Hans Oskarsson AkzoNobel Surface Chemistry, Europe

A Gemini (or dimeric) surfactant is a molecule composed of two identical hydrophilic head groups and hydrophobic tail groups. Gemini surfactants have unusual solution and interfacial properties; CMC values one to two orders of magnitude lower than that of corresponding single-chain surfactants, and much more efficient than their corresponding monomeric surfactants at decreasing the surface tension of water.

Adsorbed surfactant aggregates of cationic Gemini surfactants have shown to be effective dispersing agents of aqueous particulate suspensions in industrial operations which require processing in extreme environments such as high ionic strength, low or high pH, and high shear rates.  It has also been shown that the dispersion stability of Gemini (or dimeric) surfactants can be achieved at very low surfactant concentrations (ca.0.02 mM).

This work was published in Journal of Colloids and Interface Science 288 (2005) 583-590. For further information contact Hans Oskarsson;hans.oskarsson@sc.akzonobel.com.