Properties and applications of amphoteric surfactant: A concise review

Abstract

Amphoteric surfactants have long hydrophobic hydrocarbon chain and hydrophilic positive as well as negative charged center connected with each other by a spacer group. Thus, this type of surfactant maintains overall charged neutrality. The properties of amphoteric surfactants depend primarily on the length of the hydrophobic hydrocarbon chain, the number of methylene segments in the spacer, the positive and negative charged groups, and their relative position. The ionic activity of amphoteric surfactants is influenced according to the pH value of the solvent. They display cationic behavior below the isoelectric points and anionic behavior at a higher pH. They take the shape of zwitterions in the area of the isoelectric point. In fact, amphoteric surfactants can be parted into pH‐sensitive and pH‐insensitive surfactants. The pH‐insensitive surfactants stay as zwitterionic form irrespective of the pH of the solution. This surfactant has some unique features because of its precise molecular structure as follows: high water solubility, high surface activities, a wide isoelectric range, low critical micelle concentration (CMC), high foam stability, low toxicity, low irritating, excellent biodegradability, bioactivity, interface change, and so on. Because of these special characteristics, amphoteric surfactants have been immensely interested in many applications in the scientific community, including cosmetics, chromatography, enhanced oil recovery, electrochemistry, nanoscience, polymer chemistry, and waste water treatment. This review aims to study about amphoteric surfactants, which have only one hydrophobic hydrocarbon tail and two oppositely charged hydrophilic headgroups connected with each other by a spacer group and its properties, applications in various academics and industrial fields.

Shampoo Science: A Review of the Physiochemical Processes behind the Function of a Shampoo

“…[54] The dual charge nature allows for the surfactant molecules to pack closer together at the air-water interface, as a result the interfacial tension is lowered, and foaming is enhanced. [54] It has been reported in more recent years that cocamidopropyl betaine has led to some minor cases of contact dermatitis and sensitization. [89,90] The source of the irritation is believed to be 3-dimethylaminopropylamine (DMAPA) and cocamido propyl dimethylamine ("amidoamine"), both of which are impurities often found in CAPB as a result of the manufacturing process.…”

Synthetic Routes for Designing Furanic and Non Furanic Biobased Surfactants from 5‐Hydroxymethylfurfural

“…Therefore, in the last decades, many investigations focus on their synthesis and uses in cosmetics, polymers, pharmaceuticals, detergents, and cleaning agents. [29,62] Amphoteric surfactants have been prepared from HMF, which after derivatization into HMF tosylate can undergo etherification with fatty alcohols in the presence of potassium tbutoxide to give an ether. The reductive amination of the 5alkoxymethylfurfural obtained with glycine leads to the target amino-acid-based amphiphile (Scheme 20).…”

“…Due to their specific structure, amphoteric surfactants exhibit unusual properties such as high water solubility, high surface activity, low CMC, and high foaming capacity. Therefore, in the last decades, many investigations focus on their synthesis and uses in cosmetics, polymers, pharmaceuticals, detergents, and cleaning agents [29,62] . Amphoteric surfactants have been prepared from HMF, which after derivatization into HMF tosylate can undergo etherification with fatty alcohols in the presence of potassium t ‐butoxide to give an ether.…”

Biodegradable Amphoteric Surfactants in Titration-Ultrasound Formulation of Oil-in-Water Nanoemulsions: Rational Design, Development, and Kinetic Stability

“…They have unique advantages, including high surface activity, high foam stability, low toxicity and irritating, high water solubility, low critical micelle concentration (CMC), and high biodegradability. Because of these properties, amphoteric surfactants are potential candidates for replacing purely ionic stabilizers in a wide range of products [19]. Zwitterionic surfactants like semi-synthetic betaines are used as foam stabilizers in commercial, personal care products due to their gentleness to the skin that is not affected by water hardness and their producing excellent foam with good stability [20].…”