Physicochemical Properties and Phase Behavior of Didecyldimethylammonium Chloride/Alkyl Polyglycoside Surfactant Mixtures

Synthesis of melanin-like amino acid surfactant with enzymatic hydrolysates from silk degumming water

The degummed wastewater from silk processing contains a huge amount of amino acids and polypeptides from sericin. The silk degumming water is far from being exploited fully. Sericin in the degumming water is generally wasted and causes environmental pollution. In this study, simulated silk degumming water was hydrolyzed by alkaline protease to produce abundant amino acids and polypeptides. After enzymatic hydrolysis, the maximum free amino groups concentration in the silk degumming water was approximately 54 mM. It facilitated the recycling of silk degumming water for the production of melanin-like amino acid surfactants as raw materials. 4-Tert-butylcatechol was used as the starting material to generate o-quinone via oxidation by ceric ammonium nitrate. o-Quinone was coupled with free amino groups in enzymatic hydrolysates of silk degumming water to synthesize a sericin-based amino acid surfactant as hydrophobic and hydrophilic group, respectively. Through the green and simple synthesis route, the product was characterized to have a novel melanin-like structure. The product exhibited superior surface-active properties by lowering the surface tension to 32.39 mN m-1. Furthermore, it demonstrated good foaming ability and foam stability, with the initial foam volume of 37 mL and the foam half-life time of more than 25 min. The product owned a good emulsification ability in the oil-water emulsion with delamination time of 297 s and 291 s for emulsion formed by soybean oil and liquid paraffin, respectively. The wetting time of the canvas sheet was only 134 s. Consequently, the product showed low surface tension, good foaming, emulsifying, and wetting properties.

Synthesis of Polyether Block Copolymers from 1,2-Epoxybutane and AEOn and Comparative Study of Physicochemical and Application Properties before and after the Synthesis

In this study, the AEOnBO2 series of block polyoxybutenol ethers was synthesized by combining the AEO series of polyoxyethylene and preparing 1,2-epoxybutane (BO) block polyether using a semicontinuous method. The synthesis was performed by HPLC, MALDI-TOF-MS, FT-IR, and 1H NMR for structural analysis. The interaction parameters and surface tension of the systems before and after synthesis were studied using surface tension meter. The diffusion process of the systems before and after synthesis was studied using a KRÜSS bubble pressure tensiometer. The surfactant properties of AEOn and AEOnBO2 were evaluated by static and dynamic surface tension measurements. Each system formed a saturated adsorption layer in a water solution. The critical micelle concentration decreased dramatically after the introduction of BO groups, and the diffusion-adsorption process was consistent with the kinetic mechanism of hybrid diffusion. The microscopic self-assembled aggregate micellar behavior of all the systems was investigated using DLS, TEM, and SEM. The micellization process in all systems was spontaneous and enthalpy-driven, forming spherical aggregates, with the BO block reducing the aggregate diameter of the feedstock from 220.06 nm to about one-third of 80.02 nm. In addition, the dynamic contact angle, application, and physicochemical properties such as foaming and foam stabilization of each system were investigated. The contact angle was reduced from 70 to 50° at 120 s of stabilization, with a foam volume of 80 mL in all systems at 200 s. However, the AEOnBO2 showed accelerated foam decay at 500 s, with an increase in the contact angle from 70 to 50° at 200 s, but the AEOnBO2 showed accelerated foam decay at 500 s, with a decrease in the contact angle from 70 to 50° at 120 s stabilization. At 200 s, the foam volume of all systems was 80 mL, but AEOnBO2 showed an accelerated foam decay process, which shows that the BO group can accelerate the foam decay, and the comparative results show that the BO group can also optimize other application properties and physicochemical properties.

