Surface adsorption of zwitterionic surfactants: n-alkyl phosphocholines characterised by surface tensiometry and neutron reflection

The surface adsorption of n-dodecyl phosphocholine (C12PC) has been characterised by a combined measurement of surface tension and neutron reflectivity. The critical micellar concentration (CMC) was found to be 0.91 mM at 25 degrees C in pure water. At the CMC, the limiting area per molecule (A(cmc)) was found to be 52+/-3 A2 and the surface tension (gamma(cmc)) to be ca. 40.0+/-0.5 mN/m. The parallel study of chain isomer n-hexadecyl phosphocholine (C16PC) showed a decrease of the CMC to 0.012 mM and a drop of gamma(cmc) to 38.1+/-0.5 mN/m. However, A(cmc) for C16PC was found to be 54+/-3 A2, showing that increase in alkyl chain length by four methylene groups has little effect on A(cmc). The almost constant A(cmc) suggested that the limiting area per molecule was determined by the bulky PC head group. It was further found that the surface tension and related key physical parameters did not vary much with temperature, salt addition, solution pH or any combination of these, thus showing that surface adsorption and solution aggregation from PC surfactants is largely similar to the zwitterionic betaine surfactants and is distinctly different from ionic and non-ionic surfactants. The thickness of the adsorbed monolayers measured from both dC12hPC and dC16hPC was found to be 20-22 A at the CMC from neutron reflectivity. Neither A(cmc) nor layer thickness varied with alkyl chain length, indicating that as the alkyl chain length became longer it was further tilted away from the surface normal direction and the layer packing density increased. It was also observed that the thickness of the layer varied little with surfactant concentration, indicating that the average conformational orientation of the alkyl chain remained unchanged against varying surface coverage.     

Micelle formation by N-alkyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium bromide in aqueous solution

The micellization of the ionic liquid N-alkyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium bromide (C(n)MPB, n = 12, 14 and 16) in aqueous solutions was investigated by surface tension measurements, electrical conductivity and static luminescence quenching. The effectiveness of the surface tension reduction (Π(cmc)), maximum surface excess concentration (Γ(max)) and the minimum area (A(min)) occupied per surfactant molecule at the air/water interface can be obtained from the surface tension measurements at 25 °C. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) at different temperatures and a series of thermodynamic parameters (ΔG, ΔH and ΔS) of micellization were evaluated from electrical conductivity measurements in the temperature range of 25-45 °C. The thermodynamic parameters show that the micelle formation is entropy-driven at low temperature and enthalpy-driven at high temperature. Furthermore, the micelle aggregation number (N(agg)) of C(n)MPB was calculated according to the Turro-Yekta method through static luminescence quenching and found that N(agg) (49, 55, and 59) increased with the hydrophobic chain length of C(n)MPB.     

Synthesis and surface properties of anionic gemini surfactants with amide groups

Novel anionic gemini surfactants, 1,2-bis(N-beta-carboxypropanoyl-N-alkylamino)ethane (2CnenAm; n is hydrocarbon chain length of 6, 8, 10, 12, or 14), with two hydrocarbon chains, two carboxylate groups, and two amide groups, were synthesized by three-step reactions. Their solution properties were characterized by equilibrium and dynamic surface tension, steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy of pyrene, and dynamic light-scattering techniques. The surface tension measurements of 2CnenAm give low critical micelle concentrations (cmc), great efficiency in lowering the surface tension, and strong adsorption at air/water interface. Gemini surfactants behave normally with the logarithm of cmc decrease linearly with the chain length. In addition, adsorption and micellization behavior of 2CnenAm was estimated by parameter of pC20, cmc/C20, and standard free energy (DeltaG(0)mic and DeltaG(0)ads); they are significantly influenced by hydrocarbon chain length, and the adsorption is promoted more than the micellization as chain length becomes longer. The results of dynamic light-scattering and fluorescence quenching indicate that small micelles of 2CnenAm are observed at the concentrations above the cmc, and further large particles are also seen. Further, from the dynamic surface tension measurements, it is found that the shorter hydrocarbon chain length of 2CnenAm, the faster the rate of decrease of surface tension.     

