Langmuir, Vol.11, No.2, 538-542, 1995
Melting of Block-Copolymer Self-Assemblies Induced by a Hydrophilic Surfactant
The interaction between an anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and a self-assembling ethylene oxide-propylene oxide-ethylene oxide triblock copolymer was investigated by phase diagram determination, by NMR quadrupole splittings, and by self-diffusion. Addition of SDS induces a breakdown of anisotropic liquid crystalline phases into isotropic solutions, which especially at higher concentrations are bicontinuous. At moderately high copolymer concentrations there is a transition from bicontinuous isotropic solutions to solutions of discrete micelles on addition of SDS.
Keywords:NUCLEAR MAGNETIC-RESONANCE;SODIUM DODECYL-SULFATE;PHASE-BEHAVIOR;AQUEOUS-SOLUTION;POLYMER SURFACTANT;ANIONIC POLYELECTROLYTE;NONIONIC SURFACTANT;CATIONIC SURFACTANT;MICELLAR SOLUTIONS;IONIC SURFACTANTS