Synthesis, surface properties, and biological activity of some cationic surfactant complexes

Abstract

Various surfactants were designed in this analysis by esterification of triethanol amine with dodecanoic acid then quaternized through benzyl bromide then complexed with hydrated cobalt chloride to produce metallocationic surfactants. Characterization of the designed surfactants by FTIR, microelemental analysis, and atomic absorption spectroscopy was done. Surface tension at four different temperatures was examined, and the surface criteria were considered which showed high surface action for the designed complexes. Free energy of micellization (ΔG^o_mic) and adsorption (ΔG^o_ads) were investigated. The germicidal action was checked in opposition to different microorganisms, and the results indicated that the designed complexes have high biological action.

KEYWORDS:

• Biological action
• metal-surfactants
• surface parameters

Acknowledgments

The creators express a grateful of the Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute (EPRI) for specialized help.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.