PLURONIC x TETRONIC polyols: study of their properties and performance in the destabilization of emulsions formed in the petroleum industry

In this work, a new family of branched poly(ethylene oxide-propylene oxide) (PEO-PPO) block copolymers designed as TETRONIC polyols is evaluated and compared to linear PEO-PPO block copolymers designed as PLURONIC polyols. Additives have been employed as well in order to improve solubility of these materials in aqueous solution. Such additives include the sodium p-toluene sulfonate (NaPTS) hydrotrope and concentrated hydrochloric acid. Solubility tests and aqueous solution surface tension data showed consistent results: the structure of the block PEO-PPO copolymers exerts a huge influence on their solubility in water. The solubility of such copolymers is increased by the presence of the sodium toluene sulfonate (NaPTS) hydrotrope. The presence of HCl caused increased solubility for the copolymer TETRONIC polyol only, the effect being less than that observed for the hydrotrope. It is concluded that as regards emulsion stabilization, TETRONIC copolymer polyols perform better. Correlation between structure and properties leads to the optimization of block PEO-PPO copolymer selection aiming at using these materials for the separation of petroleum industry emulsions.     

Electroosmotic Flow of a General Electrolyte Solution through a Fibrous Medium

Although hydrotropy is extensively used in industry, the molecular mechanism of hydrotropic solubilization has not been completely elucidated yet. In this paper the interaction between a nonionic surfactant (ethoxylated fatty alcohol containing between five and six oxyethylenic units) and sodium p-toluene sulfonate is examined. Surface tension measurements confirm that the hydrotropic effect occurs at a concentration in which the hydrotropes self-associate. Photon correlation spectroscopy studies show that for this concentration of hydrotropes a drastic reduction in the surfactant micellar radius occurs. Furthermore the luminescence of the hydrotrope used as a fluorescence probe indicates that at low concentrations p-toluene sulfonate dissolves in the surfactant micelles but beyond the minimum concentration for hydrotropic solubilization the hydrotrope is present in the aqueous phase. These results suggest that the hydrotropic effect is related to alterations in the water structure induced by the hydrotrope molecules and to the presence of hydrotrope aggregates that furnish an appropriate niche for the surfactant amphiphile.     

Effect of hydrotropes on the solution behavior of PEO/PPO/PEO block copolymer L62 in aqueous solutions

Effect of hydrotropes viz. sodium benzene sulfonate (NaBS), sodium toluene sulfonate (NaTS) and sodium xylene sulfonate (NaXS) on the micellization, phase behavior and structure of poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO) triblock copolymer L62 in aqueous solution was studied by surface tension, dye spectral, cloud point and small angle neutron scattering measurements. The addition of hydrotropes increased the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of L62 which appears to be logistic as the added hydrotrope enhances the solubility of PPO moiety (and PEO) making it behave like a more hydrophilic block copolymer that would micellize at high copolymer concentration. Partial phase diagram of L62 in water shows two cloud point (CP) in the concentration range (0-10 wt.%). Addition of hydrotropes shifts the L62 concentration range showing double cloud points at lower side of concentration; sodium xylene sulfonate (NaXS) being more effective. SANS data for L62 in the presence of 0.4 and 0.8 M NaXS at temperatures <30 °C showed unimers which are fully dissolved Gaussian chains. The unimer-to-micelle transition takes place when temperature is increased. It is found that SANS data for L62 in the presence of 0.4 M NaXS (40 and 50 °C) and 0.8 M NaXS (45 and 50 °C) correspond to ellipsoidal structure of micelles.     

Hydrotropic Enhancement of Rate of the Browning Reaction; A Kinetic Study

The rate of a nonenzymatic browning reaction, that is, the reaction between reducing sugar and amino acid(commonly known as Millard reaction) is strongly enhanced in the presence of a common hydrotrope viz. sodium benzoate or sodium salicylate even below its minimal hydrotropic concentration (MHC). The effect of hydrotrope on the rate has been studied in four systems taking combination of different reducing sugars (glucose and fructose) and amino acids (glycine and alanine) in alkaline conditions. The kinetic data support the formation of the mixed aggregation between the hydrotrope and the reactants. The kinetic rate law consistent with experimental results has been derived on the basis of the proposed mechanism.     

