Strong Spacer Length Effects on The Thermal Behavior and Mesophase Formation By Gemini Surfactants

• The self-aggregation properties in aqueous solution of gemini surfactants of the type alkanediyl-α,ω-bis(dodecyldimethylammonium bromides), 12-s-12, have been extensively reported and are known to be significantly influenced by the number of methylene groups, s, of the covalent spacer. In contrast, the thermal behavior of the anhydrous compounds as a function of varying s has not been investigated in a similarly systematic way. Herein, we present the thermal phase behavior of eight compounds of the 12-s-12 family (with s = 2-6, 8, 10 and 12), resorting to differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized light microscopy (PLM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). We find that compounds with either the shortest spacer, s = 2, or the longest ones—8, 10 and 12—form several smectic liquid-crystalline phases prior to isotropization to the liquid phase, with appearance of oily streaks, focal conics, mosaic and fan-shaped birefringent textures. In sharp contrast, gemini compounds with intermediate spacers, s = 3-6, decompose and do not form any disordered, fluid mesophases. Both the DSC thermodynamic parameters for the phase transitions and d00l spacings obtained from XRD show non-monotonic trends with spacer variation, indicating that there are significant differences in solid-state packing and melting process. Plausible molecular packing arrangements in the solid-state are presented, consistent with the XRD information and geometric considerations, and their influence on the phase behavior trends critically discussed.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Fysikalisk kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Physical Chemistry (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

ovr (subject category)