STRUCTURAL EFFECTS OF THE ISOMERIC HYDROPHILIC GROUPS OF SURFACTANTS ON THEIR PROPERTIES - I. MONODISPERSE POLY(OXYETHYLENE) ALKYLAMINES

For symmetrical and asymmetrical poly(oxyethylene) alkylamine isomers the effects of the length of hydrophilic groups on isomers cloud point, critical micelle concentrations (c. m. c. ) and foaming and wetting powers were investigated. Secondary amines with one hydrophilic chain showed the highest hydrophilicity, but among tertiary amines, symmetrical isomers were more hydrophilic, thus showed higher cloud points and larger c. m. c. than the corresponding asymmetrical isomers. The more asymmetrical the isomer was, the better foaming property it showed. As to the wetting ability, the difference is small among the isomers.