Unified concept of solubilization in water by hydrotropes and cosolvents

In the present work hydrophobic dyes, i.e. disperse red 13 (DR-13; (2-[4-(2-chloro-4-nitrophenylazo)-N-ethylphenylamino]ethanol) and Jaune au gras W1201 (1H-indene-1,3(2H)-dione,2-(2-quinolinyl)), are solubilized in water with the help of different additives: acetone and 1-propanol as typical cosolvents, sodium xylene sulfonate (SXS) as a representative of a classical hydrotrope, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as a typical surfactant, and finally some "solvosurfactants" [ propylene glycol monoalkyl ether derivatives (CiPOj: i = 1, j = 1 and 3; i = 3, j = 1 and 2; i = 4 and tertio-butyl, j = 1) and 1-propoxy-2-ethanol (C3EO1)]. These solvosurfactants are short amphiphiles that do not form well-defined structures in water such as micelles. For all additives an exponential increase in the solubilizations of the two studied hydrophobic dyes was observed when their concentrations in water were increased. Except for the SDS solution, no difference in the overall shapes of the solubilization curves (dye solubility against additive concentration) was found. All the studied molecules were classified according to their hydrotropic efficiencies, i.e., their abilities to solubilize a hydrophobic, sparingly soluble compound in water. The volume of the hydrophobic parts of the studied additives, roughly evaluated by simple calculations, was found to influence strongly the hydrotropic efficiency; i.e. the larger the hydrophobic part of the additive, the better the hydrotropic efficiency. By contrast, the hydrophilic part carrying a charge or not is of minor importance. Taking the hydrophobic part of the molecules as the key parameter, the water solubilization efficiency of cosolvents, hydrotropes, and solvosurfactants can be described in a coherent way.     

PEP与阴离子表面活性剂复配体系泡沫性能的研究

研究了PEP型非离子表面活性剂分别与十二烷基苯磺酸钠（DBS）,十二烷基硫酸钠（SDS）形成复配体系的泡沫性能,讨论了浓度及配比的变化对泡沫性能的影响,结果表明起泡性和稳泡性皆随混合表面活性剂的浓度的上升而增强;在一定浓度下,随着PEP比例下降,起泡性和稳泡性也随着增大,并达到稳定值。     

Hydrotropic Behavior of Sodium Salicylate in Presence of Additives

It is well known that, like surfactants aggregating at a certain concentration (called critical micelle concentration, CMC), hydrotropes also have minimum hydrotrope concentration (MHC). However, unlike surfactant CMC, this MHC value is usually very high, thereby reducing their application. In this paper we report the results of conductivity and viscosity measurements with a well known hydrotrope sodium salicylate (NaSal) solutions in presence and absence of additives (propanol, PrOH; butanol, BuOH; pentanol, PeOH and tetrabutylammonium bromide, Bu₄NBr). We have found that MHC value of NaSal decreases in presence of additives. Alcohols increase the hydrophobic interactions and decrease the MHC while Bu₄NBr, in addition to ameliorating the hydrophobic interactions, reduces the charge on head groups and MHC decreases more steeply in its presence. Increased solubility of riboflavin in NaSal containing the above additives corroborates the results.     

Efficient synthesis of chromeno[2,3-c]pyrazolyl-pyrazolol(s) in hydrotropic solution and their anti-infective potential

Research on Chemical Intermediates - We report synthesis of chromeno[2,3-c]pyrazolyl-pyrazolol(s) with anti-infective potential in aq. sodium p-toluenesulfonate (NaPTS) hydrotropic solution under...     

树枝聚醚改性聚丙烯酰胺和阴离子表面活性剂的缔合行为

采用粘度法、荧光探针技术和^1H NMR驰豫和自扩散方法，研究了树枝聚醚疏 水改性丙烯酰胺共聚物(PDAM)和十二烷基硫酸钠(SDS)在水溶液中的相互作用．这 种共聚物含有少量的树枝聚醚，具有疏水性，容易和SDS发生相互作用，在表面活 性剂浓度远低于临界胶束浓度(cmc)的情况下，生成混合胶束状聚集体．它们的缔 合行为和溶液性质明显地取决于表面活性剂的浓度，随着聚合物溶液中加入SDS， 溶液粘度发生急剧变化，并在较低的表面活性剂浓度处出现很大的最高点．荧光和 ^1H NMR测定结果表明，这是由于在不同SDS浓度范围内，PDAM/SDS形成的聚集体结 构不同的缘故．     

