Role of the solvophobic effect on micellization

Experimental data of amphiphiles aggregation phenomena in water–organic solvent mixtures were considered with the idea of investigating the role of the solvophobic effect on micellization. Changes in the critical micelle concentration, in the micellar ionization degree (for ionic surfactants) and in the aggregation number accompanying variations in the composition of the bulk phase of the micellar solutions were examined with the scope of understanding which properties of the water–organic solvent mixtures are important in the micellization process. Results point out that the cohesive energy density, measured either through the Hildebrand–Hansen solubility parameter or the Gordon parameter, seems to play an important role in determining the contribution of the solvophobic effect on the Gibbs energy of micellization in water–organic solvents mixtures.

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