Structural effects on surface and micellar properties of alkanediyl-alpha, omega-bis(sodium N-acyl-beta-alaninate) gemini surfactants

A study of the equilibrium surface properties (in water and in the presence of 0.01 M NaCl) of a novel series of anionic gemini surfactants, alkanediyl-alpha,omega-bis(sodium N-acyl-beta-alaninates), is described. Parameters studied include cmc (critical micelle concentration), C20 (required to reduce the surface tension of the solvent by 20 mN/m), gamma(cmc) (the surface tension at the cmc), Gamma(max) (the maximum surface excess concentration at the air/aqueous solution interface), Amin (the minimum area per surfactant molecule at the air/water interface), and the cmc/C20 ratio (a measure of the tendency to form micelles relative to adsorb at the air/water interface). The geminis with a spacer consisting of two methylene groups show premicellar self-aggregation, both in water and in 0.01 M NaCl, when the N-acyl group contains more than 12 carbon atoms; geminis with a spacer consisting of four methylene groups show no premicellar aggregation even when the N-acyl group contains 16 carbon atoms. For the acyl chain lengths where premicellar aggregation does not occur, the values of the cmc of the geminis with a two-methylene spacer are lower than those for the corresponding analogous geminis with a four-methylene spacer. The premicellar formation for the geminis with a two-methylene spacer is due to the short-chain linkage. The geminis show little or no break in their specific conductance-surfactant molar concentration plots and an increase in the pH at the cmc. This is attributed to protonation of the carboxylate group and strong Na+ release during micellization.     

Effects of organic salt additives on the behavior of dimeric ("gemini") surfactants in aqueous solution

The effects of a series of aromatic anions, so-called hydrotropes, on characteristic solution properties of a family of ammonium gemini surfactants with dodecyl chains were explored. The stoichiometric addition of the organic salts to the geminis can result in clear solutions or in phase separation/precipitation, depending on the detailed nature of the added counterions and on the spacer group of the gemini surfactant. Many organic anions induce synergistic effects, strongly reducing the critical micellization concentration (cmc) and the surface tension at the cmc. Furthermore, a number of combinations of organic anions and geminis exhibit thickening of their aqueous solutions. The effects of the added salts are strongly enhanced for the gemini surfactants compared to the monomeric analogue N-dodecyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium chloride. Even anions such as benzoate may be effective for thickening, and viscoelastic solutions can be obtained with salicylate despite the relatively short alkyl chains.     

Effect of the nature of the spacer on the aggregation properties of gemini surfactants in an aqueous solution

The aggregation properties of three dicationic quaternary ammonium gemini surfactants with the same structure, except the spacer group, diethyl ether, six methylene, and p-xylyl, have been studied using electrical conductivity and fluorescence. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) and the micelle aggregation number (N) were determined, and the micropolarity and the microviscosity of the micelle were characterized. The micelle ionization degree (alpha) was obtained by a combination of the electrical conductivity data and the micelle aggregation number. Furthermore, the Gibbs free energy of micellization (deltaGmic) was studied. These results have shown that the nature of the spacer has an important effect on the aggregation properties of gemini surfactants in an aqueous solution. A hydrophilic, flexible spacer prompts micelle formation, which leads to a smaller cmc, smaller alpha, larger N, and more negative deltaGmic. Meanwhile, the microviscosity study indicates that the gemini surfactant with a hydrophilic, flexible spacer forms a more closely packed micelle structure than the one with a hydrophobic, rigid spacer.     

Cationic ester-containing gemini surfactants: adsorption at tailor-made surfaces monitored by SPR and QCM

Adsorption of a series of ester-containing cationic surfactants at a surface containing 90% methyl groups and 10% carboxyl groups was studied by two surface analysis techniques, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). Such a surface, which is at the same time hydrophobic and negatively charged, is of interest as a model for many polymeric surfaces. Two different types of ester gemini surfactants and their monomeric counterparts were included together with nonester containing surfactants of similar structure. The results show that the gemini surfactants give the same adsorbed amount at the surface as the monomeric surfactants when compared at the same bulk concentration normalized to the critical micelle concentration (cmc) in bulk. Since the cmc of the geminis is around 20 times lower than the cmc of the corresponding monomeric surfactants, the gemini surfactants are much more effective in covering the surface. The two techniques gave similar relative values but the QCM values were always higher than those from SPR, which is due to the former method taking also adsorbed water into account. The adsorption, as measured by both methods, was found to follow closely the Langmuir adsorption model.     

