ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a brief review of the solution and interfacial properties of surfactants for readers interested in polymer- and protein-surfactant interactions. Adsorption of surfactants at the solid-liquid interface is governed not only by the solution properties of the surfactant, but also by the properties of the solid-liquid interface and interactions among the various dissolved species. The different type of classes of surfactants is anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, and non-ionic surfactants. Surface tension vs. concentration curves of a typically used anionic surfactant, sodium dodecylsulfate, often exhibit a minimum in the region of the critical micelle concentration. According to the Gibbs equation, in the region of positive slope of the surface tension curve, that is, at concentrations the minimum, a negative surface excess is implied; that is, no solute is present at the surface. Increasing the salt concentration increases the surface tension reduction of ionic surfactant solutions.