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.     

Synthesis and Properties of Aromatic Side Chained N‐Acyltaurate Surfactants

A series of anionic N‐acyltaurate surfactants, side chain containing aromatic nucleus (abbreviated as SAATT), were synthesized via Williamson reaction, hydrolyzation, and acylation. Krafft temperatures and surface properties of these surfactants at 30°C, that is, critical micelle concentration, cmc, surface excess concentration, Γ_max, surface area demand per molecule, A _min, efficiency in surface tension reduction, pC₂₀, effectiveness in surface tension reduction, π_cmc, and cmc/C₂₀ parameter were determined. It was shown that these surfactants exhibit good solubility which was confirmed by measuring Krafft temperature. The cmc of SAATT was much smaller than that of conventional surfactants with similar effective carbon numbers, and shifted to lower concentration with increasing hydrocarbon chain length. In addition, the γ_cmc decreased with decrease in Γ_max. The pC₂₀ and the cmc/C₂₀ got larger with the increase in hydrocarbon chain length. From the fluorescence intensity ratios of I ₁ (373 nm) and I ₃ (384 nm) using pyrene as a probe, it was indicated that the molecules of SAATT formed loose micelles with a broad size distribution.     

Synthesis of Copolymer of Acrylamide and a Cationic-Nonionic Bifunctional Polymerizable Surfactant and Its Micellar Behavior in Water

A novel cationic-nonionic bifunctional polymerizable surfactant (PEP) was prepared by the quaternarization of poly (ethylene oxide-propylene oxide) block polymers (PEO-PPO) having terminal tertiary amine group with chloropropene. Polymeric surfactant (PAM-g-PEP) was prepared by the copolymerization of acrylamide and PEP in water and the product was confirmed by FTIR. PAM-g-PEP has exhibit excellent surface and interfacial activity and its surface tension and interfacial tension at cmc are 40.13 mN/m and 11.69 mN/m, respectively. The influence of temperature on the micellar behavior of the PAM-g-PEP in water was studied by the dynamic laser scatting (DLS) and ultraviolet spectroscope. The results showed that PAM-g-PEP in water is thermo-associative. In diluted PAM-g-PEP solution, the R_h of the polymeric surfactant increases with the temperature due to the interpolymeric aggregations are formed. In the case of concentrated PAM-g-PEP solution, the light transmittance of PAM-g-PEP aqueous solution decreases with the increasing temperature, which is may be caused by the increase of the number of the interpolymeric PEP chain aggregates.      

What is so special about aerosol-OT? Part IV. Phenyl-tipped surfactants

Properties are reported for new phenyl-tipped anionic surfactants, which are aromatic chain relatives of the normal aliphatic aerosol-OT (AOT, sodium bis(2-ethyl-1-hexyl)sulfosuccinate). Variations in chain length and branching with these aromatic surfactants have important effects on aqueous and water-in-oil (w/o) microemulsion phase properties. In dilute aqueous systems, chain structure affects the cmc and surface tension behavior: compared to linear chain analogues, the branched-chain surfactants display lower surface tensions but also reduced packing as measured by molecular area at the cmc a(cmc). Owing to the phenyl-tipped structure, water-in-oil microemulsions were stabilized with aromatic toluene as an oil but not with aliphatic heptane; the latter is commonly used with normal AOT. Contrast variation small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) was used to characterize the microemulsion aggregates and adsorbed films. These SANS data show that water-in-toluene microemulsions stabilized by aromatic-AOTs contain mildly polydisperse spherical nanodroplets of similar structure to those found in systems containing normal AOT. Molecular areas at the air-water and toluene-water interfaces are found to be of similar magnitude and follow a trend that correlates with variations in surfactant chain structure. The new results with aromatic surfactants build on extensive studies of aliphatic AOT analogues (Nave, S.; Eastoe, J.; Penfold, J. Langmuir 2000, 16, 8733. Nave, S.; Eastoe, J.; Heenan, R. K.; Steytler, D.; Grillo, I. Langmuir 2002, 16, 8741. Nave, S.; Eastoe, J.; Heenan, R. K.; Steytler, D.; Grillo, I. 2002, 18, 1505), suggesting that the versatility of normal AOT originates from an optimized head and chain spacer group rather than from any specific effects of the 2-ethyhexyl chain structure.     

