APPLICATION OF SCALED PARTICLE THEORY TO THE PROBLEM OF MICELLIZATION .2. CATIONIC AND NONIONIC SURFACTANTS

Scaled particle theory (SPT) has been applied to calculate cavity-forming free energies (DELTAG-degrees-(cav)) of micellization for a series of cationic and nonionic surfactants. These cavity terms along with other free energy components were used to calculate free energy of micellization (DELTAG-degrees(mic)) of these surfactants. The observed close agreement between the predicted and experimental values of DELTAG-degrees(mic) for cationic and nonionic surfactants suggests that cavity-forming free energies play an important role in the process of micellization. Present results also support the conclusion drawn on the basis of similar calculations on anionic surfactants.