In this work small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) studies on the interaction of the phenothiazine trifluoperazine (TFP, 2-10 mM), a cationic drug, with micelles of the zwitterionic surfactant 3-(N-hexadecyl-N,N-dimethylammonium) propane sulfonate (HPS, 30 mM) and the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS, 40 mM) at pH 4.0, 7.0, and 9.0 are reported. The data were analyzed through the mo...

BACKGROUND The need for woman-controlled, cheap, safe, effective, easy-to-use and easy-to-store topical applications for prophylaxis against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) makes surfactant-containing formulations an interesting option that requires a more fundamental knowledge concerning surfactant toxicology and structure-activity relationships. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We repo...

By analysis of experimental data, a quantitative theoretical interpretation of the solubility limit of medium- and long-chain fatty alcohols in micellar solutions of water-soluble surfactants is presented. A general picture of the phase behavior of the investigated systems is given in the form of phase diagrams. The limited solubility of the fatty alcohols in the micelles of conventional surfac...

This work aimed at elucidating the influence of zwitterionic hard segments on the structures and properties of shape memory polyurethanes (SMPUs). A series of zwitterionic SMPUs was successfully prepared with N-methyldiethanolamine (MDEA), 1,3-propanesultone (1,3-PS), 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) and polyethylene glycol (PEG6000). The influence of MDEA-PS-based zwitterionic hard segment...

Structural and dynamical properties of a micellar solution are studied mainly through examining its rheological behavior in the semidilute regime. The micellar solution is made of a zwitterionic surfactant N-tetradecyl-N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propanesulfonate, sodium dodecyl sulfate, and salty water. In particular, we are interested in how the system is affected when the ionic strength of the ...

Large volumes of water become contaminated with hydrocarbons, surfactants, salts and other chemical agents during Oil & Gas exploration activities, resulting in a complex wastewater stream known as produced (PW). Nanofiltration (NF) membranes are promising alternative for the treatment PW to facilitate its re-use. Unfortunately, membrane fouling still represents major obstacle. In present work,...

Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and fluorescence recovery after pattern photobleaching (FRAPP) were used to study the interaction of low molecular weight poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with micelles of two different surfactants: tetradecyldimethyl aminoxide (C(14)DMAO, zwitterionic) and pentaethylene glycol n-dodecyl monoether (C(12)E(5), non-ionic). By using an amphiphilic fluorescent probe or a f...

Large proteins remain inaccessible to structural NMR studies because of their unfavorable relaxation properties. Their solubilization in the aqueous core of reverse micelles, in a low-viscosity medium, represents a promising approach, provided that their native tertiary structure is maintained. However, the use of classical ionic surfactants may lead to protein unfolding, due to strong electros...

Waste cooking oil (WCO) is a kind of non-edible oil with enormous quantities and its unreasonable dispose may generate negative impact on human life and environment. However, WCO is certainly a renewable feedstock of bio-based materials. To get the rebirth of WCO, we have established a facile and high-yield method to convert WCO to bio-based zwitterionic surfactants with excellent surface and i...