Adsorbed cetyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride (CDBACl) or cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) on mercury is used as template for the adsorption of CTAB, CDBACl, or their equimolar mixture at 20 degrees C. Adsorptive stripping voltammetry with the two step procedure is used. The results are compared with previously published results on the adsorption of CTAB and CDBACl on mercury and then transferred in base electrolyte. A surfactant is preadsorbed. The adsorption of the second does not remove away from the mercury the first one, as evidenced by the capacitance measurements and the repeated scans. The surfactants were maintained close to each other and in the vicinity of the electrode by the applied electric field. In all cases studied, there was a decrease in the capacitance in the potential range -0.8 to -1 V to very low capacitance values forming condensed film. Mixed films and synergy effects were observed. The already adsorbed CTAB on mercury did not permit the desorption-reorientation peaks of CDBACl. Shifts of the capacitance peaks were observed to more positive potentials and were attributed to the occurrence of a slow change in the organization of the monolayer. The electrical state of the preadsorbed surfactant would be of critical importance in the formation of the various structures. The results suggested that the ordering and arrangement of molecules could be controlled by appropriate selection of templates. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.