Natural dye bolaform sugar-based surfactant: Self aggregation and mixed micellization with ionic surfactants

• Natural sugar based dye surfactant, crocin formed vesicles in an aqueous solution.
• Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide changed the morphology of crocin from vesicles to micelles.
• Crocin formed mixed micelles (wicket-like conformation) in presence of CTAB.

The self aggregation behavior of crocin (natural bolaform sugar based dye) and their micellization with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) were reported for the first time. Dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron microscopic techniques were employed to the morphology determination of crocin in an aqueous media for different concentrations. Vesicles were formed in pure crocin whereas vesicles -to- micelles transformation was observed in presence of CTAB. Time-resolved fluorescence emission and UV–visible spectra suggests that CTAB is a better sensitizing agent for the spectral analysis of crocin. Hydrodynamic radius of bola interacted with cationic micelles were assessed. Micellization thermodynamic parameters were calculated, and discussed. The crocin + CTAB mixed system have been observed to form both micelles and vesicles. Crocin completely solubilized into the CTAB micelles, and leads to the formation mixed micelles having wicket-like conformation at the air/water interface.

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