INTERACTIONS BETWEEN NONIONIC SURFACTANT AGGREGATES AND GELATIN RHEOLOGICAL MEASUREMENTS

The interactions between nonionic surfactants such as polyoxyethylene cetyl ethers (C16EO20) and the polymer gelatin were investigated by rh eological methods. Capillary viscosity measurements of diluted aqueous solutions confirmed the results of previous investigations [1]. C16EO 20 caused an accelerated renaturation of the polypeptide gelatin. A st rong variation of viscoelastic data was measured by vibration rheometr y when gelatin was added to the lyotropic cubic liquid crystalline pha ses formed by the surfactant used. Loss module (E'') and loss factor ( tan phi) increased with increasing content of the polymer indicating a n obstruction of the coupling between the globular surfactant associat es.