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Surfactants are materials that can reduce the surface tension of a liquid at relatively low concentrations. 3M surfactants are commonly used as wetting agents, demisters, foamers or demulsifiers…but we are constantly looking for new applications.
How do they work? The basic structure of 3M surfactants is that of an amphipathic molecule - an organic compound that consists of two groups. One group is polar and soluble, while the other group is nonpolar and insoluble.
The insoluble (RF…) end of the molecule has a tendency to be pushed out of the liquid and the soluble end (…X) is pulled into the liquid. These combined actions - this pulling and pushing - cause the surfactant to orient at the liquid surface reducing the overall surface tension of the liquid. Because 3M largely uses fluorocarbons as the base structure, our surfactants are effective in both aqueous- and oil-based liquids.
These fluorinated surfactants are characterized by a stable fluorocarbon "tail" (RF…) in combination with a soluble group (…X). This fluorocarbon tail can be modified in length and structure, providing exceptional thermal, chemical and electrical stability, very low solubility and extremely low surface tension.
Why is lowered surface tension beneficial? For a liquid to wet a solid surface, its surface tension must be lower than the surface tension of the solid. The lowering of a liquid’s surface tension allows it to better wet, spread and penetrate a variety of surfaces, including hard-to-wet surfaces such as plastics and oily metals.
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| Fluorosurfactants lower surface tension in both aqueous and nonaqueous systems |
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Lowered surface tension also leads to improved foam generation and the ability to form stable foam "blankets." At the same time, these surfactants can be designed to be non-foaming.
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