Synthesis of Fatty Alcohol Ether Carboxylic Ester Surfactant and its Performance in an Anionic/Non-Ionic Mixed System

A salt-type fatty alcohol ether carboxylic ester (AECE-Na) surfactant with both anionic and non-ionic characteristics was synthesised using a fatty alcohol ether (AEO) and succinic anhydride. Compared with traditional synthetic methods, neither irritating substances (chloroacetic acid and chloroacetate) nor precious metals (Pt and Pd) were used in the synthesis, which is a simple, economic, and green method. FT-IR and 1H NMR spectroscopies and MALDI TOF mass spectrometry were used to prove the molecular structure of the target product AECE-Na. In addition, the surface activities, intermolecular interactions, application properties, and aggregation behaviours of the individual systems (AEO and AECE-Na) and the anionic/non-ionic mixed system (AECE-Na/AEO) were investigated. The results showed that AECE-Na/AEO exhibits synergistic effects in terms of surface tension reduction efficiency, wetting, emulsification, foaming, and detergency compared with the individual systems.