Relation between the EACNmin concept and surfactant HLB. [Extrapolated alkane carbon number (EACN) and hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB)]

Journal Article · Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1979 · J. Colloid Interface Sci.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0021-9797(79)90314-X· OSTI ID:6753369

Hayes, M E; El-Emary, M; Schechter, R S; Wade, W H

The ability of surfactants to generate ultra-low (10/sup -2/ to 10/sup -5/ dynes/cm) interfacial tensions (lift) in oil/water systems has received increasing attention in recents years. To date, however, no one has successfully correlated lift behavior with other surfactant characterization parameters. In this work it is shown that the hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) number can be related to the lift behavior of ethoxylated surfactants. The point is made that not only does EACNmin (extrapolated alkane carbon number) vary simply with HLB, but the HBL values at which EACNmin in the range of 5 to 20 are very reasonable ones in that the region where HLB = 11 to 12 corresponds to the HLBs in the transition region between oil- and water-solubility. This may be significant in view of the apparent requirement of near-unity partition coefficients for low interfacial tensions. 16 references.

• OSTI ID: 6753369
• Journal Information: J. Colloid Interface Sci.; (United States), Vol. 68:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
SURFACTANTS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
CORRELATIONS
EMULSIONS
INTERFACES
OILS
SURFACE TENSION
WATER
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SURFACE PROPERTIES
400301* - Organic Chemistry- Chemical & Physicochemical Properties- (-1987)