Surface activity and emulsification properties of new polyethyleneglycol based nonionic surfactants

10-undecenoic acid chloride was esterified with several well-defined polyethyleneglycolmonomethylethers to obtain new ethoxylated monofatty acid esters. The new surfactants will at a later stage, be grafted into a silicone backbone to obtain polymeric surfactants. The monomeric surfactants have shown interesting surface properties, and here we report their characterization compared to other known ethoxylated alcohols (Brijs) and acids (Mirjs). It was observed that the CMC (critical micelle concentration), and area per molecule (a), at the air-water interface were much higher than the similar commercial Brijs, due to the special structure of the new surfactant allowing preferred orientation at the interface.