SYNERGISTIC SURFACE TENSION EFFECTS FROM MIXTURES OF FLUORIDATED ALCOHOLS WITH CONVENTIONAL WETTING AGENTS

摘要

Aqueous solutions of any single, conventional hydro?carbon derivative have surface tensions which never go below 26 to 27 dynes/cm, but certain synergistic mixtures of such wetting agents will depress the surface tension of water to around 22 to 24 dynes/cm. This investigation has demonstrated that small quantities of highly fluorinated, insoluble, alcohols, when added to conventional wetting agents, become solublized in the micelles of the latter add can thus lower the surface tension of water well below a value obtainable by any mixture of unfluorinated compounds. These low surface tension values represent the closest possible packing of the fluorinated alcohol when adsorbed at the water/air interface. Where the solubilizing agent is not sufficiently water-soluble, an increase in the solvent power of the continuous phase can be effected by adding a mutual solvent; the fluoro alcohol can then be solubilized to become effective in generating low surface tensions. Under the best conditions synergistic systems were produced having surface tensions of 15.2 dynes/cm at 25 C if a perfluoroalcohol was used and 19.9 dynes/cm if an w-mono-hydroperfluoroalkyl alcohol was used.