光敏季铵盐Gemini表面活性剂a4-6-m在气/液界面的吸附

合成了3种不对称结构的季铵盐Gemini表面活性剂a4-6-m, 分子的一根疏水链是偶氮苯为端基的4个亚甲基链, 另一根是不同长度的脂肪链(m=12, 14, 16). 研究结果表明, 反式偶氮苯封端的a4-6-m在气/液界面上以直立方式排列, 偶氮苯端基间的π-π相互作用导致吸附分子较为紧密地排列, 但吸附层外表面含有偶氮苯成分使临界胶束浓度(cmc)时的表面张力(γcmc)较大. 紫外光激发使反式结构偶氮苯变为顺式结构, 这些极性较强的顺式偶氮苯夹杂在直立的烷烃链间, 增强的偶极-偶极相互作用促进了分子紧密排列, 使分子占据面积(Amin)略微减小. 增长脂肪链长度有助于降低临界胶团浓度和C20(使水的表面张力降低20 mN·m-1时所需的表面活性剂浓度), 但对γcmc影响不大.     

Supra-long chain surfactants with double or triple quaternary ammonium headgroups

Novel supra-long chain surfactants with double or triple quaternary ammonium salts (C(n)-2Am, C(n)-3Am, in which n represents a hydrocarbon chain length of 18, 20, and 22) were synthesized, and electrical conductivity and surface tension were used to characterize their properties depending on both the hydrocarbon chain length and number of hydrophilic groups. The Krafft temperatures decreased remarkably with an increase in the quaternary ammonium headgroups, resulting in a high solubility in water. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) increased with an increase in the number of quaternary ammonium moieties in the hydrophilic group, and the difference in the cmc was smaller for C(n)-2Am and C(n)-3Am than for C(n)-2Am and C(n)-Am of alkyltrimethylammonium bromide. The surface tension at the cmc was approximately 45 and 48 mN m(-1) for C(n)-2Am and C(n)-3Am with n=18-22, respectively. This indicated that the supra-long chain surfactants could not efficiently adsorb at the air/water interface and orient by themselves, as is known for conventional surfactants.     

多支链烷基苯磺酸钠水溶液的表面性质

用自制的四种高纯度多支链烷基苯磺酸钠,研究了支链结构对其表面性质的影响.结果表明,随支链烷基碳数增加,临界胶束浓度降低,标准吸附自由能DGadӨ更负;但是,饱和吸附量Γmax却随支链烷基碳数增加而减小,且临界胶束浓度时的表面张力γcmc随吸附量减小而降低,表现出与一般表面活性剂不同的变化趋势.从多支链烷基苯磺酸钠的分子结构特点,解释了随支链烷基碳数增加Γmax和γcmc的变化规律,探讨了分子的独占面积(as)对Γmax及γcmc的影响.     

乙醇/水混合溶剂中Gemini表面活性剂的表面性质

通过对Gemini表面活性剂12-s-12 (Et)(s=4, 6, 8, 10, 12)体系在乙醇/水混合溶剂中的表面张力曲线的测定, 对该体系的表面性质进行了研究. 发现随乙醇/水比例变化, Gemini各种表面化学性质, 如临界胶束浓度(cmc)、表面张力(γcmc)、饱和吸附量(Γmax)和最小分子占有面积(Amin)等的变化规律. 拓展了Gemini表面活性剂在混合溶剂中表面吸附的研究.     

