed. The excitonic parameters were compared with those of oxazine-1, which is structurally similar to the investigated dyes.

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► Aggregation of BCB and NB in aqueous and aqueous urea solutions was studied.
► Dimerization behavior of the dyes in water with or without urea was analyzed.
► The excitonic parameters of the investigated dyes were calculated.