Adsorption of gemini surfactants with partially fluorinated chains at three different surfaces: neutron reflectometry results

The adsorption of six symmetrical cationic (dimethylammonium bromide) gemini surfactants with four different partially fluorinated chains at three different surfaces--the air/water, the hydrophilic silica/water, and the hydrophobic (octadecyltricholorosilane (OTS))/water--has been investigated by neutron reflectometry. The corresponding single chain trimethylammonium bromides have also been studied at the two solid surfaces. Four of the geminis with a C(6) spacer and chains with differing amounts of fluorocarbon have identical limiting areas per molecule at the air/water interface (106 ± 5 ?(2)). This is similar to the value for the corresponding hydrocarbon gemini with a C(6) spacer and C(12) side chains, but unlike the hydrocarbon gemini, it is significantly more than twice the area per molecule of the corresponding single chain cationic. In adsorbed aggregates on hydrophilic silica the area per molecule decreases from the air/water value by an average of about 25%, indicating a substantial improvement in the packing of these geminis in the aggregate, which can be attributed to the stronger interaction between the hydrophobic chains in the interior of the aggregates. On the hydrophobic OTS surface the area per molecule in the adsorbed monolayer for three partially fluorinated geminis decreased by about 15% from the air/water value, again indicating much more favorable packing next to the hydrophobic OTS, but for one of the geminis, fC(8)C(6)-C(6)-C(6)fC(8), the change in area was reversed. This reversal is accompanied by a marked thinning of the layer, which is attributed to a shift in the balance between the interactions of the hydrocarbon spacer and fluorocarbon chain fragments and the OTS surface.     

杂双子表面活性剂的研究进展

分子结构对称的gemini 表面活性剂是通过联接链将两个相同头基和相同烷烃链的普通表面活性剂在头基或靠近头基处以化学键方式联接在一起,这种表面活性剂产生了新颖且复杂的自组织行为,引起人们的高度关注。但由于合成上的困难,迄今为止较少研究分子结构不对称的gemini 表面活性剂(又称为杂双子表面活性剂,heterogemini surfactant) 。初步研究显示heterogeminis 在分子自组织过程中具有更多可调控的分子结构因素,获得了某些新颖的结果,例如明显增大了自组织过程的焓驱动力,正-负离子头基分子构成了无反离子的体系,长-短烷烃主链分子成功地将形成的囊泡串接起来等。本文综述当前的研究进展,并提出某些潜在的研究意义。     

两相催化体系中双子表面活性剂对1-十二烯氢甲酰化反应的助催化作用

合成了几种具有刚性连接基团的双子表面活性剂,研究了它们在Rh-TPPTS体系中催化长链烯烃氢甲酰化反应中的助催化作用.结果表明,在水/有机两相催化体系中,新型双子表面活性剂的助催化作用比单链表面活性剂CTAB更好,在较低的表面活性剂浓度下能得到较高的反应转化率.这归因于此类表面活性剂有较低的cmc,降低界面张力的能力和对1-十二烯的增溶能力比CTAB更强.     

The unusual micelle micropolarity of partially fluorinated gemini surfactants sensed by pyrene fluorescence

New gemini surfactants having two fluorocarbon chains were prepared by refluxing partially fluorinated alkyl bromide with N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-1,6-diaminohexane in acetonitrile. The partially fluorinated gemini surfactants containing a six-methylene spacer chain are easily soluble in water. The critical micelle concentrations (cmc's) were determined by various fluorescent probe methods. The hydrophobicity of a CF2 group was estimated to be 1.5 times that of a CH2 group according to the cmc values. The micelle micropolarity of a fluorocarbon gemini sensed by pyrene fluorescence was unusually high, suggesting an apparent iceberg-like environment in the location of pyrene. The significantly small micelle aggregation numbers of fluorinated gemini surfactants were ascertained by the pyrene fluorescence quenching method. The micelle ionization degree estimated by fluorescence quenching of 6-methoxy-N-(3-sulfopropyl)quinolinium (SPQ) gave tendencies similar to those of the corresponding hydrocarbon geminis.     