Interaction, Surface Activity, and Application of Mixed Systems of Alcohol Ether Sulfate Anionic Surfactants with Multiple Ethylene Oxide Groups and Gemini Quaternary Ammonium Surfactant

The surface activities and application properties for the mixtures of cationic surfactants tetramethylene-1,4-bis[N,N-bis(hydroxypropyl)-hexa/decyloxypropylammonium] bromide (GC10-P) and tetramethylene-1,4-bis[N,N-bis(hydroxyethyl)-hexa/decyloxypropylammonium] bromide (GC10-E) and anionic surfactant isomeric sodium fatty alcohol ether sulfates (iso-AE9S) were investigated using both the tensiometry and the conductometry. The interaction parameters and thermodynamic micellization parameters of GC10-P/iso-AE9S and GC10-E/iso-AE9S mixtures were evaluated by Clint-Rubingh and Motomura theoretical models. When the mole fraction of α1 for GC10-P/iso-AE9S mixed system was 0.2, the critical micelle concentration (CMC) reached a minimum of 1.61 × 10-4 mol/L, and the minimum critical micelle concentration of the GC10-E/iso-AE9S mixed system is 2.67 × 10-5 mol/L at α1 = 0.6. The CMC value of the mixed system is 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than that of any single component. The results indicate that the synergistic effects of the investigated mixed systems (evaluated by βm) are in order of GC10-P/iso-AE9S < GC10-E/iso-AE9S, with maximum βm values of -17.98 and -9.78, respectively. The change in zeta potential indicates that the poly(ethylene oxide) chain has weakened the charge density of the hydrophilic headgroup of the anionic surfactant. The interfacial tension at the oil-water interface in the mixed system of anionic/cationic surfactants is lower than that of any single component, exhibiting a higher interfacial activity. The mixed system exhibits a decreased contact angle and superior wetting ability over any single component, and it also enhances foam performance, emulsification performance, and degreasing performance.

Modular Toolbox as Snap Jewelry for Biomimetic Synthesis of Multifunctional Amino Acid Surfactants Inspired by Melanin

Amino acid surfactants have gained significant importance in overcoming the limitations of conventional surfactants, notably, their low biocompatibility and biodegradability. However, the current amino acid surfactants lack multifunctional properties due to the nonreactivity of their aliphatic chains, necessitating the development of a new type of amino acid surfactant. A novel melanin-like amino acid surfactant and a biomimetic synthesis route were devised by mimicking the biosynthesis of melanin. Renewable natural polyphenol compounds with catechol moieties were utilized as building blocks for the hydrophobic group. In a proof-of-concept experiment, ethyl protocatechuate was oxidized to o-quinone and subsequently covalently linked to the amino group of lysine via Michael addition. The chemical structure was verified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy. The melanin-like amino acid surfactant exhibited excellent surface-active properties, with a critical micelle concentration of 1.59 mN m-1. Furthermore, it demonstrated remarkable emulsifying, foaming, solubilizing, dispersing, and wetting capabilities. Notably, it also possessed multifunctionality, including antibacterial activity, antioxidant activity, robustness, and mildness. These outstanding properties indicate significant potential for various applications. This strategy offers innovative insights and a versatile, modular toolbox for synthesizing multifunctional amino acid surfactants that mimic melanin. The approach allows for the easy interchange of o-quinone building blocks, which is akin to snap jewelry.

Study on the Properties of the Sodium Lauroyl Glycinate and Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate Composite System

The scientific community has shown a great deal of interest in sodium lauroyl glycine (SLG) and sodium lauroyl lactylate (SLL), two sustainable and eco-friendly substances that are considered as potential bio-friendly alternatives for petrochemical-based amphiphiles. In the present work, the formation of mixed micelle for SLG and SLL surfactant in water was investigated. Meanwhile, the surface interaction and thermodynamic parameters were calculated according to the surface tension curves. The results indicated that at certain ratios, SLG/SLL surfactant mixtures had synergistic effects that could yield higher surface activity and improve application performance. When the mole fraction of SLL (α_SLL) was 0.4, γ_cmc achieved a minimum of 22.6 mN m^-1 and displayed the best foaming properties. The mixed solution exhibited the best wetting ability when α_SLL was 0.6. While α_SLL was 0.8, the mixed solution showed the optimum dynamic adsorption properties. And it was found that the antibacterial property of SLG and SLL could be partially preserved after compounding. These results demonstrated for the first time that the mixed environmentally friendly surfactant SLG and SLL has a promising prospect for use in the personal care, detergent, and cosmetic industries.