Polymerizable cationic gemini surfactant

A polymerizable cationic gemini surfactant, [CH(2)=C(CH(3))COO(CH(2))(11)N(+)CH(3))(2)CH(2)](2).2Br(-), 1 has been synthesized and its basic interfacial properties were investigated (in water and in the presence of 0.05 M NaBr). For comparison, the properties of monomeric surfactant corresponding to 1, CH(2)=C(CH(3))COO(CH(2))(11)N(+)(CH(3))(3).Br(-), 2, were also investigated. Parameters studied include cmc (critical micelle concentration), C(20) (required to reduce the surface tension of the solvent by 20 mN/m), gamma(cmc) (the surface tension at the cmc), Gamma(cmc) (the maximum surface excess concentration at the air/water interface), A(min) (the minimum area per surfactant molecule at the air/water interface), and cmc/C(20) ratio (a measure of the tendency to form micelles relative to adsorb at the air/water interface). For the polymerizable gemini surfactant, 1, the methacryloxy groups at the terminal of each hydrophobic group in a molecule have no contact with the air/water interface in the monolayer, whereas for the corresponding monomeric surfactant, 2, the methacryloxy group contacts at the interface forming a looped configuration like a bolaamphiphile. Polymerized micelles of the gemini surfactant are fairly small monodisperse and spherical particles with a mean diameter of 3 nm.     

Effect of counterions on surface and foaming properties of dodecyl sulfate

The influence of counterions of surfactant on interfacial properties is studied by measuring foamability, foam stability, equilibrium and dynamic surface tension, and surface viscosity. The surfactant chosen is anionic dodecyl sulfate with various counterions, Li(+), Na(+), Cs(+), and Mg(++). Surface tension measurements show a decrease in the following order: LiDS > NaDS > CsDS > Mg(DS)(2). Foamability done using shaking method shows similar order as surface tension, i.e., LiDS > NaDS > CsDS > Mg(DS)(2). This has been explained in terms of the differences in micellar stability and diffusion of monomers. This is further confirmed by our dynamic surface tension results, which show the same order as equilibrium surface tension (i.e., LiDS > NaDS > CsDS > Mg(DS)(2)) at low bubble frequencies but the order is LiDS > NaDS = Mg(DS)(2) > CsDS at high bubble frequencies. Foam stability measurements were done at concentrations below and above cmc to elucidate the role of micelles. It was found that there is no significant change in foam stability when counterions are changed for surfactant concentration values below the cmc, but at concentration above cmc the foam stability of CsDS and Mg(DS)(2) are much greater than LiDS and NaDS indicating presence of stable micelles are essential to high foam stabilities. Surface viscosity measurements correlated well with the foam stability trends and gave the following order LiDS < NaDS < CsDS < Mg(DS)(2), indicating that the molecules of CsDS and Mg(DS)(2) are tightly packed at the air/water interface.     

聚氧乙烯醚型表面活性剂的合成及表面性质

合成了一系列不同聚合度的聚壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚型非离子表面活性剂, 通过红外光谱和核磁共振等手段对其结构进行表征, 用表面张力法对合成产物的表面性能进行研究. 结果表明, 随着表面活性剂分子中亲水基团环氧乙烷(EO)片段的增加, 单体、 二聚体和三聚体的临界胶束浓度(cmc)值都逐渐增大, 当EO数目相同时, 单体、 二聚体和三聚体的cmc值依次明显降低. 二聚体与三聚体都显示出很好的表面性质, 其中三聚体的表面性质比二聚体表面性能更优. 在空气/水表面二聚体和三聚体比单体的排列更加紧密, 表现出更好的吸附和分散性能.     

