Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC) Lookup Table

The Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC) measures the point where a surfactant begins to aggregate into micelles. Surfactant molecules exist mostly as single-atom bodies under the CMC and, above it, as micelles. So, CMC can tell us more about the surfactant's effectiveness in stabilizing emulsions, detergency and other surface-active functions.

Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC)

Below is a table of the Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC) values for surfactants.

Surfactant Name	CMC (mM)	Type	Applications
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)	1.0 - 10.0	Anionic	Detergent, foaming agent, emulsifier
Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)	1.0 - 5.0	Anionic	Shampoos, body washes, cleansers
Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide (CTAB)	0.8 - 1.0	Cationic	Antibacterial, emulsifier, solubilizer
Polyoxyethylene (20) Sorbitan Monooleate (Tween 80)	0.05 - 0.15	Non-ionic	O/W emulsifier, solubilizer in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics
Polyoxyethylene (20) Sorbitan Monolaurate (Tween 20)	0.05 - 0.1	Non-ionic	O/W emulsifier, solubilizer
Sorbitan Monostearate (Span 60)	0.03 - 0.1	Non-ionic	W/O emulsifier, stabilizer in cosmetics and food
Sodium Dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS)	0.05 - 0.1	Anionic	Detergent, emulsifier, surfactant in cleaning products
Cocamidopropyl Betaine	0.4 - 1.0	Amphoteric	Mild cleansing agent, foaming agent in personal care products
Lauryl Betaine	0.5 - 1.0	Amphoteric	Cleansing agent, foaming agent in personal care products
Glyceryl Monostearate (GMS)	0.1 - 0.5	Non-ionic	W/O emulsifier, stabilizer in cosmetics and food
Glyceryl Stearate	0.5 - 1.0	Non-ionic	W/O emulsifier, emulsifier in creams and lotions
Cetearyl Alcohol	0.5 - 1.0	Non-ionic	Emollient, emulsifier in cosmetics, hair products
Alkyl Polyglycoside (APG)	0.2 - 1.0	Non-ionic	Mild surfactant for cleaning, personal care products
Lecithin	0.02 - 0.1	Non-ionic	O/W emulsifier, stabilizer in food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics
Sodium Octylphenoxy Polyethoxyethanol (Triton X-100)	0.02 - 0.05	Non-ionic	Solubilizer, detergent, emulsifier
Polyoxyethylene (9) Lauryl Ether (Brij 35)	0.02 - 0.05	Non-ionic	Detergent, emulsifier
Decyl Glucoside	0.02 - 0.05	Non-ionic	Mild surfactant, cleansing agent
Cetyl Alcohol	0.1 - 0.5	Non-ionic	Emollient, thickener in cosmetic formulations
Lauryl Alcohol	0.1 - 0.5	Non-ionic	Emollient, emulsifier
Sodium Chloride	0.2 - 0.3	Ionic (Salt)	Increases viscosity and controls foam
Cocamide DEA	0.3 - 0.6	Amphoteric	Foaming agent, detergent, stabilizer
Polyoxyethylene (20) Stearate (Briggs 85)	0.05 - 0.1	Non-ionic	O/W emulsifier in personal care products
Quaternium-15	0.05 - 0.15	Cationic	Preservative, conditioning agent in cosmetics

Notes:

CMC (Critical Micelle Concentration): Indicates how quickly the surfactant molecules are building micelles. Under the CMC, surfactants usually exist as individual molecules; above it, micelles.
CMC are approximations that can depend on solution temperature, ionic strength and pH.

This table consists of surfactants that are used in industrial, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and household chemicals. Reach out to Alfa Chemistry if you need more specifics or a specific surfactant that isn't included here!

Reference

Viada, B. N., et al. "Determination of the critical micellar concentration of perfluorinated surfactants by cyclic voltammetry at liquid/liquid interfaces." Electrochimica Acta 263 (2018): 499-507.