Qing-Tao Gong

Interfacial dilational properties of tri-substituted alkyl benzene sulfonates at air/water and decane/water interfaces.

The dilational rheological properties of absorbed film of three pairs of structural isomers, tri-substituted alkyl benzene sulfonates, at the air-water and decane-water interfaces have been investigated by drop shape analysis method. The influences of bulk concentration on dilational elasticity and viscosity were expounded. Interfacial tension relaxation method was employed to obtain dilational parameters in a reasonably broad frequency range. The experimental results showed that the meta-alkyl to sulfonate group plays a crucial role in the interfacial dilational properties: the longer meta-alkyl will lead to higher dilational parameters for air-water interface and lower ones for decane-water interface when the total alkyl carbon numbers are equal. For alkyl benzene sulfonates with shorter meta-alkyl, the surface dilational properties are similar to interfacial dilational properties, whereas the surface dilational parameters are obviously higher than the interfacial dilational parameters for alkyl benzene sulfonates with longer meta-alkyl in general. The possible mechanism has been proposed and ensured by Cole-Cole plots.

The Fast Relaxation Process between Hydrophobically Modified Associating Polyacrylamide and Different Surfactants at the Water‐Octane Interface

In our previous work (Macromolecules 2004, 37:2930), we found that the hydrophobic blocks of polyacrylamide modified with 2‐phenoxylethyl acrylate (POEA) and anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) may form mixed associations at octane/water interface. However, the process involving the exchange of surfactant molecules between monomers and mixed associations in interface is so fast that we cannot obtain its characteristic time. In this article, the interfacial dilational viscoelastic properties of another hydrophobically associating block copolymer composed of acrylamide (AM) and a low amount of 2‐ethylhexyl acrylate (EHA) (<1.0 mol%) at the octane‐water interfaces were investigated by means of oscillating barriers method and interfacial tension relaxation method respectively. The influences of anionic surfactant SDS and nonionic surfactant Triton X‐100 on the dilational viscoelastic properties of 7000 ppm polymer solutions were studied. The results showed that the interaction between P(AM/2‐EHA) and SDS was similar to that of P(AM/POEA) and SDS. Moreover, we got the relaxation characteristic time of the fast process involving the exchange of s Triton X‐100 molecules between monomers and mixed associations. We also found that the interfacial tension response of hydrophobically associating water‐soluble copolymers to the sinusoidal oscillation of interfacial area at low bulk concentration is as same as that of the typical surfactants: the interfacial tension decreases with the decrease of interfacial area because of the increase of interfacial active components. However, the interfacial tension increases with the decrease of interfacial area at 7000 ppm P(AM/2‐EHA), which is believed to be correlative with the structure of absorbed film. The results of another hydrophobically associating polymer P(AM/POEA) and polyelectrolyte polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) enhanced our supposition. The phase difference between area oscillation and tension oscillation has also been discussed considering the apparent negative value.

Study on Foaming Properties and Dynamic Surface Tension of Sodium Branched-alkyl Benzene Sulfonates

Foaming properties and the dynamic surface tension (DST) were carried out with aqueous solutions of sodium branched-alkyl benzene sulfonates to elucidate the relationship between foaming properties and surfactant structures. The parameters of the DST (t*, n, R 1/2 ) are correlated with the foaming ability for alkyl benzene sulfonates with benzene ring substituting at positions 2, 4, and 8 of hexadecane. The parameters of the DST (t*, n, R 1/2 ) are correlated with the foaming ability of the same surfactant solutions. The results indicated that the molecular diffusion in the solution, adsorption, and arrangement at the air/water interface were changed with different molecular structures: changing the substituted position of benzene ring from 2 to 8 of hexadecane, the value of t* and n decrease, and the value of R 1/2 increases, which lead to the high dynamic surface activity and high foam volume. The foam stability is correlated with the high surface dilational elasticity and the strength of surface monolayer: changing the substituted position of benzene ring from 2 to 8 of hexadecane, the branched-alkyl chain becomes more flexible, which is characterized by densely packed adsorbed molecules and high film elasticity of the adsorption film. Therefore, the foam stability increases.

A Study of Dynamic Interfacial Properties as Related to Foaming Properties of Sodium 2,5-dialkyl Benzene Sulfonates

In this article, foaming properties and dynamic interfacial properties of a series of sodium 2,5-dialkyl benzene sulfonates in aqueous solutions were carried out to elucidate the relationship between foaming properties and dynamic interfacial properties. The properties of foams generated from bubbling air through different surfactant solutions were measured using a modified Bikerman device. The dynamic surface tension and surface dilational elasticity were obtained from an image analysis technique based on the oscillating bubble method. The surfactants molecular adsorption at the air/water interface was introduced with Rosen empirical equation and the rate of adsorption was determined from measurements of the dynamic surface tension. The surfactant with the longest alkyl chain shows the lowest dynamic surface activity, which lead to the lowest foam volume. The short ortho straight alkyl chain has little effect on the arrangement of molecules at the interface and the foam stability changes a little with the changing of the ortho alkyl chain length. The foam stability is correlated with both the higher surface dilational elasticity and the larger surface monolayer strength.

