The review on properties of solid catanionic surfactants: Main applications and perspectives of new catanionic surfactants and compounds with catanionic assisted synthesis

ABSTRACT

Mixtures of anionic and cationic surfactants display varied aggregate structures. Solid catanionic systems and metaloamphiphilic complexes, amphiphilic host–guest systems, as well as amphiphilic hydrogen bond pairs are a kind of hybrid amphiphiles, all of which self-organize into supramolecular membranes. Amphiphilicity of the supermolecules drives their hierarchical self-assembly. This review mainly discusses the current applications of well-ordered catanionic materials that show a variety of functionalities in material and life science. Widely studied rational molecular design can create self-assembled structures through various noncovalent interactions combined with numerous modification strategies. Possible applications are at early stage to access the entire potential, but may provide new and interesting interdisciplinary directions for further studies.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Catanionic solids
• liquid crystals
• new materials
• surfactants

Acknowledgments

We are most grateful to all former and present members and research groups at Ruđer Bošković Institute, Department of Physical Chemistry, and Laboratory for synthesis and processes of self-assembling of organic molecules.