Publisher
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Birce Dikici
Abstract
Surfactant solutions are applicable to engineering systems for cooling equipment for electronics. Surfactants can be added to water to improve heat transfer. An application of using aqueous surfactant solutions can be through microchannel heat sink. Although it is ideal to redesign these systems to reduce heat, it is a costly method. Surfactant solutions at optimal solution concentration can be able to transfer heat quickly and effectively with minimum expense. The surface tension of surfactant solutions is an important parameter for boiling heat transfer and must be taken into consideration. The purpose of this research is to measure surface tension of surfactant solutions at varied concentrations and determine the critical micelle concentration (CMC) point. A surface tensiometer that utilizes the Wilhelmy plate method was used to measure the surface tensions of SLS, ECOSURFTM EH-14, and ECOSURFTM SA-9 of various compositions at room temperature. The measured data for SLS followed a pattern similar to reported data in the literature. There are no reported data for EH-14 and SA-9 in the literature since they are new surfactants. Although each surfactant solution had different surface tension values, it was observed that, as surfactant concentration increased, the surface tension decreased and eventually leveled out at the CMC point.
Recommended Citation
Esteves, Remelisa; Dikici, Birce Ph.D; Lehman, Matthew; Mazumder, Qayyum; and Onukwuba, Nonso
(2016)
"Determination of Aqueous Surfactant Solution Surface Tensions with a Surface Tensiometer,"
Beyond: Undergraduate Research Journal: Vol. 1
, Article 4.
Available at:
https://commons.erau.edu/beyond/vol1/iss1/4
Included in
Aerodynamics and Fluid Mechanics Commons, Complex Fluids Commons, Environmental Engineering Commons, Heat Transfer, Combustion Commons