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Branched-chain anionic surfactants with same hydrophobic tail architecture: effects of hydrophilic headgroups

  • Xuejiao Song

    Xuejiao Song is a M.D. student at College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Chemical Product Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, and her research involves the synthesis and application of fine chemicals.

    , Zexiang Bi

    Zexiang Bi is a Ph.D. student at College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Chemical Product Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, and his research involves the synthesis and application of fine chemicals.

    , Zimeng Wei

    Zimeng Wei is a M.D. student at College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Chemical Product Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, and her research involves the synthesis and application of fine chemicals.

    , Xu Li

    Xu Li is a lecturer at College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Chemical Product Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, and his research involves the synthesis and application of fine chemicals.

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    and Jinxiang Dong

    Jinxiang Dong is a professor at College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Chemical Product Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology. He won the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars. His research involves the synthesis and application of fine chemicals.

Published/Copyright: January 17, 2025
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Abstract

The branching of the hydrophobic tail has a significant impact on the performance of branched-chain surfactants, while the influence of hydrophilic headgroups on the surface properties of branched-chain anionic surfactants is rarely reported. In this work, three branched-chain anionic surfactants with the same carbon number and hydrophobic tail architecture but different hydrophilic groups, C8 sodium branched-chain alkylsulfonate (C8 SBCAS), C8 sodium branched-chain alkylphosphonate (C8 SBCAP), C8 sodium Guerbet alcohol sulfate (C8 SGAS) with sulfonate, phosphonate and sulfate groups, respectively, were synthesized. Their surfactant properties, including equilibrium surface tension, dynamic surface tension, wetting ability and foaming property, were thoroughly investigated. The order of the critical micelle concentration (CMC) is C8 SGAS < C8 SBCAP < C8 SBCAS, and the equilibrium surface tension (γCMC) follows the order C8 SBCAP < C8 SBCAS < C8 SGAS. These results indicated that increasing the polarity of the hydrophilic headgroups and weakening the charge effect could reduce the hydrophobicity of surfactants, thereby improving their wetting ability and foaming properties. This study provides new insights into the influence of hydrophilic headgroups on the properties of branched-chain anionic surfactants to meet the specific needs of different sectors.


Corresponding author: Xu Li, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Chemical Product Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, Shanxi, China, E-mail:

Funding source: The Fund for Shanxi “1331†Project

Award Identifier / Grant number: 22078219

Award Identifier / Grant number: 22378290

Award Identifier / Grant number: U21A20315

About the authors

Xuejiao Song

Xuejiao Song is a M.D. student at College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Chemical Product Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, and her research involves the synthesis and application of fine chemicals.

Zexiang Bi

Zexiang Bi is a Ph.D. student at College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Chemical Product Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, and his research involves the synthesis and application of fine chemicals.

Zimeng Wei

Zimeng Wei is a M.D. student at College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Chemical Product Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, and her research involves the synthesis and application of fine chemicals.

Xu Li

Xu Li is a lecturer at College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Chemical Product Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, and his research involves the synthesis and application of fine chemicals.

Jinxiang Dong

Jinxiang Dong is a professor at College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Chemical Product Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology. He won the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars. His research involves the synthesis and application of fine chemicals.

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant numbers: U21A20315, 22078219, 22378290) and the Fund for Shanxi “1331” Project.

  1. Research ethics: Not applicable.

  2. Informed consent: Informed consent was obtained from all individuals included in this study, or their legal guardians or wards.

  3. Author contributions: The authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.

  4. Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: None declared.

  5. Conflict of interest: The authors state no conflict of interest.

  6. Research funding: The National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant numbers: U21A20315, 22078219, 22378290) and the Fund for Shanxi “1331” Project.

  7. Data availability: The raw data can be obtained on request from the corresponding author.

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Supplementary Material

This article contains supplementary material (https://doi.org/10.1515/tsd-2024-2639).


Received: 2024-11-09
Accepted: 2024-12-15
Published Online: 2025-01-17
Published in Print: 2025-03-26

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