Environmentally Friendly Nonionic Surfactants Derived from Tannic Acid: Synthesis, Characterization and Surface Activity

In order to discover new and safe surfactants with regard to the environment, new environmentally friendly nonionic surface active agents were synthesized by the reaction of tannic acid (as a natural product presents in several plants) and polyethylene glycol fatty acids containing different numbers of ethylene glycol units. The fatty acids were dodecanoic, hexadecanoic, octadecanoic and oleic acids. The chemical structures of the synthesized surfactants were confirmed using elemental analysis, infrared and H-1-NMR spectroscopy. The molecular weights of the synthesized surfactants were determined using viscosity measurements and gel permeation chromatography. The surface properties of these surfactants were determined using surface tension measurements. The chemical structure-surface activity relationship of these surfactants showed a strong dependence of the surface activity on their chemical structures including the hydrophobic chains and the number of ethylene glycol units incorporated in the molecules. The free energy of micellization of the surfactants in their solutions showed their tendency towards micellization in the bulk of their solutions, while the free energy of adsorption showed their high tendency towards adsorption at the air-water interface.