This paper contains data of water capacity (in terms of w 0 = molwater/molsurfactant) in reverse micelles formed by several commercial and non-commercial cationic surfactants in cyclopentane, petroleum ether, and iso-octane. Also reported are hydrodynamic diameters of the respective reverse micelles formed. Tested surfactants were (i) single-chained cationics: cetyl benzyl diethanolammonium bromide (CBDB), cetyl benzyl dimethylammonium bromide (CBMB), cetyl dibutyl ethanolammonium bromide (CDBEB), cetyl cyclohexyl dimethylammonium bromide (CCDB); and (ii) twin-chained cationics: didodecyl dimethylammonium chloride (DDMC), didodecyl diethylammonium bromide (DDEB), didodecyl dipropylammonium bromide (DDPB), didodecyl diethylammonium chloride (DDEC), dodecyl benzyl dimethylammonium bromide (DBDMB). Also reported are sizes of reverse micelles as determined by dynamic light scattering.
Keywords: Cationic surfactants; Dynamic light scattering; Reverse micelles; Water content.