Electrolyte effects on micellar solutions of nonionic detergents

Abstract

The effect of electrolytes upon aqueous solutions of nonionic detergents is studied by examining the distribution of the three components between the conjugate phases in the corresponding ternary diagrams. NaSCN and NaCl are chosen as examples of salts producing an increase and a decrease in the cloud points of detergent solutions. The results are discussed by treating the salt effects as similar to the effect of added solvents or nonsolvents upon the miscibility of polymer solutions. With the use of Scott's “single liquid” approximation, values for the interaction parameter of polymer theories are obtained.