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Phase diagrams for ternary system of the Gemini cationic surfactants, N,N-long chain alkyl-2-hydroxyl-N,N,N,N-tetramethyl diammonium dichloride (GnCl2) with butanol and water have been drawn based on experimental data at 25 °C. The phase diagrams show that L phase and different liquid crystalline phases are existent in the ternary system at different components. Electric conductivity of the L phase has been studied. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), 2H (deuterium) quadrupolar splitting (2H NMR) and the polarizing-light microscope were employed to confirm the characteristic texture structures and the microstructure of three different liquid crystalline phases.

Dynamic interfacial tension between aqueous solutions of 3-dodecyloxy-2-hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (R12HTAB) and n-hexane were measured using the spinning drop method. The effects of the R12HTAB concentration (the concentration below the CMC) and temperature on the dynamic interfacial tension have been investigated; the reason of the change of dynamic interfacial tension with time has been discussed. The effective diffusion coefficient, Da, and the adsorption barrier, ɛa, have been obtained from the experimental data using the extended Word–Tordai equation. The results show that the dynamic interfacial tension becomes smaller while ɛa becomes higher with increasing R12HTAB concentration in the bulk aqueous phase. Da decreases from 5.56 × 10−12 m−2 s−1 to 0.87 × 10−12 m−2 s−1 while ɛa increases from 5.41 kJ mol−1 to 7.74 kJ mol−1 with the increase of concentration in the bulk solution of R12HTAB from 0.5 × 10−3 mol dm−3 to 4 × 10−3 mol dm−3. Change of temperature affects the adsorption rate through altering Da and ɛa. The value of Da increases from 5.56 × 10−12 m−2 s−1 to 13.98 × 10−12 m−2 s−1 while that of ɛa decreases from 5.41 kJ mol−1 to 5.07 kJ mol−1 with temperature ascending from 303 K to 323 K. The adsorption of surfactant from the bulk phase into the interface follows a mixed diffusion–activation mechanism, which has been discussed in the light of interaction between surfactant molecules, diffusion and thermo-motion of molecules.