Introduction to surfactants - basic properties, self-assembly and critical packing parameter CPP

1 Introduction to surfactants - basic properties, self-assembly and critical packing parameter (CPP) 

Surfactants adsorb on liquid-air and oil-water interfaces and decrease surface and interfacial tensions and the corresponding works of adhesion. Thus, they facilitate the cleaning of various surfaces. Important characteristics in surfactant science, and for understanding their action in cleaning and other applications, include both parameters of the surfactants (CMC, Krafft point, hydrophilic/lipophilic balance) and of the (often aqueous) solution they are in (temperature, salts, co-surfactants, time). We will discuss all of these parameters in this chapter. 

The surfactants can be classified according to the nature of the head , i.e. their hydrophilic group 

Surfactants have many applications as important parts of detergents for cleaning, as emulsifiers, foaming agents or stabilizers for colloidal dispersions, in various applications in biotechnology and catalysis and as components in many complex products, e.g. paints and coatings as well as in lotions, shampoos, etc. In many cases mixed surfactants are used in commercial products. 

Especially for cleaning, the synthetic surfactants/ detergents have with time replaced natural soaps, which do not work well in acid solutions and hard 

---