Kinetics and mechanism for the sonochemical degradation of a nonionic surfactant

Abstract

The sonolytic degradation of the nonionic surfactant, octaethylene glycol monododecyl ether (C12E8), has been studied at various initial concentrations below and above its critical micelle concentration (CMC). It has been observed that the degradation rate increases with an increase in the initial concentration of the surfactant until the CMC is reached. Above the CMC an almost constant degradation rate is observed, suggesting that the surfactant in its monomer form is involved in the degradation process. The degradation process of C12E8 involves two distinct primary processes occurring at the bubble/solution interface: (a) hydroxylation/ oxidation of the surfactant and (b) pyrolytic fragmen..