Interfacial dilational viscoelasticity and foam stability in quaternary ammonium gemini surfactant systems: influence of intermolecular hydrogen bonding

This paper reports the adsorption and interfacial viscoelasticity of gemini surfactants with a hydroxyl-substituted spacer, 2-hydroxyl-propanediyl-α,ω-bis(dimethyldodecylammonium bromide), 2-hydroxyl-butanediyl-α,ω-bis(dimethyldodecylammonium bromide), and 2,3-hydroxyl-butanediyl-α,ω-bis(dimethyldodecylammonium bromide), referred to as 12-3(OH)-12, 12-4(OH)-12, and 12-4(OH)₂-12, respectively, at the air/water interface using dropping shape and interface dilational rheology measurements. For comparison, the unsubstituted surfactants were also examined at identical conditions. The results showed that substituted surfactants produced a remarkably higher interfacial elasticity than the corresponding unsubstituted ones. This was attributed to the effect of the intermolecular hydrogen bonding occurring between the hydroxyl-substituted spacers of adsorbed molecules, which resulted in tighter packing of the molecules in the monolayer. Besides, we measured foam stability. The foam produced by the substituted geminis was found to have higher stability than that by the unsubstituted geminis. It was suggested that the foam stability may be related to the limit elasticity of interfacial film at the level of identical surface excesses.     

Physicochemical properties of quaternary ammonium bromide-type trimeric surfactants

Trimeric surfactants of quaternary ammonium bromide (m-2-m-2-m, where m is the hydrocarbon chain length of 8, 10, or 12) with three hydrocarbon chains and three hydrophilic groups connected by two ethylene spacer chains were synthesized by the reaction of N,N,N',N",N"-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine and the corresponding alkyl bromide. Their physicochemical properties were characterized by surface tension, static and dynamic light-scattering, and fluorescence spectrum of pyrene techniques. The critical micelle concentrations (cmc's) of m-2-m-2-m shifted to lower concentrations with increasing hydrocarbon chain length, and their values were smaller by about one to three orders of magnitude than those of the corresponding dimeric (m-2-m) and monomeric surfactants (C(m)TAB) with the same hydrocarbon chain length. Of these surfactants, 10-2-10-2-10 showed the greatest efficiency in lowering the surface tension and provided the smallest occupied area per molecule, indicating that it adsorbs more compactly at the air/water interface. In addition, from the static and dynamic light-scattering measurements, the aggregation numbers of the trimeric surfactants at the cmc were very small, and two hydrodynamic diameters above the cmc were observed.     

Synthesis and unusual properties of novel alkylbenzene sulfonate gemini surfactants

Seven new dialkyldibenzene disulfonate gemini surfactants have been synthesised. The physico-chemical properties such as their surface tensions, krafft temperatures and melting temperatures have been measured. It was found that the anionic gemini surfactants showed some aberrant properties. The results determined by drop-volume method indicated that surfactants Id, Ie at 25 °C and IIb at 50 °C showed no cmc and lowered surface tension of water hardly despite their seemingly favorable amphiphilic components. However, the three surfactants showed a sharp cmc and good surface activity with the increment of temperature. Surfactant Ie with two longer chains had a higher cmc than that for shorter chain surfactant Id. Furthermore, for this class of anionic gemini surfactants, the spacer carbon number had more important effects than the alkyl chain carbon number on their krafft temperatures and melting temperatures.     

Adsorbed layer structure of cationic gemini and corresponding monomeric surfactants on mica

We report a comprehensive study of the adsorbed layer morphologies of cationic gemini surfactants of the type dodecanediyl-alpha,omega-bis(dimethylalkylammonium bromide) and their corresponding monomers, dimethyldodecylalkylammonium bromide, on mica using atomic force microscopy soft-contact imaging. As in the bulk, aggregate curvature of the adsorbed geminis is found to increase with increasing spacer length, but the adsorbed aggregate curvature also increases in the presence of CsCl and CsBr. The monomeric surfactants exhibit an unexpected transition from globular adsorbed aggregates to a bilayer when the alkyl side chain reaches butyl, and this transition is also sensitive to added electrolyte.     

