Introduction

Polymer surfactants are composed of a large number of structural units containing both hydrophilic groups and hydrophobic groups, which can be divided into two series of natural and synthetic polymer surfactants.^[1] Due to the unique structure of polymer surfactants, the size and position of hydrophilic groups and hydrophobic groups can be adjusted, so that both low molecular surfactants and polymer surfactants can be prepared. The preparation of natural polymer surfactants can be obtained directly from sugars or through sugar derivation and graft copolymerization.^[2] The preparation of synthetic polymer surfactants generally depends on the reactive monomers. The hydrophilic group can be introduced first, and then the monomer can be polymerized; it can also be polymerized first and then the hydrophilic group can be introduced.

Polyvinyl Alcohol Surfactants

Polyvinyl alcohol is a water-soluble polymer surfactant with good dispersion, emulsification and colloid protection. The disadvantage of polyvinyl alcohol is that it has low surface activity and is easy to absorb water. Plastic products made of it are often deformed due to water swelling. In order to overcome this shortcoming, organosilicon compounds with high surface activity and high water resistance can be introduced into the molecular chain of polyvinyl alcohol to improve the surface activity and water resistance of polyvinyl alcohol.

Application

Polymer surfactants have convenient sources of raw materials, low prices, less complicated preparation process, and can meet various special needs. They are widely used in pesticide industries, electroplating industries, pharmaceutical industries, etc.

• Pesticide Industries

In the pesticide industry, wettable powders, emulsions and concentrated emulsions all require a certain amount of polymer surfactants. When the active agent in the wettable powder is an organic compound, the surfactant can reduce the surface tension of water and promote the wetting of the drug particles by water to form an aqueous suspension. In addition, a certain amount of surfactant can improve the adhesion and deposition of the agent on the receiving surface, thereby increasing the release rate and expanding area of the active ingredient in the presence of water, and enhancing the effect of disease prevention and treatment.

• Electroplating Industries

Surfactants can broaden the pH, temperature and current density ranges of the electroplating industry. It has a good dispersing effect on the metal ions precipitated in electroplating, which will help to improve the smoothness of the coating surface. Studies have shown that the electroplating effect of electroplated parts after cleaning with surfactants is significantly enhanced.

• Pharmaceutical Industries

Polymeric surfactants can be widely used in the pharmaceutical industry as pharmaceutical excipients, phase transfer catalysts in drug synthesis, and solubilizers and sensitizers in drug fluorescence analysis.

References

1. Guerrero-Hernandez, L. et al. Gemini and bicephalous surfactants: a review on their synthesis, micelle formation, and uses. International journal of molecular sciences. 2022, 23(3).
2. Lyu, B. et al. Research progress on reactive polymeric surfactants. China Surfactant Detergent and Cosmetics. 2019, 49(9): 601-608.