The coadsorption of cationic surfactants and several naphthalene derivatives on a porous silica, Sorbsil C30, has been investigated in aqueous solutions as a function of surfactant concentration below and above the critical micelle concentration (cmc) at two pH values. 2-Naphthol and 2-(2-naphthyl)ethanol are not adsorbed onto the silica surface. Adsorption of cetylpyridinium chloride or cetyltrimethylammonium bromide on the silica induces a considerable coadsorption of the neutral molecules. The effect may be described by a partitioning process. Above the cmc, the solutes desorb from the surfactant structures as they are solubilized in the free micelles. Naphthalene, which is strongly adsorbed on the silica surface in the absence of surfactant, is also desorbed as micelles are formed. Comparisons of the micellar solubilization effect as determined from solute desorption or direct micellar solubilization experiments display differences that may be attributed to the retention of some solutes on the adsorbed surfactant structures (hemimicelles or admicelles) in the presence of free micelles. It is shown that for all solutes studied the free energy of coadsorption is larger than the free energy of micellar solubilization.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.