Synthesis and Surface Activity of Anionic Gemini Surfactants with Alkyl Spacers

Abstract

A series of anionic Gemini surfactants called alkanediyl-α,ω-bis(m-octylphenoxy sulfonate) with different length of (CH₂)_x spacer, C₈C_xC₈ (x = 2, 4, 6, 8), have been synthesized from 4-n-octylphenol and their basic physicochemical properties are investigated. The results indicate that they are different from cationic Gemini surfactants called alkanediyl-α,ω-bis(dimethyldodecylammonium bromide), 12-(CH₂)_s-12, in the literature. It is found that as the carbon atom number of the spacer increases, the cmc (critical micelle concentration) decreases gradually, and the surface area per molecule (A_min) decreases initially and then increases. The breakpoints appear at number 4 of carbon atom in the spacer. Though the length of the spacer is different for the Gemini surfactants from C₈C₂C₈ to C₈C₆C₈, there is no obvious change on the micropolarity.

Keywords:

• Anionic Gemini surfactants
• critical micelle concentration (cmc)
• micropolarity
• synthesis
• the surface area per molecule (Amin)

Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the National Science & Technology Major Project (2008ZX05011) of China.