TCI D5718 Dodecyltrimethylammonium Bromide, commonly abbreviated as DTAB, is a cationic surfactant built around a twelve-carbon alkyl chain attached to a positively charged quaternary ammonium head group. The grade offered here is intended for biochemical research, which makes it appropriate for experiments that depend on a clean and consistent surfactant. Its main role in the laboratory is to form micelles, solubilize hydrophobic components in aqueous media, modify negatively charged surfaces, and assist in disrupting cell membranes during the early stages of biomolecule extraction.
The property that leads researchers to choose DTAB is the positive charge on its polar head, which allows the surfactant to interact strongly with negatively charged surfaces, proteins, and nucleic acids. The twelve-carbon chain provides a balance between solubilizing power and ease of surfactant removal during purification steps, because the micelles it forms are relatively small and its critical micelle concentration is higher than that of longer-chain homologues such as CTAB. The compound dissolves readily in water, remains stable across a wide working pH range, and can serve as a pseudostationary phase in micellar electrokinetic separation techniques.
Biochemistry, biotechnology, and analytical laboratories in Indonesia typically keep a cationic surfactant of this type on hand for routine sample preparation and method development work. It fits naturally into workflows where membranes must be lysed, hydrophobic material must be carried in an aqueous buffer, or a charged surface needs to be conditioned before analysis. Because the grade is specified for biochemical research, it suits university research groups, teaching laboratories running advanced practical classes, and industrial or service laboratories developing separation methods.
- Cell lysis and membrane disruption: the cationic head group and twelve-carbon tail together destabilize lipid membranes, releasing intracellular proteins and nucleic acids at the start of an extraction workflow.
- Solubilization of hydrophobic compounds: micelles formed by DTAB carry poorly water-soluble material into aqueous media, allowing samples that would otherwise separate to be handled in ordinary buffers.
- Surface modification of negatively charged materials: the positive quaternary ammonium head adsorbs strongly onto anionic surfaces, reversing or neutralizing surface charge for capillary conditioning and related preparation steps.
- Micellar electrokinetic separation: DTAB can be used as a pseudostationary phase, where its micelles partition analytes during electrokinetic separation and provide selectivity that free solution methods cannot deliver.
- Protein and nucleic acid interaction studies: because the surfactant binds strongly to negatively charged biomolecules, it is useful in biochemical experiments that examine surfactant–biomolecule association and behaviour.
| Brand | TCI |
|---|---|
| CAS number | 1119-94-4 |
| Molecular formula | — |
| Purity | — |
| Category | TCI |
| Pack sizes | available in the standard catalogue pack sizes offered by TCI for this product; please confirm the size required when ordering. |
| Physical form | — |
| Storage | keep containers tightly closed in a cool, dry place away from moisture. |
- Grade: for biochemical research
Store the container tightly closed in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place, and keep it away from moisture because quaternary ammonium salts of this type readily pick up water from the air. Original manufacturer packaging is the most suitable container; if the material is transferred, use a clean, dry, tightly sealed glass or chemically compatible plastic vessel and label it clearly. Weigh the solid in a fume hood or a well-ventilated area to avoid inhaling dust, and wear a laboratory coat, safety glasses, and gloves during handling. Avoid contact with skin and eyes, prevent dust from dispersing, and keep working solutions clearly identified. Follow the applicable safety data sheet and your laboratory's own waste-handling procedures when disposing of residues and rinse water.
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