Surfactants: Chemistry, Theory, and Application

The high surface tension of water presents challenges to a formulator who attempts to develop products that will properly wet surfaces, disperse pigments, emulsify key components, or even generate or destabilize foam. This accredited, 2-hour course on surfactants (chemistry, theory, mechanism, and application) initially reviews the various types and chemical structures of commercially available surfactants. An understanding of the role of interatomic and intermolecular attractive forces as it relates to surface tension is explored. The course progresses to a better understanding of various surface activities including surface area, surface tension, surface pressure, wetting, surface transport, and micelle formation. Then, we explore the world of foam with respect to how surface-active agents stabilize and de-stabilize bubbles at the surface or as entrained air. Finally, a review of surfactants as an aid to the dispersion process and the measurements of surface tension in both equilibrium and dynamic conditions. .