Morphology of hybrid polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene oxide) micelles: analytical ultracentrifugation and SANS studies

Morphology and structure of aqueous block copolymer solutions based on polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO) of two different compositions, a cationic surfactant, cetyl pyridinium chloride (CPC), and either platinic acid (H2PtCl6.6H2O) or Pt nanoparticles were studied using a combination of analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and small angle neutron scattering (SANS). These studies combining methods contributing supplemental and analogous structural information allowed us to comprehensively characterize the complex hybrid systems and to discover an isotope effect when H2O was replaced with D2O. In particular, TEM shows formation of both micelles and larger aggregates after incorporation of platinic acid, yet the amount of aggregates depends on the H2PtCl6.6H2O concentration. AUC reveals the presence of micelles and micellar clusters in the PS-b-PEO block copolymers solution and even larger (supermicellar) aggregates in hybrids (with CPC). Conversely, SANS applied to D2O solutions of the similar species indicates that micelles are spherical and no other micellar species are found in block copolymer solutions. To reconcile the SANS and AUC data, we carried out AUC examination of the corresponding D2O block copolymer solutions. These measurements demonstrate a pronounced isotope effect on micelle aggregation and micelle size, i.e., no micelle aggregation in D2O solutions, revealing good agreement of AUC and SANS data.     

Aggregation of poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide) block copolymers in aqueous solution: DPD simulation study

The dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulation method was applied to simulate the aggregation behavior of three block copolymers, (EO)16(PO)18, (EO)8(PO)18(EO)8, and (PO)9(EO)16(PO)9, in aqueous solutions. The results showed that the size of the micelle increased with increasing concentration. The diblock copolymer (EO)16(PO)18 would form an intercluster micelle at a certain concentration range, besides the traditional aggregates (spherical micelle, cylindrical micelle, and lamellar phase); while the triblock copolymer (EO)8(PO)18(EO)8 would form a spherical micelle, cylindrical micelle, and lamellar phase with increasing concentration, and (PO)9(EO)16(PO)9 would form intercluster aggregates, as well as a spherical micelle and gel. New mechanisms were given to explain the two kinds of intercluster micelle formed by the different copolymers. It is deduced from the end-to-end distance that the morphologies of the diblock copolymer and triblock copolymer with hydrophilic ends were more extendible than the triblock copolymer with hydrophobic ends.     

Dynamic properties of the adsorption films of the copolymer of N-isopropylacrylamide and sodium 2-acrylamide-2-methyl-1-propane sulfonate

The dynamic surface elasticity of the aqueous solutions of the copolymer of sodium 2-acrylamide-2-methyl-1-propane sulfonate and N-isopropylacrylamide is measured by the oscillating barrier method as a function of surface lifetime and copolymer concentration. The results obtained are in qualitative agreement with the theory accounting for Coulombic interactions between segments, yet, at the same time, strongly differ from those obtained for sodium poly(styrene sulfonate), thereby confirming earlier conclusion on the effect of non-Coulombic interactions on the surface properties of this polymer solutions.     

Brönsted acid hydrotrope combined catalysis in water: a green approach for the synthesis of indoloquinoxalines and bis-tetronic acids

The present work describes the applications of Brönsted acid hydrotrope combined catalyst (BAHC) as a mild, efficient and reusable catalyst for synthesis of indoloquinoxalines and bis-tetronic acids in water. Using BAHC, we synthesized many indoloquinoxaline derivatives from isatins and o-phenylene diamine using 10 mol% PTSA in 40% aqueous hydrotropic (NaPTS) solution at room temperature with 83–90% yields. On the other hand, the reaction of tetronic acid with the aldehydes/isatins forms bis-tetronic acids with 83–88% yields through Knoevengel condensation-Michael addition pathway in same BHAC. Moreover, the BAHC can be recycled upto 5th cycles with slight decrease in product yields. The extremely simple operational methodology, green solvent, ambient reaction conditions and high yields render this approach extremely appealing for the synthesis of different heterocyclic compounds.