Formation of monodisperse charged vesicles in mixtures of cationic gemini surfactants and anionic SDS

The aggregation behavior of catanionics formed by the mixture of cationic geminis derived from dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride (DTAC) and anionic sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) was studied by means of phase studies and comprehensive small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiments at 25 °C and 50 mM overall concentration. The results are compared to those for the previously studied SDS + DTAC system. Various gemini spacers of different natures and geometries were used, but all of them had similar lengths: an ethoxy bridge, a double bond, and an aromatic ring binding the two DTACs in three different substitutions (ortho, meta, and para). SANS and SAXS data analysis indicates that the spacer has no large effect on the spheroidal micelles of pure surfactants formed at low concentration in water; however, specific effects appear with the addition of electrolytes. Microstructures formed in the catanionic mixtures are rather strongly dependent on the nature of the spacer. The most important finding is that for the hydrophilic, flexible ethoxy bridge, monodisperse vesicles with a fixed anionic/cationic charge ratio (depending only on the surfactant in excess) are formed. Furthermore, the composition of these vesicles shows that strongly charged aggregates are formed. This study therefore provides new opportunities for developing tailor-made gemini surfactants that allow for the fine tuning of catanionic structures.     

NMR investigation of the exchange kinetics of quaternary ammonium dimeric surfactants C14-s-C14.2Br

The exchange kinetics of cationic gemini surfactants of the alkanediyl-alpha-omega-bis(tetradecyldimethylammonium bromide) type, with alkanediyl being 1,2-ethylene, 1,3-propylene, and 1,4-butylene, were investigated by 1H NMR, 2D COSY, and 2D EXSY experiments. In contrast to the conventional surfactants, a second set of well-resolved resonance peaks appeared in the 1H NMR spectra of these surfactants when their concentrations reached their critical concentrations. These two sets of resonance peaks originate from their monomers and micelles, which are proved by the correlation in the 2D COSY experiments and the cross polarization in the 2D NOESY spectra. Therefore, exchanges between monomers in the bulk solution and in the micelles or other aggregates of this series of surfactants occur slowly on the NMR time scale. The exchange rate constants were obtained by both NMR line shape analysis and 2D EXSY experiments, which are very consistent with each other. The exchange rate constants for the gemini surfactants were found to be orders of magnitude less than those for the conventional single surfactants, and for geminis 14-s-14, the shorter the spacer, the slower the exchange dynamic. It still has been found that the fast exchange between monomers in the bulk solution and in the micelles for gemini surfactant 12-2-12 at 25 degrees C occurs slowly at 5 degrees C on the NMR time scale.     

Micellization of monomeric and dimeric (gemini) surfactants in polar nonaqueous-water-mixed solvents

Dimeric or gemini surfactants are novel surfactants that are finding a great deal of discussion in the academic and industrial arena. They consist of two hydrophobic chains and two polar head groups covalently linked by a spacer. Data on critical micelle concentration (cmc) and degree of counterion dissociation (α) are reported on bis-cationic C₁₆H₃₃N⁺(CH₃)₂–(CH₂)_s–N⁺(CH₃)₂C₁₆H₃₃, 2Br⁻, referred to as 16-s-16, for spacer lengths s=4, 5, 6 in aqueous and in polar nonaqueous (1-propanol, 2-methoxyethanol or methyl cellosolve, dimethyl sulfoxide, acetonitrile)-water-mixed solvents. The behavior is compared with conventional monomeric surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Thermodynamic parameters are obtained from the temperature dependence of the cmc values. It is observed that micellization tendency of the surfactants decreases in the presence of polar nonaqueous solvents. However, detailed studies with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) show that the geminis nearly outclass the micellization-arresting property of this solvent. Also, within geminis, higher spacer length is found suitable for showing micellization even with high DMSO content (50% v/v). The implications of these results of gemini micellization may be useful in micellar catalysis in polar nonaqueous solvents.     

Interactions between adsorbed layers of cationic gemini surfactants

The forces acting between glass and between mica surfaces in the presence of two cationic gemini surfactants, 1,4 diDDAB (1,4-butyl-bis(dimethyldodecylammonium bromide)) and 1,12 diDDAB (1,12-dodecyl-bis(dimethyldodecylammonium bromide)), have been investigated below the critical micelle concentration (cmc) of the surfactants using two different surface force techniques. In both cases, it was found that a recharging of the surfaces occurred at a surfactant concentration of about 0.1 x cmc, and at all surfactant concentrations investigated repulsive double-layer forces dominated the interaction at large separations. At smaller separations, attractive forces, or regions of separation with (close to) constant force, were observed. This was interpreted as being due to desorption and rearrangement in the adsorbed layer induced by the proximity of a second surface. Analysis of the decay length of the repulsive double-layer force showed that the majority of the gemini surfactants were fully dissociated. However, the degree of ion pair formation, between a gemini surfactant and a bromide counterion, increased with increasing surfactant concentration and was larger for the gemini surfactant with a shorter spacer length.     

