Defining surface properties of fluorous bis(1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-ylmethyl) ethers

Surface tension measurements and atomic force microscopy have been used to evaluate new bis(1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-ylmethyl) ethers bearing perfluoroalkyl chains in tandem with either a lipophilic or a hydrophilic substituent that possess surfactant properties and are capable of self-assembling to form a variety of three-dimensional structures. Surface tension measurements showed that the additional triazole ring made little difference to the effectiveness of the compounds while increased amphiphilic character and molecular asymmetry enhanced more regular surfactant properties. From atomic force microscopy studies, shorter perfluoroalkyl chain length led to the formation of spherical aggregates, while strands and rods were observed for compounds that bore longer perfluoroalkyl chains. Changing the concentration of the surfactants resulted in alterations to particle morphologies, dimensions, and packing densities. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.