Adsorption of Glycosidic Surfactants at the Mercury Electrode

The adsorption of glycosidic surfactants from aqueous electrolyte solutions on a mercury electrode was studied by means of differential capacitive measurements (tensammetric method). The adsorption behavior of the mono- and disaccharidic surfactants studied is discussed in relation to their micellar properties, in particular their respective critical micellar concentration (CMC). With monosaccharidic surfactants, a broad and bell-shaped peak is observed on the tensammetric curves and it suggests the formation of a monolayer called hemimicelle at the mercury electrode. For disaccharidic compounds, the split capacity peak observed at concentrations above the CMC suggests the formation of a multilayer of micelles throughout the electrical double layer.