On the Influence of Intersurfactant H-Bonds on Foam Stability : A Study with Technical Grade Surfactants

• From the literature on the foam stability of various surfactants with C-12 alkyl chains but different head groups a clear picture emerges: Foams are more stable when hydrogen bonds can form between the head groups, i.e. when the polar head group has a hydrogen bond donor and a proton acceptor. These observations suggest that hydrogen bonds between neighbouring molecules at the surface enhance foam stability. To support this hypothesis, we carried out a systematic foaming study of two types of technical grade surfactants, one of them being capable of forming H-bonds and the other one not. As was the case for the pure surfactants we found again that more stable foams are formed when the head group is capable of forming intersurfactant H-bonds: These results will certainly affect the future design of surfactants.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi (hsv//swe)

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

Nyckelord

Intersurfactant H-bonds

foam stability

alkylpolyglycosides

alkylsulfates

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)