Conductometric and fluorescence probe investigations of molecular interactions between dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide and dipeptides

The effect of five dipeptides (glycylglycine, glycyl-l-valine, glycyl-l-leucine, glycyl-l-glutamine, and l-alanyl-l-glutamine) on the micellar properties of catonic surfactant dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) has been investigated by electrical conductivity and fluorescence spectroscopy. From the conductivity data, the critical micellar concentration (c cmc), counterion binding constant (β), and thermodynamic parameters of micellization (ΔG m o , ΔH m o and ΔS m o ) have been calculated. The effect of dipeptides on the micellar properties of DTAB depends upon their nature and concentration as well as on temperature and has been used to study the interactions present in the micellar systems. Enthalpy–entropy compensation effect has also been observed. The pyrene fluorescence spectra were used as an index for the estimation of micropolarity of micellar produced by the interaction of DTAB with dipeptides and the aggregation behavior of DTAB. Comparison on the interactions between different types of surfactants and dipeptide showed that the order of the strength for these interactions is TX-100 < DTAB < SAS < SDS.