Surface tension is the force which helps a blob of water on a surface hold its shape and not spread out. The surfactant molecules of the detergent break apart these forces and make water behave, well, wetter!
Bubbles and soap films are made of a thin layer of water, sandwiched between two layers of soap molecules. You can make giant bubbles by mixing these ingredients together:. Use your hands to make a hoop-shape. Dip them in the bubble solution and blow gently but firmly. Using this method you should be able to blow bubbles up to about 60 cm in diameter!
Dryness not sharpness breaks bubbles. Blow a large bubble then try putting your fingers inside it. If your hand is wet you can touch and even place your hand inside the bubble without bursting it!
Make a large hoop of string about 1 metre in diameter and tie 4 small loops at the corners to make handles. Dip this into the soap solution and with a friend pull the handles apart to form a giant soap film. Trying shaking one end and watch the wave travel along the film. Wet a tray or the kitchen work-surface with your bubble solution. Using a straw, blow a large bubble. Push the straw through the original bubble and blow a smaller one inside.
Now water can spread out and wet the surface e. The water-fearing end is known as the hydrophobic end. Hydrophobic comes from two Greek roots, hydro- meaning water and -phobia meaning fearing. The water-fearing end of the surfactant is made up of hydrocarbon chains. A hydrocarbon is a molecule that is made of hydrogen and carbon. The chains love oil and grease and will try to stay away from water. The water-loving end is known as the hydrophilic end. The water-loving end of the chemical is attracted to water.
Once the surfactant is added to water, the water-fearing ends try to stay away from the water. They do this by organizing into the shape of a sphere with the water-loving ends on the outside and the water-fearing ends protected on the inside. This spherical shape of surfactants is called a micelle. The micelle is important because it is what traps the soil. Surface and interfacial tensions play a key role in that.
The net force, which effectively aims to keep the liquid together, is called surface tension. Surfactants are used in many industrial fields. Characterization of surfactants is thus important to optimize their performance and the products they are applied to. Surface and interfacial tension measurements offer versatile method to study the properties and behavior of the surfactant solution.
Contact Sign in. Start Menu. Sign in. Menu Products. Products Menu. Product category. Surfactant basics As said, surfactants are amphiphilic molecules that have hydrophobic and hydrophilic parts. Surfactants absorb at interfaces Because of their amphiphilic nature, surfactants absorb at the air-water or oil-water interface. The amount of spreading the water droplet does after it would normally stop depends on the amount of surfactant left on the surface.
Surfactants play an important role in manufacturing to help get surfaces chemically clean and prepared for bonding or coating, but when they are left behind after a cleaning process they become a major liability for manufacturers. Surfactants are great at lowering surface tension by changing the molecular composition of the surface of liquids, but they also can alter the composition of surfaces that need adhesives or paints to bond with them strongly and not slide off or cause inconsistencies that damage bond strength.
The Surface Analyst has a patented Wetting Analytics software feature that equips manufacturers with the ability to instantly detect the presence and amount of surfactant on a surface. The Surface Analyst provides a clear, decisive and fast way to mitigate risk that comes from using necessary surfactants within your manufacturing process. S Shop Login. Contact Us. Adhesion Process 7 min read.
Giles Dillingham and Pierce Geary. Topic: Eliminate Adhesion Issues. What is Surfactant? Surfactant Characterization There are two major properties that we can characterize surfactants by in order to use them appropriately and to the proper extent. Related Posts. Determining whether your material surface has been adequately cleaned or prepared for bonding, coating, sealing, painting, or printing requires the ability to objectively quantify the chemical and physical Oftentimes, to boost innovation and improve processes, you have to think outside the common practice.
You have to take the restraints off of creativity. Freedom to design and build to the limits of our imaginations Manufacturers who produce products with surfaces that require paints, adhesives, or sealants face a challenge in determining the quality and reliability of the final product.
The problem is often caused by the fact See All Posts.
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