     

Synthesis and micelle formation of triblock copolymers of poly(methyl methacrylate)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) in aqueous solution

Amphiphilic triblock copolymers of poly(methyl methacrylate)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA-b-PEO-b-PMMA) with well-defined structure were synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of methyl methacrylate (MMA) initiated by the PEO macroinitiator. The macroinitiator and triblock copolymer with different PMMA and/or PEO block lengths were characterized with ¹H and ¹³C NMR and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The micelle formed by these triblock copolymers in aqueous solutions was detected by fluorescence excitation and emission spectra of pyrene probe. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) ranged from 0.0019 to 0.016 mg/mL and increased with increasing PMMA block length, while the PEO block length had less effect on the CMC. The partition constant K_v for pyrene in the micelle and in aqueous solution was about 10⁵. The triblock copolymer appeared to form the micelles with hydrophobic PMMA core and hydrophilic PEO loop chain corona. The hydrodynamic radius R_h,app of the micelle measured with dynamic light scattering (DLS) ranged from 17.3 to 24.0 nm and increased with increasing PEO block length to form thicker corona. The spherical shape of the micelle of the triblock copolymers was observed with an atomic force microscope (AFM). Increasing hydrophobic PMMA block length effectively promoted the micelle formation in aqueous solutions, but the micelles were stable even only with short PMMA blocks.     

Formation of block copolymer micelles in solutions of a linear homopolymer in a good solvent

The existence of micelles of polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene/propene) in solutions of polystyrene in toluene was investigated. Toluene is a good solvent of both copolymer blocks whereas polystyrene and poly(ethylene/propene) are immiscible polymers. The presence of homopolystyrene at high enough concentration can induce the micellization of polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene/propene) in solution of a good solvent such as toluene. The thermodynamics of this new micelle system at a given polystyrene concentration was studied. Light scattering measurements were carried out in order to determine the critical micelle temperature (CMT) of different micellar solutions. Standard Gibbs energy, enthalpy and entropy of micellization were estimated from CMT and concentration data. The numerical values found were less negative than those found for micelle systems consisting in a block copolymer dissolved in a single selective solvent.     

Effect of sphere to rod transition on the probe microenvironment in sodium dodecyl sulphate micelles: A time resolved fluorescence anisotropy study

The effect of different hydrotropic salts on the microenvironment at the anionic head group region of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) micelle has been studied through time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy measurements of a solubilized probe, coumarin-153 (C153). The organic cations of the hydrotropic salts used in this study, i.e. aniline hydrochloride (AHC) and o-, m- and p-toluidine hydrochlorides (OTHC, MTHC and PTHC, respectively), differ in their charge to size ratio and hydrophobicity. Present study utilizes the sensitivity of the fluorescence technique to understand the changes in the micropolarity and microviscosity experienced by the fluorescent probe, C153, solubilized in the micellar Stern layer, on addition of different hydrotropic salts. Significant changes are observed in the rotational relaxation dynamics of the probe with increasing concentration of the salts. The changes in the rotational relaxation dynamics clearly reflect the sphere to rod transition in the SDS micelles and correspond nicely with the reported results from dynamic light scattering measurements. The growth behavior of SDS micelles is found to be sensitive to the hydrophobicity of the organic cations. The charge to size ratio of the organic cations also indicated to play a role in inducing the sphere to rod transition in the SDS micelles. The interesting observation made from this study is that the sphere to rod transition of SDS micelles is largely facilitated by the presence of the hydrotropic salts and such a transition is successfully indicated by the simple fluorescence anisotropy measurements of a probe in the micelle carried out in the presence of different hydrotropic salts.     

The Hybrids of Polystyrene-block-Poly(ethylene Oxide) Micelles and Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate in Aqueous Solutions: Interaction with Rh Ions and Rh Nanoparticle Formation

The interaction of amphiphilic block copolymer, polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO), with anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), in aqueous media has been studied by sedimentation in ultracentrifuge. Three well-defined populations of hybrid aggregates corresponding to micelles, micellar clusters, and supermicellar aggregates were detected in the PS-b-PEO/SDS aqueous solutions at various rotation rates. Parameters of all the micellar aggregates were characterized depending on the SDS loading. An increase in the SDS loading was found to result in an increase in block copolymer/surfactant micelle size and weight at the SDS concentration of 0.8x10(-3) mol/L and in a slight decrease of both parameters at critical micelle concentration and at higher concentration. This decrease was caused by incorporation of SDS molecules in block copolymer micelles followed by charging the PS core and repulsion between similar charges. Using dichlorotetrapyridine rhodium(III)chloride hexahydrate ([Rh(Py)(4)Cl(2)]Clx6H(2)O), ion exchange of surfactant counterions in the hybrid PS-b-PEO/SDS system for Rh cations was carried out, which allowed saturating the micellar structures with Rh species. Subsequent reduction of the Rh-containing hybrid solutions with NaBH(4) resulted in the formation of Rh nanoparticles with a diameter of 2-3 nm mainly located in the block copolymer micellar aggregates. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

