ELECTROCHEMICAL EQUILIBRIUM BETWEEN IONIC SURFACTANT MICELLE AND MONOMERIC SURFACTANT IN AQUEOUS-SOLUTION AT THE CRITICAL MICELLE CONCENTRATION

Micelle formation in ionic surfactant solutions is described satisfactorily by an electrochemical equilibrium if the energy of the interface is taken into account. The analysis described in this paper is the first demonstration of a Nernst dependence of the potential of the micelles on the activity of the counterions in the aqueous phase, and it has also permitted independent evaluations of the degree of micelle dissociation at the critical micelle concentration and the activity of the counterions in the micellar phase. It has been found that the activity of counterions of the micellar phase is constant in a series of alkylsulfates.