New surfactants: new chemical functions and molecular architectures

New properties at interfaces can be brought about by new surfactant molecules. Suitable chemical functions (polymerizable groups, electroactive functions) can be attached to surfactant molecules in order to create a specific property. In a different way, new molecular architectures have appeared at the borderlines between classical surfactants and hydrotropes and towards copolymers. Gemini (dimeric) surfactants include various headgroups and incorporate hydrophilic spacers. The route to oligomeric and comb-like polymers has been laid out. The control of intermolecular hydrogen bonding allows supramolecular association by headgroups. Hybrid surfactants and unsymmetrical bolaform amphiphiles introduce additional interactions to be played with. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.