Critical Packing Parameter of Surfactants

Thread Starter

boks

Joined Oct 10, 2008
218
My book says that the CCP can be increased by:

1. Change of a surfactant to one with a longer hydrocarbon chain
2. Change of a surfactant to one with a branched hydrocarbon chain
3. Use of surfactants with two hydrocarbon chains ("gemini" surfactants)
4. Addition of a long-chain alcohol, amine or other hydrophobic amphiphilic molecule
5. Addition of a hydrophobic non-ionic surfactant
6. Addition of a small abount of surfactant with opposite charge
7. Addition of salt

The formula is CCP = V/(a*l). This has led me to believe that there is a mistake in my book, and that these 7 rules say how to decrease the CCP. Am I right?
 

Voltaire

Joined Aug 3, 2010
25
Just by evaluating the equation one sees that increase in L or A decreases CCP if V remains unchanged and so in that respect you are right. However, your text is trying to inform you of methods to make emulsions more stable i.e. how to increase the CCP.
 
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