Fluorinated surfactants with short perfluoroalkyl chains (RF) as potential substitutes for the environmentally questionable, long RF 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 RF 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 RF < 4 can be prepared with static surface tensions as low as 18.1 mN/m or reduce surface tension within milliseconds.

Design principles and properties of environmentally friendly fluorosurfactants

248th National Meeting (2014)

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