Adsorption of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide on carbon black from aqueous solution Original Research Article

The adsorption of cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) from aqueous solution onto carbon black was studied using charge-compensating polyelectrolyte titration for quantitative determination of the surfactant content in solution and X-ray powder diffraction analysis of air-dried dispersions. Sharp saturation was observed. The saturated surface concentration of the adsorbed CTAB was found to be the same in the dispersed and air-dried product. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analyses suggest -CTA+ and Br- ion sites in the dried product.