Robot-Assisted Measurement of the Critical Micelle Concentration

Abstract

The critical micelle concentration (CMC) is the key characterization of surfactants. To date, no method can yield sequential CMC measurements in an automated fashion. This work introduces SIMO (smart integrator for manual operations), a novel robotic platform for automating the determination of CMC for surfactants. It highlights the precision and reproducibility of SIMO, with an 80% reduction in standard deviation compared to a manual method. The article discusses the robotic protocol and data postprocessing, highlighting the challenges behind integrating automation and robotics in laboratories. SIMO's reliability is tested against a challenging experiment, that of determining the effect of various cations on the CMC of polymeric surfactants. The work presented showcases the potential of robotics in scientific experimentation, promising enhanced accuracy and efficiency.