title: Effects of chemical structure on the dynamic and static surface tensions of short-chain, multi-arm nonionic fluorosurfactants.
abstract: Fluorinated surfactants with short perfluoroalkyl chains (R(F)) as potential substitutes for the environmentally questionable, long R(F) systems are presented. Three types of nonionic hydrophilic-fluorophilic amphiphiles are synthesized and evaluated based on surface activity in equilibrated (static) and non-equilibrated (dynamic) states. Furthermore, several mono- and disaccharide-based fluorosurfactants are also examined as potential non-bioaccumulative alternatives. A correlation between the chemical structure and resulting surface properties is made by comparing R(F) length, number and size, alkyl-spacer, and hydrophilic moieties. Based on dynamic and static surface tension experiments, the effects of surfactant structure are summarized to provide a basis for the future design of fluorosurfactants. We have found that surfactants with more perfluorinated chains tend to have a higher surface tension reduction, but typically result in slower dynamic behaviors. Using the presented structural characteristics, surfactants with R(F)<4 can be prepared with static surface tensions as low as 18.1 mN/m or reduce surface tension within milliseconds.
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schuster
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Joseph W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Krumpfer
authors.affiliation: Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Straße 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany.
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schellenberger
authors.affiliation: Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Straße 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany.
authors.forename: Reiner
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Friedrich
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany. Electronic address: klapper@mpip-mainz.mpg.de.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klapper
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Müllen
mesh_terms: D004187:Disaccharides / Q000737:chemistry; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008823:Micelles; D009005:Monosaccharides / Q000737:chemistry; D013500:Surface Tension; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004187:Disaccharides; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D008823:Micelles; D009005:Monosaccharides; D013501:Surface-Active Agents
keywords: Dynamic surface tension; Fluorosurfactants; Multi-arm structures; Non-ionic surfactants; Short perfluoroalkyl chains; Static surface tension; Structure–property relations