Water Solubility and Surface Activity of Alkoxyethyl β-d-Maltosides

Green surfactants alkyl glycosides are key to solve the inherent problem of water solubility due to their commercial application and extensive scientific research. Based on the enhancement strategy of hydrophilicity through the reconstruction of the conventional alkyl β-d-maltoside by introducing an oxyethyl group (-OCH₂CH₂-), d-maltose was used to prepare a series of nonionic disaccharide-based surfactants alkoxyethyl β-d-maltosides (4a-h, n = 6-16) so that the related water solubility was effectively improved, while the corresponding surface activity and other excellent properties were still maintained. Their physicochemical properties, including water solubility, surface activity, moisture absorption, and thermotropic liquid crystalline behavior, were investigated. The liquid crystal texture of alkoxyethyl β-d-maltosides (n = 7-16) has a fan-shaped focal conic texture. Furthermore, decoxyethyl β-d-maltoside had the strongest foaming characteristic and the best foam stability. Moreover, dodecoxyethyl β-d-maltoside (4f, n =12) had stronger emulsifying activity in the rapeseed oil/water system. Finally, CTAC/4f binary surfactants had an obvious synergistic effect. Such β-d-maltosides should have good application prospects in the future.

Properties and Vesicle Formation in Mixed Systems of a Branched Anionic Carboxylate Surfactant and a Cationic Surfactant

Mixtu res of the anionic surfactant AEC7-Na (branched alcohol ether carboxylate) and the cationic surfactant didecylmethylhydroxyethylammonium chloride (DEQ) were systematically investigated. The results showed that the mixtures possess synergisms. The DEQ-AEC7-Na mixture with a mass ratio of 1:1 showed the best result in terms of surface activity, wettability and emulsifying performance. However, when the mass ratio m(DEQ):m(AEC7-Na) = 8:2, the foaming ability and foam stability of the individual surfactants are better. Vesicles smaller than 100 nm coexist with worm-like micelles as soon as a small amount of AEC7- Na is added to DEQ (m(DEQ):m(AEC7-Na) = 8:2). At m(DEQ):m(AEC7-Na) = 4:6 and 2:8, vesicles of approximate ly 80 nm were observed.

Synthesis of Fatty Alcohol Ether Carboxylic Ester Surfactant and its Performance in an Anionic/Non-Ionic Mixed System

A salt-type fatty alcohol ether carboxylic ester (AECE-Na) surfactant with both anionic and non-ionic characteristics was synthesised using a fatty alcohol ether (AEO) and succinic anhydride. Compared with traditional synthetic methods, neither irritating substances (chloroacetic acid and chloroacetate) nor precious metals (Pt and Pd) were used in the synthesis, which is a simple, economic, and green method. FT-IR and 1H NMR spectroscopies and MALDI TOF mass spectrometry were used to prove the molecular structure of the target product AECE-Na. In addition, the surface activities, intermolecular interactions, application properties, and aggregation behaviours of the individual systems (AEO and AECE-Na) and the anionic/non-ionic mixed system (AECE-Na/AEO) were investigated. The results showed that AECE-Na/AEO exhibits synergistic effects in terms of surface tension reduction efficiency, wetting, emulsification, foaming, and detergency compared with the individual systems.

Study on the properties and self-assembly of fatty alcohol ether carboxylic ester anionic surfactant and cationic surfactant in a mixed system

Mixed system A_12–14EC₉E-Na/DEQ exhibits excellent surface activity, application properties, and interesting self-assembly behaviors.