Correlation between adhesion of aqueous solutions of nonionic and anionic surfactant mixture with short-chain alcohols to polymer surface and their adsorption at interfaces. I. Adhesion tension and adsorption

Contact angle measurements of aqueous solutions of a p-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl) phenoxypoly(ethylene glycol) (Triton X-100)/sodium dodecylsulfate (SDDS) mixture with a short-chain alcohol (methanol, ethanol or propanol) on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and nylon-6 surfaces were made. Complete spreading of the studied solutions was observed only in the case of nylon-6. Contact angle isotherms were considered with regard to alcohol activity as well as the adsorption of the surfactant mixture and alcohol at the polymer-solution interface. For this analysis solid-liquid interfacial tension and changes of adhesion tension as a function of the surface tension of the solution were taken into account. It appeared that in the range of alcohol concentration in which it is present in the monomeric form in the bulk phase, the Gibbs surface excess concentration of the surfactant mixture and alcohol at the PTFE-solution interface is close to that at the solution-air interface. However, alcohol activity at these interfaces differ from each other. The adsorption of the surface active agents at the nylon-6-solution interface is much lower than at the solution-air interface.