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Molecules
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Novel Surfactants: Design and Applications
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Novel Surfactants: Design and Applications

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Physical Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 8513

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Véronique Nardello-Rataj

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide, Université de Lille, Lille, France
Interests: surfactants; microemulsions; formulation; fragrances; dispersed systems; pickering emulsions; antioxidants; catalysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jesús F. Ontiveros

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide, Université de Lille, Lille, France
Interests: surfactants; microemulsions; enhanced oil recovery; emulsion phase inversion; salt tolerance

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Surfactants are ubiquitous molecules defined by two specific physicochemical criteria: i) their capacity to diminish surface tension until a minimum value and then form micelles at low concentrations (typically 10−4–10−2 M) and ii) adsorption at different interfaces. Considering their wide range of applications and the increasing quantities used in everyday products (cosmetics, detergents, food, pharmaceutics, etc.) and industrial manufacturing processes (pulp and paper, metal separation, lubricant, crude oil extraction), they are the subject of intense industrial and academic research. On the one hand, environmental concerns and increased consumer awareness enhance efforts to obtain novel ecofriendly surfactants: attempts are being made to diversify their design by exploring novel resources. On the other hand, their structure–property relationships are being further studied in order to design tailored surfactants with the right properties for their numerous commercial applications. 

This Special Issue will gather scientific papers on novel surfactants derived from chemical or microbiological synthesis, and also from natural molecules issued from separation processes. Use of renewable building blocks and sustainable processes take priority. Typical characterization data are presented and special attention is given to the applications (i.e., formulation of dispersed systems) of novel surfactants and property–structure relationships with respect to typical petrochemical molecules. Finally, the aim of this issue is to present a global panorama and the future perspective of new surfactants.

Prof. Dr. Véronique Nardello-Rataj
Dr. Jesús F. Ontiveros
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • surfactants
  • renewable building block
  • emulsions
  • foams
  • dispersion
  • wetting agent

