The study of Sunset Yellow anionic dye interaction with gemini and conventional cationic surfactants in aqueous solution

In the present study, the interaction of an anionic azo dye, Sunset Yellow, with two cationic gemini surfactants with different spacer lengths (s = 3, 6 methylene groups) and their monomeric counterpart, dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (DTAB), was investigated by surface tension, UV–Vis spectroscopy, and zeta potential measurements. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) was determined from plots of the surface tension (γ) as a function of the logarithm of total surfactant concentration. Moreover, the values of binding constants (Kb) of dye-surfactant complexes were calculated by UV–Vis spectroscopy. The UV–Vis spectra showed that the dye–surfactant interaction occurred in the solution at concentrations far below the CMC of each surfactant. The gemini surfactant with a shorter spacer showed stronger interaction with dye in comparison to DTAB and the gemini with longer spacer. The effect of surfactant chemical structure on solubilization of dye-surfactant aggregates at surfactant concentration above CMC was investigated by zeta potential.

► The interaction between Sunset Yellow dye and the studied surfactants is electrostatic interaction.
► The zeta potential data show that the solubilization capacity for the Gemini surfactants aggregates is larger.
► The maximum colloid stability is attributed to be at SSY/12-3-12 system.