How Electrolyte and Polyelectrolyte Affect the Adsorption of the Anionic Surfactant SDS onto the Surface of a Cellulose Thin Film and the Structure of the Cellulose Film. 1. Hydrophobic Cellulose

Abstract

The nature of hydrophobic thin cellulose films, formed by Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) deposition on silica, has been studied using neutron reflectivity (NR). The impact of electrolyte and a polyelectrolyte, poly­(dimethyldiallylammonium chloride) (polydmdaac), on the adsorption of the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) onto the surface of the hydrophobic cellulose film and upon the structure of the cellulose film has been investigated. The results show how a combination of polyelectrolytes and electrolyte can be used to manipulate surfactant adsorption onto hydrophobic cellulose surfaces and modify the structure of the cellulose film by swelling and penetration. The results illustrate how polyelectrolytes can be used to reverse adsorption and swelling of cellulose films which are not reversible simply by dilution in solvent