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 7061 KiB  
Article
Effects of Different Types of Stabilizers on the Properties of Foam Detergent Used for Radioactive Surface Contamination
by Hao Zhang, Lili Liang, Hailing Xi, Xiaoyan Lin, Zhanguo Li and Yu Jiao
Molecules 2023, 28(16), 6107; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28166107 - 17 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1202
Abstract
Compared with high-pressure water and reagent washing decontamination, foam decontamination has a promising application due to its ability to significantly reduce the volume of radioactive waste liquids and effectively decontaminate the inner surface of the pipes, the interior of the large cavities, and [...] Read more.
Compared with high-pressure water and reagent washing decontamination, foam decontamination has a promising application due to its ability to significantly reduce the volume of radioactive waste liquids and effectively decontaminate the inner surface of the pipes, the interior of the large cavities, and the vertical walls. However, the foam is less stable, leading to a low decontamination rate. Currently, three main types of stabilizers with different stabilizing mechanisms, namely nanoparticles, polymers, and cosurfactants, are used to improve foam stability and thus increase the decontamination rate. Nanosilica (NS), xanthan gum (XG), and n-tetradecanol (TD) were used as typical representatives of nanoparticles, polymers, and cosurfactants, respectively, to improve the stability of the foam detergent with pH < 2 and chelating agents. The differences in the effects of these three types of stabilizers on foam properties were investigated. Although NS, XG, and TD all increase the half-life of the foam from 7.2 min to about 40 min, the concentration of TD is much lower than that of NS and XG in the foaming solution, and TD foaming solution has the highest foaming ratio. Moreover, TD can markedly lower the surface tension, resulting in a significant reduction of the wetting contact angle on the surfaces of glass, ceramic tile, stainless steel, and paint, while NS and XG cannot signally change the surface tension and have no obvious effect on the wetting contact angle. At low shear rates, TD can increase the apparent viscosity of foam by two orders of magnitude, and the wall-hanging time of the foam on the vertical wall is more than 30 min. In contrast, NS and XG cause a limited increase in the apparent viscosity of the foam, and the wall-hanging times are both less than 5 min. In addition, TD foaming solution has excellent storage stability, and the storage time has no obvious effect on the performance of the foam. And after only three days of storage, NS undergoes severe agglomeration and precipitation in the foaming solution, resulting in a complete loss of the stabilizing effect. After 90 days of storage, the half-life of XG foam decreases by 26%. For simulated radioactive uranium contamination on both horizontal and vertical surfaces, TD can significantly improve the decontamination rate, especially for vertical surfaces, where TD can increase the single decontamination rate by more than 50%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Surfactants: Design and Applications)
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14 pages, 3952 KiB  
Article
Synthesis of Carboxyl Modified Polyether Polysiloxane Surfactant for the Biodegradable Foam Fire Extinguishing Agents
by Jinqing Jiao, Lei Qi, Jingfeng Wu, Xuqing Lang, Yuechang Wei, Guangwen Zhang, Pengyu Cui, Zuzheng Shang, Xiaodong Mu, Shanjun Mu, Yuzhuo Lv and Weichao Pan
Molecules 2023, 28(8), 3546; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28083546 - 18 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1779
Abstract
It is necessary to develop novel and efficient alternatives to fluorocarbon surfactant and prepare fluorine-free environmentally-friendly fire extinguishing agent. The carboxyl modified polyether polysiloxane surfactant (CMPS) with high surface activity was synthesized via the esterification reaction using hydroxyl-containing polyether modified polysiloxane (HPMS) and [...] Read more.
It is necessary to develop novel and efficient alternatives to fluorocarbon surfactant and prepare fluorine-free environmentally-friendly fire extinguishing agent. The carboxyl modified polyether polysiloxane surfactant (CMPS) with high surface activity was synthesized via the esterification reaction using hydroxyl-containing polyether modified polysiloxane (HPMS) and maleic anhydride (MA) as raw materials. The process conditions of the esterification reaction were optimized by orthogonal tests, and the optimum process parameters were determined as follows: reaction temperature of 85 °C, reaction time of 4.5 h, isopropyl alcohol content of 20% and the molar ratio of HPMS/MA of 1/1. The chemical structure, surface activity, aggregation behavior, foam properties, wetting properties and electron distribution were systematically investigated. It was found that the carboxyl group was successfully grafted into silicone molecule, and the conjugated system was formed, which changed the interaction force between the molecules and would affect the surface activity of the aqueous solution. The CMPS exhibited excellent surface activity and could effectively reduce the water’s surface tension to 18.46 mN/m. The CMPS formed spherical aggregates in aqueous solution, and the contact angle value of CMPS is 15.56°, illustrating that CMPS had excellent hydrophilicity and wetting performance. The CMPS can enhance the foam property and has good stability. The electron distribution results indicate that the introduced carboxyl groups are more inclined towards the negative charge band, which would be conducive to weak the interaction between molecules and improve the surface activity of the solution. Consequently, new foam fire extinguishing agents were prepared by using CMPS as a key component and they exhibited excellent fire-fighting performance. The prepared CMPS would be the optimal alternative to fluorocarbon surfactant and could be applied in foam extinguishing agents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Surfactants: Design and Applications)
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16 pages, 5037 KiB  
Article
Effects of Fatty Alcohols with Different Chain Lengths on the Performance of Low pH Biomass-Based Foams for Radioactive Decontamination
by Hao Zhang, Lili Liang, Hailing Xi, Datong Liu, Zhanguo Li and Xiaoyan Lin
Molecules 2022, 27(19), 6627; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27196627 - 06 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1290
Abstract
Compared with polymers and nanoparticles, fatty alcohols can not only increase the stability of foam, but also maintain better foamability at pH < 2, which is beneficial to reduce waste liquid and increase decontamination efficiency for radioactive surface pollution. However, different fatty alcohols [...] Read more.
Compared with polymers and nanoparticles, fatty alcohols can not only increase the stability of foam, but also maintain better foamability at pH < 2, which is beneficial to reduce waste liquid and increase decontamination efficiency for radioactive surface pollution. However, different fatty alcohols have different hydrophobic chain lengths. The effects of fatty alcohols with different chain lengths on the performance of decontamination foam were studied at pH < 2, to assist in the selection of suitable fatty alcohols as foam stabilizers. Combined with betaine surfactant and phytic acid, biomass-based foams were synthesized using fatty alcohols with different chain lengths. When the hydrophobic tail groups of the fatty alcohol and the surfactant were the same, the foam showed the best performance, including the lowest surface tension, the highest liquid film strength, the greatest sag-resistance and the best stability. However, when the hydrophobic tail groups were different, the space between adjacent surface active molecules was increased by thermal motion of the excess terminal tail segments (a tail-wagging effect), and the adsorption density reduced on the gas-liquid interface, leading to increased surface tension and decreased liquid film strength, sag-resistance and stability. The use of decontamination foam stabilized by fatty alcohols with the same hydrophobic group as the surfactant was found to increase the decontamination rate of radioactive uranium pollution from 64 to over 90% on a vertical surface. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Surfactants: Design and Applications)
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Review

