Amino acid-based surfactants are
used in academics and industry.
Sodium
N
-dodecanoyl sarcosinate (SDDS) is such an
amino acid-based surfactant having applications in pharmaceutical,
food, and cosmetic formulations. Although the surface properties of
this surfactant have been studied in the presence of univalent cationic
and anionic salts, there is no report on such solution in the presence
of higher valencies. In this experiment, critical micelle concentration
(CMC) of SDDS from tensiometry, conductometry, and fluorimetry has
been determined. In each case, CMC decreases with increasing salt
concentration. Counterion binding of micelles (β), diffusion
coefficient (
D
0
), and surface properties,
e.g., Gibbs free energy for micellization (Δ
G
m
0
), Gibbs
surface excess (Γ
max
), area of exclusion per surfactant
monomer (
A
min
), surface pressure at CMC
(π
cmc
), etc., have been evaluated using methods such
as tensiometry, conductometry, and fluorimetry. The hydrodynamic radius
of SDDS in the presence of different salts was measured by the light
scattering method. Aggregation number and shape of micelle have been
determined by small-angle neutron scattering experiment. The nature
of amphiphilic packing and the aggregation numbers of the assemblies
have also been explored. The results from different experiments have
been rationalized and represented systematically.