Surfactants nonhydrocarbon

Preparation of Mesoporous Materials with Nonhydrocarbon Surfactants... 

In this context, silicone and fluorinated surfactants, which can impart peculiar properties to mesoporous materials, constitutes a research field that may be exploited to obtain new nanostructured materials for novel applications and many future developments may still arise in this field. The literature on the use of nonhydrocarbon surfactants for the preparation of mesostructured materials remains relatively scarce and many aspects are still unexplored. 

We review here results of computer simulations of monolayers, with an emphasis on those models that include significant molecular detail to the surfactant molecule. We start with a focus on hydrocarbon chains and simple head groups (typically a COOH group in either the neutral or the ionized state) and a historical focus. A less comprehensive review follows on simulations of surfactants of other types, either nonhydrocarbon chains or different head groups. More detailed descriptions of the general simulation techniques discussed here are available in a book dedicated to simulation techniques, for example, Allen and Tildesley [338] or Frenkel and Smit [339],... 

Regarding the hydrophobic moiety of the molecule, it is a hydrocarbon chain in most common surfactants however, in some more specialized surfactants, this hydrophobic part can be a nonhydrocarbon chain such as a polydimethylsiloxane or a perfluoroenrbon. 

The polyoxypropylenes, oligomers of propylene oxide, can be cited as an example of nonhydrocarbon hydrophobes. A complete line of surfactants known commercially as the pluronics have been developed commercially. These are block copolymers of propylene oxide and ethylene oxide. By carefiil control of the relative amounts of each component incorporated into the polymer, it is possible to exercise a subtle control over the solubility and surfactant character of the product. The character of other hydrophobes such as alcohols and alkyl phenols may also be modified by addition of propylene oxide. 

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