Flashcards: Fundamentals of Surfactant Chemistry — 16 cards

Surfactant — definition?

Amphiphilic molecule reducing surface tension.

Amphiphilic molecule — role?

Contains both hydrophilic and lipophilic regions.

Lipophilic tail — function?

Associates with oils and fats.

Hydrophilic head — role?

Interacts with water molecules.

Synthetic surfactants — source?

Derived from petrochemicals.

Natural surfactants — source?

From renewable raw materials like sugars and fats.

Surfactant classification — basis?

Type of hydrophilic head: anionic, cationic, amphoteric, non-ionic.

Hydrophilic raw materials — examples?

Sugars, peptides, amino acids.

Lipophilic raw materials — examples?

Oils, fats, fatty acids, fatty alcohols.

Anionic surfactants — charge?

Negatively charged head groups.

Cationic surfactants — charge?

Positively charged head groups.

Amphoteric surfactants — pH behavior?

Charge depends on pH; zwitterionic near pHi.

Non-ionic surfactants — charge?

Uncharged, pH-insensitive head groups.

Surface tension — effect of surfactants?

Reduces surface tension for better wetting.

Critical micellar concentration — meaning?

Concentration at which micelles form.

Krafft temperature — significance?

Min temperature for micelle formation in ionic surfactants.