Micelle formation and physico-chemical variables for the sodium dodecyl sulfate/cetylpyridinium chloride and their mixture in aqueous propranolol hydrochloride drug solvent: Conductivity and theoretical analysis

•Mixed micellization of SDS and CPC in propranolol hydrochloride (PPH) medium was performed.•CMC and degree of ionization (g) were assessed from specific conductivity (κ) versus [surfactant] plots.•Obtained ΔGm0 values demonstrating the spontaneity of micellization process.•The +ΔHm0 and +ΔSm0 of micellization reveal the presence hydrophobic interaction between the components.•Enthalpy-entropy compensation parameters were also measured and illustrated. Herein, study of both single and mixed micelle development of an anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and a cationic surfactant cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) in propranolol hydrochloride (PPH) drug medium has been performed using a conductometric technique at different temperatures and compositions. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) along with degree of ionization (g) were assessed from the specific conductivity (κ) versus [surfactant] plots. Within the concentration of surfactant studied, a single CMC was achieved in the situations of pure and mixed surfactant micellization. The CMC and g values have been noticed reliant on the employed drug concentrations, variations of mole fractions of the mixture of surfactants and experimental temperature. For the micellization of single SDS/ CPC surfactants in aq. PPH drug medium, PPH drug causes delayed micelle development which has been detected as the upsurge of CMC values of SDS/CPC in PPH drug media. For the association of SDS/ CPC surfactants in aq. PPH drug medium, the CMC values experienced a lessening with the growth of study temperature. At a fixed temperature, the experimental CMC values, of the SDS + CPC mixture, endure a decline through the upsurge of mole fractions of CPC (α1), attain a minimum value and the CMC values tend to enhance at and above α1= 16.2 × 10-5. The ideal critical micelle concentrations (CMCid) are detected always as higher values than experimental CMC up to the α1= 10.8 × 10-5. The -β values and |β| > |ln(CMC1/ CMC2)| for the present study reveal that the interaction among the amphiphiles under analysis is synergistic. The negative free energy (-ΔGmO) of micellization were obtained throughout the study. The enthalpy (ΔHmO) and entropy (ΔSmO) of micellization reveal the presence of hydrophobic interaction as the principal type of interaction among the studied constituents. The negative excess free energy (ΔGex) values inferred that stable mixed micelles are formed for the mixture of SDS + CPC in aq. PPH drug medium.