Determination of the second critical micelle concentration of benzyldimethyltridecylazanium chloride in aqueous solution by acoustic and conductometric measurements

Highlights: → Transition from sphere-to-rod shape micelles is determined at different temperature. → Structural transition is observed at a specific concentration of surfactant called second critical micelle concentration. → 2nd cmc is determined by using conductivity, speeds of sound and density measurements. - Abstract: Density, speed of sound, and conductivity of benzyldimethyltridecylazanium chloride as a cationic surfactant in aqueous solutions have been measured as a function of concentration at atmospheric pressure and at five temperatures (293.15, 298.15, 303.15, 308.15, and 313.15) K. Isentropic compressibility values have also been calculated from the experimental density and speed of sound results. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) values of investigated cationic surfactant were evaluated by using conductivity measurements. The speed of sound, isentropic compressibility and also the conductivity values of the solutions have been employed to determine the second critical micelle concentrations (2nd cmc). The temperature dependence of the speed of sound and isentropic compressibility is shown to be sensitive to the aggregation process. The 2nd cmc values of the surfactant obtained at different temperatures by conductivity, speeds of sound and isentropic compressibility data are in agreement with each other.