Mixed micelles containing sodium oleate: the effect of the chain length and the polar head group

We have investigated the mixing behavior of binary mixtures of the alkylglucosides (CnG) octyl beta-D-glucoside and decyl D-glucoside in combination with sodium oleate (NaOl), and the amine oxide surfactants (AO) N,N-dimethyldodecylamine oxide, N,N-bis (2-hydroxyethyl)dodecylamine oxide, and 3-lauramidopropyl-N,N-dimethylamine oxide in combination with NaOl. From the equilibrium surface tension measurements, the critical micelle concentration (cmc) data were obtained as functions of the composition. Values of the cmc were analyzed according to both the regular solution model developed by Rubingh for mixed micelles and Maeda's formulation for ionic/nonionic mixed micelles. Two interaction parameters, beta and B1, were estimated from the regular solution model and Maeda's formulation, respectively. For NaOl/CnG mixed systems, a decrease in the hydrocarbon chain length of CnG resulted in a stronger interaction with NaOl from both beta and B1 values. For NaOl/AO mixed systems, the bulkiness of a polar head group of AO surfactants influenced the interaction between NaOl and AO. The dynamic surface tension measurements show that all surface tension values of surfactant solutions examined decreased with the time. We found that the time dependence of surface tension values for NaOl mixed systems was greatly influenced by the presence of NaOl rather than the other component.     

十五烷基芳基磺酸钠溶液表面性质的影响因素研究

测定了自制的四种高纯度十五烷基间二甲苯磺酸钠在纯水溶液和0.0393 mol/L异丙醇溶液中的表面性质,结果表明,随芳基向碳链中间位置的移动,临界胶束浓度cmc增大,分子极限占有面积Amin增大,标准吸附自由能 变得更负,降低表面张力的效率pc20增强,饱和吸附量Γ_max降低,临界胶束浓度时的表面张力γ_cmc降低;且异丙醇的加入使磺酸钠溶液的临界胶束浓度显著降低。从分子结构的特点探讨了分子支化程度对表面性能的影响。     

Surface and micellar properties of new nonionic gemini aldonamide-type surfactants

A new group of gemini aldonamide-type surfactants-N,N'-bisalkyl-N,N'-bis[(3-gluconylamide)propyl]ethylenediamines, N,N'-bisdodecyl-N,N'-bis[(3-glucoheptonylamide)propyl]ethylenediamine, and N,N'-bisalkyl-N,N'-bis[(3-lactobionylamide)propyl]ethylenediamines, (alkyl: n-C(8)H(17), n-C(12)H(25)), were synthesized and characterized. The surface properties, such as surface excess concentration, Gamma(cmc), surface area demand per molecule, A(min), efficiency in surface tension reduction, pC(20), the effectiveness of surface tension reduction, gamma(cmc), critical micelle concentration, cmc, and a measure of the tendency of the surfactant to adsorb at the aqueous/air interface relative to its tendency to form micelles in the bulk surfactant solution, cmc/C(20), and standard free energy of micellization, DeltaG(mic)(0), have been obtained by means of surface tension measurements. The standard fluorescence shift technique using PRODAN as a probe provide confirmation of the cmc values by an alternative method. Additionally, the micellar properties for the concentration near above the cmc have been characterized by the aggregation number, N(agg). The presence of the dimeric segments with the aldonamide hydrophilic units in the surfactant molecule is found to be the source of their unusual physicochemical behavior. They are very efficient at adsorbing at the free surface and at forming micelles in water. Their critical micelle concentration values are remarkably low. They reveal remarkably low A(min) values in relation to conventional nonionic surfactants, which is unexpected from the molecular dimensions for the molecule but which is possible if one assumes some type of multilayer structure or a coherent interfacial film.     

