The adsorption properties of short chain alcohols and Triton X-100 mixtures at the water–air interface

The adsorption behaviour at the water–air interface of aqueous solutions of Triton X-100 and methanol (ethanol) mixtures at constant Triton X-100 (TX-100) concentration equal to 10−7, 10−6, 10−5, 10−4, 6 × 10−4 and 10−3 M, respectively, in a wide range of alcohol concentration was investigated by surface tension measurements of solutions. The obtained values of the surface tension of aqueous solutions of “pure” methanol and ethanol and their mixtures with TX-100, as well as the values of propanol solutions and their mixtures with TX-100 as a function of alcohol concentration taken from the literature were compared with those calculated from the Szyszkowski, Connors and Fainerman and Miller equations. On the basis of this comparison it was stated that these equations can be useful for description of the solution surface tension in the wide range of alcohol concentration, but only at the concentrations of Triton X-100 corresponding to its unsaturated layer in the absence of alcohol. It was also stated that the Connors equation is more adequate for concentrated aqueous organic solutions. The measured values of the surface tension were used in the Gibbs equation to determine the surface excess concentration of Triton X-100 and alcohol. Next, on the basis of Gibbs adsorption isotherms those of Guggenheim and Adam and real adsorption isotherms were established. From the obtained adsorption isotherms it results that alcohol influences the shape of TX-100 isotherms in the whole range of alcohol and TX-100 concentration, but TX-100 influences the alcohol isotherms only at TX-100 concentration at which the saturated monolayer at the solution-air interface is formed in the absence of alcohol. This conclusion was confirmed by analysis of the composition of the surface layer in comparison to the composition of the bulk phase in the equilibrium state.

Graphical abstractComparison of the measured values of the surface tension of aqueous solutions of TX-100 and alcohol mixtures with those calculated from the Szyszkowski, Connors and Fainerman and Miller equations.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide