NMR studies of mixed cationic surfactants with similar tails and dissimilar bulky head groups

The mixed micelle formation by benzyldimethylhexadecylammonium chloride (BHDACl) with hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HTAB), hexadecylpyridinium bromide (HPyBr), and hexadecylpyridinium choride (HPyCl) has been studied with the help of H-1 and C-13 NMR studies influenced by both the head-group modifications as well as mutual hydrophobicity. The results showed that the mixed micelles of BHDACl+HPyBr and BHDACl+HPyCl mixtures are significantly affected by the steric factors originating from the bulkiness of the pyridinium head group of both cosurfactants in the stern layer. The result is that BHDACl+HPyBr and BHDACl+HPyCl mixed micelles are in the state of loose micellar arrangements rather than the mixed micelles of the BHDACl+HTAB mixture. A relative comparison between Br- and Cl- counterion effect suggests that the stronger binding ability of Br- than Cl- produces relatively compact mixed micelles.