Cyclic voltammetric studies on the ternary system decaglycerol dioleate–heptane–water

Abstract

On the basis of the experimental results of cyclic voltammetry (CV) for samples containing a definite amount of decaglycerol dioleate (DGD)(0.1 mol dm^–3), and varying relative amounts of heptane and water, the partition coefficients of the electrochemical probe (EC) between the surfactant and solvent media in non-polar and polar regions, namely K_n and K_p, have been estimated. It is seen that values of K_n are always less than those of K_p. It has also been found that the EC probe is solubilized at W₀= 18 (W₀=[H₂O]/[DGD], mol/mol) in both non-polar and polar regions, whereas at W₀ < 18 the probe is hardly solubilized in the above environments. It is also seen that at the same composition (W₀= 18), the solubility of the probe in polar regions is ca. 7 times greater than that in non-polar regions. The partition coefficient of the probe between surfactants and water in the micellar phase, K_m, is also estimated and the results suggest that the solubility of the probe in DGD micelles is ca. 3 times greater than in its reverse micelle at the same surfactant concentration (W₀= 18).