Synthesis and Properties of New Tricephalic Tetrasiloxane Surfactants Containing Carbohydrate and Hydrocarbon Chain

A new family of tricephalic tetrasiloxane surfactants containing carbohydrate and hydrocarbon chain (SiC(n 1)N-GA, in which n 1 represents a hydrocarbon chain length of 1, 8, 12, 16), was synthesized using two-step method. Their structures were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-1 NMR). Their surface activities and aggregation properties in aqueous solution were investigated by surface tension measurements, transmission electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering. The results indicated that the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of these surfactants increased and the surface tension (gamma(CMC)) at the CMC decreased with an increase in the number of hydrocarbon chain, and they can self-assemble into spherical micelles with average diameters in the range from 5 to 200 nm, which are smaller than for single-headed surfactants.