Surfactants Based on Higher Carboxylic Acids and Epoxy Compounds

Oil-soluble and oil-water-soluble surfactants are of significant scientific and practical interest. These reagents, especially those of non-ionogenic types, are being applied Widely in various areas including oil and gas industries. Non-ionogenic surfactants have attracted a special attention because of their high resistance to the action of mineralized media, microorganisms, and shear stress. There is a continued attention in the literature about these types of compounds. Taking into consideration the above mentioned facts, several new representatives of non-ionogenic surfactants have been synthesized. They are based on propylene oxide (PO) and epichlorohydrin (ECH) i.e.. epoxy compounds of a large industrial production, and higher carboxylic acids such as pelargonic, palmitic, and stearic acids as well as stearinamide. These derivatives have been synthesized by catalytic method. Their compositions and structures have been identified by physico-chemical methods. It has been shown by stalagmometric measurements that the obtained products possess high surface activity. These surfactants have been characterized by density, refractive index, and solubility in various solvents.