Effect of Electrolyte on the Interfacial Dilational Properties of Sodium 4,5-Diheptyl-2-propylbenzene Sulfonate at the Oil–Water Interface

The dilational viscoelastic properties of 4,5-diheptyl-2-propylbenzene sulfonate (377) in the presence or absence of electrolyte were investigated by means of two methods: the interfacial tension response to sinusoidal area variations and the relaxation of an applied stress. The higher dilational modulus of 377 than ordinary surfactant indicates that the strength against perturbation of interfacial layer of the former is greater. This may due to the two long and flexible branched alkyl chains, which are easily cross-linked and entangled. Moreover, the results reveal that the added electrolyte results in screening of electrostatic interactions between the ionized groups, which decreased the interfacial dilational modulus.

Effect of Demulsifier Structures on the Interfacial Dilational Properties of Oil–Water Films

The dilational properties of a branch-shaped polyether-type nonionic demulsifier (PEB), a comb-shaped polyether-type nonionic demulsifier (PEC), and a star-shaped polyether-type nonionic demulsifier (PES) at the decane–water interfaces were investigated by Langmuir trough method through oscillating barrier and interfacial tension relaxation methods, which are mainly in the influences of oscillating frequency and bulk concentration on dilational properties. Meanwhile, the effect of demulsifiers on interfacial dilational modulus of diluted crude oil was also explored. The experimental results indicate that all demulsifiers can decrease the dilational modulus of diluted crude oil at the experimental concentration. The addition of PEB causes the dilational modulus of crude oil to be lower than that at the water–decane interface. The demulsifier PEC has a similar effect with PES to influence the interfacial film of crude oil: at low concentration, the dilational modulus of mixed interfacial film is lower than that of demulsifier alone, while at high concentration, the dilational modulus of mixed interfacial film is slightly higher than that of demulsifier alone. The dependence of static modulus on the bulk concentration is consistent with the trend of interfacial dilational modulus with concentration for demulsifiers PEB, PEC, and PES. The studies about the structure modulus show that the new demulsifiers PEC and PES have a stronger ability than branch-shaped demulsifier PEB to destroy the interfacial film. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Synthesis and Surface Activity of Anionic Gemini Surfactants with Alkyl Spacers

A series of anionic Gemini surfactants called alkanediyl-α,ω-bis(m-octylphenoxy sulfonate) with different length of (CH2)x spacer, C8CxC8 (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 (Amin) 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.

Synthesis and Properties of Anionic Surfactants Containing Oxyethylene Group or/and Branched Tail

Using Guerbet tetradecyl alcohol C14GA (synthesized by Guerbet reaction using 1-heptanol as raw material) as intermediate, sodium Guerbet tetradecyl polyoxyethylene ether sulfates [C14GA(EO)nS, n = 1, 2, 4] were obtained through following steps: synthesizing Guerbet tetradecyl polyoxyethylene ether alcohols [C14GA(EO)nH, n = 1, 2, 4] by Williamson reaction, then esterifying with chlorosulfonic acid so as to form Guerbet tetradecyl polyoxyethylene ether alcohol sulfates [C14GA(EO)nSO3H, n = 1, 2, 4], and finally neutralizing with sodium hydroxide; while sodium Guerbet tetradecyl sulfate(C14GAS) was synthesized only through esterifying and neutralizing reactions. The structures of these anionic surfactants were determined by infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance, and element analysis. The surface activity of these surfactants was studied by means of surface tension. The results have shown that these surfactants possess higher surface activity than the common surfactant C12H25OSO3Na. Branched-tail structure coming from Guerbet alcohol makes the anionic surfactant (C14GAS) have higher critical micelle concentration (CMC) and better effectiveness in lowering the interface tension between air and water than their linear counterpart (C14H29OSO3Na). Introducing oxyethyene group into the place between head group and tail group of the surfactant molecule with branched tail can lower the CMC, γcmc, and Krafft point. And the effectiveness for reducing the CMC, γcmc, Γmax, and Krafft point of surfactant increased with the increase of oxyethylene group number (n = 1, 2, 4). The relationship between the molecular structure and surface activity of surfactant is discussed.

Aggregation of Sodium 2,4,5-(tri-n-Alkyl)-benzene Sulfonates in Aqueous Solution: Micellization and Microenvironment Characteristics Studied by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and Steady-State Fluorescence Quenching

The aggregation behaviors and microenvironmental characteristics of five sodium tri-n-alkylbenzene sulfonates (STABS) micelles have been investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and steady-state fluorescence quenching (SSFQ) techniques. The results indicated that the micropolarity of STABS micelles was less sensitive to the increase of the alkyl chain length, and showed slight decrease with the increasing solution concentration. The microviscosity of STABS micelles increased with the increase of the long alkyl chain length, decreased with the increase of the short alkyl chain length, and exhibited little increase when increase the solution concentration. The salinity of added inorganic salt exhibited obvious effect on the decrease of micropolarity and increase of microviscosity of STABS. These results suggested that these different alkyl chains showed different effects on the micellization of STABS and the salinitys effect was even bigger.