Synthesis, surface and aggregation properties of nonionic poly(ethylene oxide) gemini surfactants

A series of nonionic dimeric poly(ethylene oxide) surfactants, HBA(EO)n (n = 9, 20, 80, respectively), were synthesized and characterized. The surface properties, such as the critical micelle concentration, CMC, minimum surface tension, γCMC, surface excess concentration, Γcmc, and surface area per molecule, Amin, have been determined by means of surface tension measurements. Effects of salt and pH on the surface properties of HBA(EO)80 aqueous solution systems were investigated using FF-TEM (freeze-fracture transmission electron microscope), negative-staining TEM technologies and DLS (dynamic light scattering) to investigate the aggregates’ morphologies.