Micelle studies by high-sensitivity linear dichroism. Benzene solubilization in rod-shaped micelles of cetyltrimethylammoniumbromide in water

Journal article, 1976

A high-sensitivity linear dichroism (LD) technique has been employed in studying the indirect orientation of benzene by solubilization in rod-shaped micelles in a system of cetyltrimethylammoniumbromide (CTAB): water, oriented by flow in a couvette device. The dependence of the LD signal due to the π-π* transitions in the benzene plane on the temperature, on the shear gradient and on the benzene concentration, has been investigated. The net positive LD, observed from the benzene chromophore, derives from benzene orientation at the surface of the rod-shaped micelles. The orientation of the micelle rods is very high and the system is suggested for use as a standard matrix for studying solubilized molecules in polarized spectroscopy.