Surfactant solutions confined in homogeneous and Janus-like slits

TL;DR

This study uses molecular dynamics to explore how nonionic surfactants behave and self-assemble in different slit-like pores, revealing unique structures not seen in bulk solutions.

Contribution

It investigates the morphology and aggregation of surfactants in homogeneous and Janus-like slit pores, highlighting pore type and width effects.

Findings

Surfactants exhibit aggregative adsorption in slit pores.

Unique self-assembled structures form in confinement, absent in bulk.

Pore characteristics influence surfactant morphology.

Abstract

We study the behavior of aqueous surfactant solutions in the bulk phase and in slit-like pores by molecular dynamics. Adsorption and self-assembly of nonionic surfactants C$_7$E$_3$ that mimic alkyl poly(ethylene oxide) molecules are investigated. We consider pores with the same walls and Janus-like slits. The individual walls are inert, hydrophilic, or hydrophobic. We focus on the morphology of the surfactant solution confined in different slits. The influence of a pore type and its width is discussed. The aggregative adsorption of surfactants was found. Our simulations show that in slits surfactants assemble into structures that do not occur in the bulk phases.