Disrupting admicelle formation and preventing surfactant adsorption on metal oxide surfaces using sacrificial polyelectrolytes.

The adsorption of anionic, cationic, and nonionic surfactants was measured on high-surface area silica and alumina nanoparticles when in the presence of the proposed polyelectrolyte sacrificial agents. Surfactant adsorption was characterized using two types of adsorption isotherms: one with constant polymer concentration and varying surfactant concentration, and another with a varying polymer concentration and constant surfactant concentration. Polystyrenesulfonate and Polydiallyl dimethylammonium chloride were tested as potential sacrificial agents on alumina and silica, respectively.