Aggregation and adsorption properties of sodium dodecyl sulfate in water-acetamide mixtures

The critical micelle concentration (cmc) of sodium dodecyl sulfate was determined in water + acetamide media from 0 to 70 wt% of acetamide and at temperatures in the range from 20 to 40 degrees C by using conductance, surface tension, and fluorescence methods. The cmc increases with increase in acetamide concentration and the reported [M.S. Akhter, Colloids Surf. A 121 (1997) 103] decrease in cmc was not observed. The limiting surface tension at the cmc does not have any dependence on the amount of acetamide added. The cmc data as a function of temperature were used to estimate the free energy, enthalpy, and entropy terms for micellization. Enthalpy-entropy compensation takes place during micellization. Counterion binding constant, surface excess, and aggregation number of SDS decrease with increasing acetamide concentration and become almost constant for weight percentages of acetamide greater or equal to 30. Pyrene appears to move from the interior of the SDS micelle to the micellar interface at about 30 wt% acetamide. The empirical relations reported by Aguiar et al. [J. Aguiar, P. Carpena, J.A. Molina-Bolivar, C. Carnero Ruiz, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 258 (2003) 116] between the parameters of a sigmoid-type expression for the ratio of fluorescence emission intensities of pyrene and surfactant properties are found to be applicable to SDS in water + acetamide medium below 20 wt% acetamide only. Standard free energy of micellization has linear correlations with reciprocal of dielectric constant and Gordon parameter of the solvent. The water + acetamide medium behaves similar to mixed solvents containing water and any polar liquid nonaqueous solvent and this study highlights the significance of solvophobicity.     

Facile Fabrication of Surfactant‐Modified ZnS Hollow Spheres at Room Temperature and Its Tribological Properties in Liquid Paraffin

This article presents a facile surfactant‐assisted route to the fabrication of ZnS hollow spheres with diameter of about 0.5～1 µm in ethanol at room temperature. The surfactant quaternary ammonium salt of 2‐undecyl‐1‐dithioureido‐ethyl‐imidazoline (SUDEI) prepared in our lab acts as surface‐modifying agent, morphology‐controlling agent and stabilizing agent in the whole procedure. TEM, SEM, XRD, EDXA, UV‐vis, and FTIR were used to characterize the ZnS products. The influences of reaction conditions were discussed while a formation mechanism was proposed to explain this peculiar morphology. The ZnS hollow spheres product is of excellent dispersion capacity and stability in liquid paraffin (LP) and the tribological properties of LP containing ZnS hollow spheres were studied with an Optimol SRV (SRV is the abridged name for German Schwingung, Reibung, Verschleiss) oscillating friction and wear tester, showing excellent anti‐wear and friction‐reducing performances. The action mechanism of the ZnS hollow spheres in LP was also investigated and discussed.     

The role of the surfactant head group in the emulsification process: Single surfactant systems

To clarify the effect of the surfactant head group on the emulsification process, dilute dodecane in water emulsions were prepared in a small flow-through cell with three surfactants which had the same hydrocarbon tail length but different head groups. The different surfactants types were (a) a nonionic, hexa(ethyleneglycol) mono n-dodecyl ether (C12E6), (b) an anionic, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and (c) a cationic, n-dodecyl pyridinium chloride (DPC), and the emulsions were prepared under the same conditions. From dynamic light scattering measurements, it was shown that the mean steady state droplet size of the emulsions (obtained after 20 min dispersion) could be related to the interfacial tension at concentrations in the region of the cmc. This result was in agreement with laminar and turbulent viscous flow theory. However, the particle size versus surface tension data for the different surfactant systems did not fall on a single line. This behavior suggested that the surfactant played a secondary role in defining the droplet size (in addition to reducing the interfacial tension) possibly through diffusion and relaxation, during deformation of the interface. In addition, it was found that the values of the equilibrium "surfactant packing densities" of the different surfactants at the oil/water interface were almost equal near the cmc, but the mean droplet size and the interfacial tension at the cmc decreased following the order DPC>SDS>C12E6 .