Competitive adsorption processes in mixed CTAB–alcohol systems at the surface of a liquid silver amalgam electrode (R-AgLAFE)

The study investigates adsorption processes occurring at the surface of a cyclically renewable liquid silver amalgam film electrode (R-AgLAFE) in mixed aqueous/organic solutions of supporting electrolytes (SEs) containing low-molecular-weight alcohols (methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol) and the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The work involved analysing competitive adsorption phenomena in systems with different liquid-phase compositions (in the absence and presence of 25%(v/v) and 50%(v/v) alcohol) and assessing their effects on the structure and properties of the electrical double layer (EDL). It was found that the adsorption of CTAB and alcohols is competitive, and its intensity depends on both the type and concentration of the alcohol. The most pronounced effects occurred in the presence of 1-propanol, highlighting the roles of hydrophobic interactions and changes in the medium's dielectric properties. The results provide new insights into adsorption mechanisms in aqueous/organic systems.