Characteristics and Applications of Fluorosurfactants

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Characteristics and Applications of
Fluorosurfactants
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1 Introduction

• The fluorosurfactants (fluorine-containing
  surfactants) are the most important species of
  special surfactants, and have many irreplaceable
  applications of hydrocarbon surfactants. The
  fluorine-containing surfactant mainly uses a
  perfluoroalkyl group, a perfluoroalkenyl group,
  or a partially fluorinated alkyl group as a
  hydrophobic group portion, and then introduces an
  appropriate linking group and a hydrophilic
  group. By introducing different types of
  hydrophilic groups, different types of
  fluorosurfactant products such as anionic
  surfactants, cationic surfactants, nonionic
  surfactants and amphoteric surfactant products
  can be prepared.

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2 Characteristics of fluorosurfactants

• Fluorosurfactants have high surface activity,
  high heat stability and high chemical stability.
  The fluorocarbon groups of fluorine-containing
  surfactants are both hydrophobic and lipophobic.
  The minimum surface tension of the aqueous
  solution containing fluorosurfactant can reach
  below 20 mN/m, even to about 15 mN/m.
  Fluorosurfactants have outstandingly high surface
  activity so that their aqueous solutions can
  spread on the surface of hydrocarbon oils.
  Fluorosurfactants have high heat resistance. For
  example, solid potassium perfluoroalkyl sulfonate
  will decompose when heated above 420 ?, so it can
  be used at temperatures above 300 ?.
  Fluorosurfactants have high chemical stability,
  can resist the action of strong oxidants, strong
  acids and strong bases, and can still maintain
  good surface activity in their solutions. Studies
  have shown that the high surface activity of
  fluorosurfactants is caused by the low van der
  Waals force between the molecules.

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3 Applications of fluorosurfactants

• 3.1 Application of fluorosurfactants in textile
  industry
• Treating the fabric with a fluoroalkyl compound
  can impart excellent water and oil repellency to
  the fabric. The fluorine-containing fabric
  finishing agent has high stability under strong
  acid, strong alkali, high temperature and high
  radiation. In addition, the fluorine-containing
  fabric finishing agent has the characteristics of
  low concentration and high effect, and the fabric
  treated by the fluorine-containing fabric
  finishing agent maintains good air permeability
  and moisture permeability. Compared with other
  types of finishing agents, fluorine-containing
  fabric finishing agents have incomparable
  advantages in terms of water and oil repellency,
  stain resistance, washability, friction
  resistance, and corrosion resistance.
  Fluorine-containing fabric finishing agents can
  be divided into water-repellent and oil-repellent
  agents, soil retardants and soil-releasing
  finishing agents, etc.

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3.2 Application of fluorosurfactants in paper
industry

• Fluorosurfactants play an important role in the
  preparation of paper coatings.
• (1)Dispersant Dispersant is one of the most
  important additives in paper coatings.
  Fluorosurfactants are often used as high-solid
  coating dispersants for paper, giving paper
  coatings good fluidity and adaptability, and
  improving the miscibility of film-forming
  substances and pigments.
• (2) Antifoaming agent Fluorosurfactant also acts
  as an antifoaming agent. It has a better
  defoaming effect on paper coatings than general
  defoamers.
• (3) Lubricant Because the fluorine-containing
  surfactant has excellent lubricating and
  antistatic properties, it is an ideal material as
  a lubricant for paper coating. Paper treated with
  silicon surfactants can only be waterproof and
  not oil resistant. Fluorine-containing
  surfactants are both water- and oil-repellent, so
  they are ideal water-proof and oil-proof
  finishing agents for paper.

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3.3 Application of fluorosurfactants in metal
industry

• Before processing of metal materials, the surface
  oxide layer and oil must be removed. Adding a
  small amount of fluorosurfactant to the pickling
  solution not only can quickly remove rust and
  maintain the surface flatness, but also has a
  certain corrosion protection effect on the metal,
  which can significantly improve the cleaning
  effect. Fluorosurfactants can be used as metal
  preservatives and metal gloss treatment agents.
  Adding fluorosurfactant to the plating solution
  can improve the quality of the plating layer.

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3.4 Application of fluorosurfactants in coating
and ink industry

• Fluorosurfactants can improve the performance of
  pigments, coatings, inks, varnishes and adhesives
  at very low concentrations. For example,
  Fluorosurfactants can significantly improve the
  leveling properties of coatings and obtain a more
  uniform coating film, which can prevent
  consolidation and improve dispersibility. Adding
  fluorosurfactants to coatings and inks can reduce
  their surface tension, improve wettability,
  prevent the generation of air bubbles, and also
  make them have good water resistance.

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4 Conclusion

• Fluorosurfactant has not been used as an
  industrial product for a long time, and its
  application field needs to be further developed.
  With the in-depth study of the performance and
  application of fluorosurfactants, the variety and
  output of such products will surely continue to
  expand.