胶束增强型聚电解质胶囊的结构研究

研究了胶束增强型聚电解质(PAH/PSS和PADA/PSS)胶囊在不同溶液环境中的形貌变化,发现这种新型的胶囊具有迥异于传统聚电解质胶囊的囊壁结构;研究了二维聚电解质复合膜与模板溶解液中嵌段共聚物PS-b-PAA胶束之间的相互作用,发现胶束层可以通过静电力与聚电解质胶囊囊壁相互作用.同时,模拟模板溶出后聚电解质胶囊内部的环境条件,研究了嵌段共聚物胶束在胶囊内部的存在状态及其在透析过程中的变化规律,认为共聚物可以通过疏水作用沉积于聚电解质复合膜的内壁,并通过Ca2+离子的桥联作用稳定,也就是在聚电解质复合膜层基础上又形成了一层胶束层.即这种胶束增强型聚电解质微胶囊的囊壁是由聚电解质层和胶束层所形成的双层结构.用这种双层结构模型,我们合理解释了胶囊在高盐离子浓度下的形貌变化.     

Determination of aromatic hydrotropic drugs in pharmaceutical preparations by the surfactant-binding degree method

An aggregation parameter-based analytical approach, the surfactant-dye binding degree (SDBD) method, was used, for the first time, to determine aromatic hydrotropic compounds. The anionic dye Coomassie Brilliant Blue G (CBBG) was used as inductor of didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDABr) aggregates, whose formation was monitored from changes in the spectral features of the dye. Interactions between hydrotrope and DDABr molecules resulted in a decrease of the degree of binding of the cationic surfactant to CBBG, which was proportional to the concentration of hydrotrope in the aqueous solution. The CBBG-DDABr-hydrotrope chemical system was found to fit to the mathematical expression previously derived for the determination of amphiphilic compounds. The hydrotrope-surfactant bond strength determined the sensitivity achieved for the determination of hydrotropic compounds, which was highly dependent on the molecular structure of the analyte. The high precision (the relative standard deviation for 7 mg l(-1) of salicylic acid was 0.8%), rapidity (measurements were performed in a few minutes) and low cost (in both instrumentation and reactants) of the proposed method, made it especially suitable for quality control. The practical analytical applicability of the SDBD method for the control of hydrotropic drugs in pharmaceutical preparations was demonstrated by quantifying salicylic acid and acetyl salicylic acid in liquid (solutions) and solid (tablets, granulates, unguents, gels and creams) samples, which were directly analyzed after dissolution of the samples.     

Synthesis of four‐armed poly(ε‐caprolactone)‐block‐poly(ethylene oxide) by diethylzinc catalyst

Biodegradable, amphiphilic, four‐armed poly(?‐caprolactone)‐block‐poly(ethylene oxide) (PCL‐b‐PEO) copolymers were synthesized by ring‐opening polymerization of ethylene oxide in the presence of four‐armed poly(?‐caprolactone) (PCL) with terminal OH groups with diethylzinc (ZnEt₂) as a catalyst. The chemical structure of PCL‐b‐PEO copolymer was confirmed by ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR. The hydroxyl end groups of the four‐armed PCL were successfully substituted by PEO blocks in the copolymer. The monomodal profile of molecular weight distribution by gel permeation chromatography provided further evidence for the four‐armed architecture of the copolymer. Physicochemical properties of the four‐armed block copolymers differed from their starting four‐armed PCL precursor. The melting points were between those of PCL precursor and linear poly(ethylene glycol). The length of the outer PEO blocks exhibited an obvious effect on the crystallizability of the block copolymer. The degree of swelling of the four‐armed block copolymer increased with PEO length and PEO content. The micelle formation of the four‐armed block copolymer was examined by a fluorescent probe technique, and the existence of the critical micelle concentration (cmc) confirmed the amphiphilic nature of the resulting copolymer. The cmc value increased with increasing PEO length. The absolute cmc values were higher than those for linear amphiphilic block copolymers. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 950–959, 2004