Gemini阳离子表面活性剂在水溶液中胶团化行为的温度效 应与焓、熵补偿

测定了Cemini阳离子表面活性剂C~m-----s-----C~m·2Br(m=8,10,12,;s=2,6及m=12;s=3,4)水溶液的电导,从电导(k)～表面活性剂浓度(c)曲线的转折点可求得临界胶团浓度cmc.实验发现,Gemini阳离子表面活性剂的胶团化倾向明显强于其“单体分子”)即单离子头基单烷烃链表面活性剂)。根据质量作用模型计算了胶经过程的吉布氏能、焓和熵的改变。结果表明Gemini表面活性剂聚集机理和其对应的“单体分子”类似,主要来自熵驱动。所有的焓/熵补偿图均呈现良好的线性关系,补偿直线在γ轴的截距随s减小而变小,这意味着具有较小s的Gemini表面活性剂倾向于生成稳定的胶团。     

Synthesis and dilute aqueous solution properties of ester functionalized cationic gemini surfactants having different ethylene oxide units as spacer

New series of ester functionalized quaternary ammonium gemini surfactants having different ethylene oxide units as spacer have been synthesized and investigated for their aggregation behavior and thermodynamic properties of micellization by surface tension, conductivity, and fluorescence methods. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) of these gemini surfactants increases with the increase in the length of polar hydrophilic ethylene oxide spacer. The micellization process has been found to be entropy-driven and dependent on both the tendency of the hydrophobic group of the surfactants to transfer from aqueous environment to interior of micelle as well as the rearrangement of flexible ester-linked ethylene oxide units (hydrophilic spacer) into aqueous phase. The polar ester functional groups and pairs of nonbonding electrons on oxygen atom of ethylene oxide spacer form hydrogen bonding with water molecules enhancing their solubility in aqueous system.     

Micellization and Effect of Salt Behavior on Meristyl Alcohol Based Bis-Sulfosuccinate Gemini Surfactants in Aqueous Solutions

A series of bis-sulfosuccinate anionic gemini surfactants were synthesized from meristyl alcohol (BSGSMA_1,4; BSGSMA_1,6, and BSGSMA_1,8) containing 4, 6, and 8 methylene chains as different flexible spacer lengths. The chemical structures of synthesized geminis were confirmed by using spectroscopic analytical techniques, viz., elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy(NMR). Investigations were carried out to examine the effect of different spacer length and different salts (organic and inorganic) on surface and fluorescence properties of prepared gemini surfactants. The results of surface properties shown that surface tension at CMC (?_CMC) and critical micelle concentration (CMC) were reduced and pC₂₀ value was enhanced with increased spacer length. Fluorescence investigations were also revealed the significance of longer spacer with the concluded remarks of higher aggregation number and reduced micropolarity for BSGSMA_1,8 having elongated flexible spacer. The results of salts studies had shown the better results for organic salts as compared to inorganic salts.     

Spacer-mediated synthesis of size-controlled gold nanoparticles using geminis as ligands

We report a new methodology for the size-controlled aqueous synthesis of gold nanoparticles using geminis with different spacers as ligands. Geminis possess a unique structure in which two hydrophobic chains and two polar headgroups are combined via a spacer. We herein demonstrate that the spacer can be used as a tool to control particle size when geminis are used as ligands for gold nanoparticles. Varying the spacer length of geminis yields facile control over the size and size distribution of nanoparticles. For the 18-s-18-capped gold nanoparticles, FTIR and TGA experiments indicate that the geminis form bilayers on the surface of gold nanoparticles, which serve as templates that control the formation of nanoparticles. The smallest particles are obtained with a moderate spacer length (s = 8) because in that case the gemini bilayers interdigitate to the fullest degree to reach the maximum chain-chain interaction, thus yielding the most compact coating on the surface of gold nanoparticles. This work provides a new approach to the size control of nanoparticles.