I am trying to calculate the distance between two micelles in which potential switches from attractive to repulsive in water.
I been given the following information [also attached].
- Hydrophobic chain-water interfacial energy
My approach is to plot the curve of overall potential against distance by using DLVO theory:
net potential = attractive potential + repulsive potential
V
n = V
A + V
RThen read distance off x axis at turning point from the curve.
I have the information and equation to calculate the potential of the attractive forces, but I can't seem to figure out how to calculate the repulsive forces from the given information. I was trying with the Debye-Hückel approximation:
V
R = Ψ
0 exp
-KDI have K, but I'm unsure how to find Ψ
0.
There is also another equation where repulsive energy between two spheres of radius R can be calculated:
V
R = (64*n
0*K
BT*pi*R* γ
2*e
-KD) / K
2 but it involves parameters: reduced surface potential (γ) & ionic concentration in the bulk solution (n
0).
Which are two things not directly given in the question, is it possible to somehow calculate these two things?
Is there another equation I can use to do this?