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34 pages, 2523 KiB  
Review
New Trends in Biosurfactants: From Renewable Origin to Green Enhanced Oil Recovery Applications
by Dilshad Shaikhah, Valeria Loise, Ruggero Angelico, Michele Porto, Pietro Calandra, Abraham A. Abe, Flaviano Testa, Concetta Bartucca, Cesare Oliviero Rossi and Paolino Caputo
Molecules 2024, 29(2), 301; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29020301 - 06 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1475
Abstract
Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes are technologies used in the oil and gas industry to maximize the extraction of residual oil from reservoirs after primary and secondary recovery methods have been carried out. The injection into the reservoir of surface-active substances capable of [...] Read more.
Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes are technologies used in the oil and gas industry to maximize the extraction of residual oil from reservoirs after primary and secondary recovery methods have been carried out. The injection into the reservoir of surface-active substances capable of reducing the surface tension between oil and the rock surface should favor its extraction with significant economic repercussions. However, the most commonly used surfactants in EOR are derived from petroleum, and their use can have negative environmental impacts, such as toxicity and persistence in the environment. Biosurfactants on the other hand, are derived from renewable resources and are biodegradable, making them potentially more sustainable and environmentally friendly. The present review intends to offer an updated overview of the most significant results available in scientific literature on the potential application of biosurfactants in the context of EOR processes. Aspects such as production strategies, techniques for characterizing the mechanisms of action and the pros and cons of the application of biosurfactants as a principal method for EOR will be illustrated and discussed in detail. Optimized concepts such as the HLD in biosurfactant choice and design for EOR are also discussed. The scientific findings that are illustrated and reviewed in this paper show why general emphasis needs to be placed on the development and adoption of biosurfactants in EOR as a substantial contribution to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly oil and gas industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Surfactants: Design and Applications)
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22 pages, 4453 KiB  
Review
Glycolipid Biosurfactants in Skincare Applications: Challenges and Recommendations for Future Exploitation
by Simms A. Adu, Matthew S. Twigg, Patrick J. Naughton, Roger Marchant and Ibrahim M. Banat
Molecules 2023, 28(11), 4463; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28114463 - 31 May 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2217
Abstract
The 21st century has seen a substantial increase in the industrial applications of glycolipid biosurfactant technology. The market value of the glycolipid class of molecules, sophorolipids, was estimated to be USD 409.84 million in 2021, with that of rhamnolipid molecules projected to reach [...] Read more.
The 21st century has seen a substantial increase in the industrial applications of glycolipid biosurfactant technology. The market value of the glycolipid class of molecules, sophorolipids, was estimated to be USD 409.84 million in 2021, with that of rhamnolipid molecules projected to reach USD 2.7 billion by 2026. In the skincare industry, sophorolipid and rhamnolipid biosurfactants have demonstrated the potential to offer a natural, sustainable, and skin-compatible alternative to synthetically derived surfactant compounds. However, there are still many barriers to the wide-scale market adoption of glycolipid technology. These barriers include low product yield (particularly for rhamnolipids) and potential pathogenicity of some native glycolipid-producing microorganisms. Additionally, the use of impure preparations and/or poorly characterised congeners as well as low-throughput methodologies in the safety and bioactivity assessment of sophorolipids and rhamnolipids challenges their increased utilisation in both academic research and skincare applications. This review considers the current trend towards the utilisation of sophorolipid and rhamnolipid biosurfactants as substitutes to synthetically derived surfactant molecules in skincare applications, the challenges associated with their application, and relevant solutions proposed by the biotechnology industry. In addition, we recommend experimental techniques/methodologies, which, if employed, could contribute significantly to increasing the acceptance of glycolipid biosurfactants for use in skincare applications while maintaining consistency in biosurfactant research outputs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Surfactants: Design and Applications)
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