0000-0001-5491-2417 LAWS OF MICELLE FORMATION IN AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS OF AZOMETHINES BASED ON MONOETHANOLAMINE AND ACETALDEHYDE

Abstract

This paper investigates the micellization behavior of azomethine compounds synthesized from monoethanolamine (MEA) and acetaldehyde (AA) in aqueous solutions at different molar ratios (1:0.5, 1:1, 1:2, 1:4). The critical micelle concentration (CMC) was determined by conductometric and tensiometric methods. Particle size distribution and zeta potential were analyzed using laser diffraction technique (Mastersizer 3000). The results showed that all synthesized compounds exhibit amphiphilic properties and spontaneously form spherical micelles above CMC. The MEA:AA = 1:1 sample demonstrated the lowest CMC value (0.25 g/L) and the highest surface activity with minimum surface tension of 32.1 mN/m. Micelle size increased from 125 nm to 580 nm with increasing AA content, while the zeta potential reached maximum value (+32.2 mV) for the 1:1 ratio, indicating high colloidal stability. These findings suggest that MEA-AA based azomethines, particularly at 1:1 molar ratio, are promising surfactants for applications in gas purification, emulsification, and corrosion inhibition.