CLAY MEMBRANE ELECTRODES SPECIFIC TO CATIONIC SURFACTANTS - APPLICATIONS

Amphiphilic-cation-specific electrodes most often use a specific membr ane composed of a homogeneous mixture of a polymer (PVC), a plasticize r and a carrier of the amphiphilic ion. Generally, the carrier is diss olved in this kind of membrane. However, electrodes could also be cons tructed using heterogeneous membranes, in which the carrier is insolub le. We used laponite, a synthetic clay, as the carrier of cationic sur factant to prepare electrodes. These clay membrane electrodes performe d as well as electrodes using a homogeneous membrane; they could be us ed for potentiometric studies and determinations of the solubility pro duct of salt of the surfactant.