SURFACTANTS

Review
Why water droplets are spherical?
Whats the reason for the capillary rise??
Whats the origin of downward meniscus????

DO YOU KNOW?

Description of A Surfactant

 Surfactants are also known as amphiphils, colloidal

electrolyte, amphipathic compounds.

A surfactant molecule

Examples of polar and non polar groups

Polar group (head)

Non--polar group (tail)

Non

-Hydroxyl group (OH)

-Aldehydic group (CHO)
-Carboxylic group
(COOH)
-Sulfate ester
-Nitro group (NO2
(NO2)
-Amine group (NH
(NH22)
-Halogen (CL or Br)

-Lower alkyl group C3

C8
(CH
CH33-CH
CH22-CH
CH22-----))
- Branching alkyl chains
- Aromatic ring such as
benzene or naphthalene

Types and Chemical Structures of

Surfactants

Examples
Anionic
Anionic;; sodium dodecyl (lauryl
lauryl))sulphate
Cationic; Cetrimide
Non
Non--ionic:
ionic:Tweens
Tweens,, spans

Hydrophilic
ydrophilic--Lipophilic Balance (HLB
(HLB))
It is an arbitrary scale from 0 to 20 depicting the
Hydrophilic/Lipophilic
Hydrophilic/
Lipophilic balance of a surfactant.
Products with low HLB are more oil soluble. High
HLB represents good water solubility.

Hydrophilic
ydrophilic--Lipophilic Balance (HLB
(HLB))

Surfactant classification

According to charges:
3 types:
A. Ionic
Anionic e.g. sodium stearate, sodium lauryl
sulphate
CH3(CH2)11 OSO3-Na+
Cationic e.g. quaternary ammonium
compounds, hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium
bromide (cetrimide).
B. Nonionic e.g. polyethylene oxide
-Sorbitan monomono-oleate (Span)

-Polyoxyethylene (CH3CH2O) Sorbitan monomonooleate (Polysorbate 80 = Tween 80)

80)

Surfactant classification (cont.)

According to HLB Values:
Know HLB:
Can determine surfactant suitability as:
Anti
Anti--foaming agent (HLB=
(HLB=00-3)
Emulsifying agent w/o (HLB=4
(HLB=4-6)
Wetting/spreading agent (HLB=7
(HLB=7-9)
Emulsifying agent o/w (HLB=8
(HLB=8-18
18))
Detergent (HLB=
(HLB=13
13--15
15))
Solubilising agent (HLB=
(HLB=10
10--18
18))

Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC

(CMC))
After saturation of the liquid surface with
surfactant molecules, any excess will
distributed in the bulk of the solution.
The solution looks like any other particles of
solute distributed randomly throughout the
water. When the concentration gets high
enough, the molecules begin to arrange
themselves in hollow spheres, rods and disks
called Micelles also called associated colloids.

Micelles Shapes

Factors Governing Micelle Shape

Example of the effect of molecular structure

on the micelle shape

Factors affecting critical micelle

concentration
1- In case of polar solvents(e.g
solvents(e.g water)
A)increasing the length of hydrocarbon
chain (minor interaction with water i.e
facilitate the transfer from an aqueous phase
to micelles)produces a decrease in the CMC
B)increased polarity of the polar
portion(greater interaction with water i.e
retard the transfer from an aqueous phase to
micelles)produces an increase in CMC

 Additives
-With ionic micelles, electrolyte addition reduces
the repulsion between charged groups at the
surface of the micelle CMC decreases as electrolyte
increases.
-Addition of organic molecules affect CMC.
Influence water structure. Sugars structure makers
lower CMC; urea and formamide structure
breakers increase CMC.

 2-In case of non

non--polar solvents(
solvents(e.g
e.g chloroform)
The increased polarity of the hydrophilic part will
lower CMC whereas, the longer the hydrocarbon
chain , the higher the CMC
3-Nature of hydrocarbon chain
The branched chain ring systems and double
bonds tend to raise CMC.
4-Temperature
the increased temperature increases CMC.

Mechanism of Surfactants Applications

Adsorption and micellisation.
micellisation.
Adsorption basic function of wetting,
spreading, suspending and emulsifying ,
detergents , foaming , antifoaming agents
Micellisation basic function of solubilizing
agent.

A. ADSORPTION AT INTERFACES

Spreading agent
Wetting agent
Detergent
Foam and Antifoaming agent

Mechanism of action by adsorption

A. Spreading Agent
Spreading depends on
Strength of interactions
Spreading coefficient (S)

spreading occur if S=+ve.

S= Wa - Wc

How does surfactant help spreading of oil on

water?
Surfactant adsorp at water surface
Surfactant adsorp at oil surface
Surfactant adsorp at w/o interface.

Applications of spreading agents:

To produce thin and uniform film.
Facilitate spreading of eye ointment.
Spreading of medicinal lotions and sprays to the
surface of the skin and mucous membranes.
Displacement of air from cotton pads so that
medicinal solution can be absorbed.

Mechanism of action by adsorption

B. Wetting Agent

B. Wetting Agent (cont.)

Wetting occur if < 90o.
90o.
Application of surfactants as wetting agent:
- Wetting of suspension powder particles.
E.g. methylprednisolone cannot be wetted in
aqueous media without surfactant. Addition of
small quantity of polysorbate 80 can reduce
towards near 0 and can help the drug to be
formulated as suspension.

- Surface wetting in aerosolised formulation.

Mechanism of action by adsorption

C. Detergent

How can we eliminate a fat soil?

Mechanism of action by adsorption

D. Foam and AntiAnti-foaming Agent
A foam is a relatively stable structure
consisting of air pockets enclosed within
thin film of liquid; the gasgas-in
in--liquid
dispersion is stabilized by a foaming agent.

 The foam dissipate as the liquid drains away

from the area surrounding the air globules
and the film finally collapses.
Foams are sometimes useful in pharmacy
e.g. tooth paste, burn dressing, shampoo
and nonnon-aqueous spray for topical, rectal
and vaginal administration.

Antifoaming
Though foams are sometimes useful, but are
mostly trouble and are prevented or
destroyed when possible.
Anti
Anti--foaming are used to reduce the
undesired foams of solubilized liquid
preparations, reduce froth in steam boiler,
aerobic fermentation. Also used to eliminate
gases and air from GIT.

Mechanism of Action By Micellization

Solubilization:
Solubilization: the process of solubilization
depends on the concentration of solubilizing
agent(surfactant).