Synthesis and Study of the Surface Properties of Alkylnaphthalene and Alkylphenanthrene Sulfonates

• Published in: Journal of surfactants and detergents 2011, Vol.14 (1), p.23-30
• Main Authors: Abdel-Raouf, M. E., Maysour, N. E., Abdul-Raheim, A. M., El-Saeed, Sh. M., Farag, R. K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adsorption; Aquatic Pollution; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; CMC; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Micelle aggregation number; Original Article; Physical Chemistry; Polymer Sciences; Sodium (n‐C6–C10) phenanthrene sulfonate; Sodium α‐(n‐C6–C10) naphthalene sulfonate; Studies; Sulfonates; Surface tension; Surfaces and Interfaces; Surfactants; Thin Films; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 1097-3958; 1558-9293
• DOI: 10.1007/s11743-010-1197-4

Some alkylnaphthalene and alkylphenanthrene sulfonates were synthesized by means of a Wurtz–Fittig reaction. The HLB values for the prepared compounds were calculated, and the basic properties were studied in water at different temperatures, namely, 25, 35 and 45 °C. Through surface tension measurements, the following values were determined: the critical micelle concentration (CMC) and the surface tension at the CMC (γ CMC ). The following values were calculated: area per molecule at the CMC (A CMC ), standard free energy change of micellization (Δ G mic ), standard free energy of adsorption (Δ G ad ), and the efficiency of a surfactant in reducing surface tension (pC20). Furthermore, the partition coefficients of the synthesized compounds were also measured. The results show that n -alkylnaphthalene and n -alkylphenanthrene surfactants studied exhibit desirable properties that may be of value in some fields such as detergency. To confirm the detergency power of the prepared surfactants, some foam studies were performed.