Determination of micelle size and polydispersity by fluorescence quenching. Experimental results

Abstract

Micelle aggregation numbers of a variety of surfactants have been determined experimentally using the fluorescence quenching method. Cationic, anionic and non-ionic surfactants were investigated using as a fluorophore a dialkyl derivative of the ruthenium(II) tris(bipyridyl) complex cation, with 9-methylanthracene as a quencher. Results have been interpreted in terms of the theory of fluorescence quenching in a polydisperse micellar solution outlined in the preceding paper. Excellent agreement with literature values for weight-average aggregation numbers was obtained, as were reliable values of higher moments of the micelle size distribution.