Abstract
The solubilization behavior of a series of dodecyl poly (oxyethylene) ethers (DPOE), C12H25O (CH2CH2O)nH, with oxyethylene units from 5 to 8 toward an oil-soluble dye, Oil Yellow OB, has been studied in relation to the chain length of polyoxyethylene of DPOE, the molecular weight, degree of saponification, and concentration of poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and the temperature in polymer-surfactant mixed solutions. The solubilizing power (Sp) decreases with an increase in the chain length of polyoxyethylene of DPOE and the degree of saponification of PVA, but it increases with an increase in the molecular weight and concentration of partially-saponified PVA, and the temperature. The break points (Cb) in the curves of the amount of solubilized Oil Yellow OB vs. the concentration of DPOE varied in an opposite tendency from Sp. Completely-saponified PVA showed little solubilization effect. The absorption spectra of Oil Yellow OB in the solutions of n-dodecane, polyethylene glycol, and DPOE suggest that the portion of the dye solubilized in the polyoxyethylene region is larger than that in the hydrocarbon region.
