Crystallization of Polyelectrolyte-Surfactant Complexes at the Air-Water Interface

ORAL

Abstract

A system consisting of a strong polyelectrolyte (poly-allyldimethylchloride) and surfactant (sodium-dodecyl-phosphate) is studied by surface synchrotron x-ray techniques combined with surface-tension measurements. It is found that distinct phases are formed at the gas-water interface in regimes where no order is present in bulk. In particular, we find that the addition of salt (NaCl) to a very dilute surfactant in polyelectrolyte solution induces a crystallization of cylindrical micelles with distorted-hexagonal symmetry.

*Work performed at Ames Laboratory and APS is supported by the U.S. DOE Basic Energy Sciences, Office of Science, under contracts no. W-7405-Eng-82. and W-31-109-Eng-38.

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Authors

  • Alex Travesset

    • Iowa State University
    • Ames Laboratory and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University

  • David Vaknin

    • Ames Laboratory and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA.
    • Ames Laboratory and Iowa State

  • Gilat Nizri

    • Hebrew University

  • Shlomo Magdassi

    • Hebrew University