Investigation on foam properties of Gemini quaternary ammonium salt containing hydroxyl hydrophilic headgroup

Abstract

Four Gemini quaternary ammonium salts, tetramethylene-1,4- bis [N, N-bis(hydroxypropyl)-hexa/decyloxypropylammonium] bromide (GC_6/10-P) and tetramethylene-1,4-bis [N, N-bis(hydroxyethyl)-hexa/decyloxypropylammonium] bromide (GC_6/10-E) were synthesized by two-step reactions. This study analyzes the foam properties, including foamability, foam stability, and foam size distribution, of GC_6/10-P and GC_6/10-E using the Foamscan method. The influence of surfactant concentration and gas flow rate on the properties of Gemini quaternary ammonium salt foam was also studied. Additionally, the relationship between surfactant structure and foam morphology in aqueous solutions was discussed. The results show that all four types of Gemini quaternary ammonium salt surfactants are low-foaming surfactants. The foam capacity (FC) sequence is as follows: GC₁₀-E > GC₁₀-P > GC₆-E > GC₆-P. The foamability and foam stability are enhanced with increasing surfactant concentration, which increases the adsorbed quantity of surfactant molecules at the air-water interface. The foam produced by GC₆-P/E systems is the most unstable; the foam behaviors show faster Ostwald ripening and drainage process in aqueous system. It seems that 150–200 mL/min is an ideal air intake speed. The presence of hydroxyl in the molecular structure enhances the formation of hydrogen bonding between surfactants and water molecules, leading to greater molecular compactness. The results indicate that the foaming behavior of hydroxyl Gemini quaternary ammonium salts can be correlated with concentration and alkyl chains. Foamscan are proposed to research the foaming and foam stability behavior and provide a useful guide for evaluating the foamability of cationic surfactants-based systems, especially in the development of environmentally friendly foam systems suitable for low-foaming products.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Gemini cationic surfactants
• Foamscan
• foam properties
• free drainage
• bubble size

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Project of JALA Research Funds (JALA 2021) and General Project of Science and Technology Innovation Fund of Sinolight (ZQ2022YY05).