Sensitized chemiluminescence in micellar mixtures of phthalhydrazide and selected dyes

A simplified quantitative model of chemiluminescence intramicellar sensitization is proposed, based on the analytical solution of Förster’s energy transfer function for donor–acceptor pairs residing on micellar spherical surface. To test the usability of the model, the intramicellar sensitization of phthalhydrazide chemiluminescent oxidation by energy transfer to several xanthene as well as non-xanthene dyes has been investigated. The reactions were initiated using three different initiation systems: copper sulphate–hydrogen peroxide system, sodium hypochlorite and hydrogen peroxide–sodium hypochlorite. In this work, we bring an experimental evidence that different transfer mechanisms operate, if phthalhydrazide-sensitized chemiluminescence reactions are initiated by copper sulphate–hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite or sodium hypochlorite–hydrogen peroxide. Only the latter system is selective enough to oxidize phthalic hydrazide much more rapidly than dyes employed as acceptors. This fact enables the application of the proposed model to achieve the quantitative description of the sensitization process.