Structure and properties of nonionic surfactants

Surfactants are a class of amphiphilic molecules, that is, one end of the surfactant molecule is an oleophilic group, and the other end is a hydrophilic group. The hydrophobic groups of non-ionic surfactants are generally the following types: linear alkyl (C8-20), branched alkyl (C8-20), alkyl phenyl (alkyl carbon atomic number 8-16), rosin derivatives, polyoxypropenyl, perfluorinated polyoxypropenyl, fluoroalkyl and polysiloxanyl, etc. The most common hydrophilic groups of nonionic surfactants are polyoxyethylene, sugar and polyols. In addition, the hydrophilic groups of nonionic surfactants can also be formed by N, S, P, O atoms and their combinations.

Effect of non-ionic surface active structure on critical micelle concentration

With the increase of the concentration of surfactant in water, its adsorption on the surface will not continue to increase after increasing to a certain extent, but form micelles in water. The lowest concentration at which a surfactant can form micelles in water is called the critical micelle concentration of the surfactant, or cmc. cmc is one of the most important physical quantities of surfactants. After cmc is reached, various properties of surfactant solutions will be mutated.