Synthesis and aggregation behavior of oligomeric surfactants

Oligomeric surfactants are made of two or more than two identical or similar monomeric surfactant moieties chemically connected at the level of, or close to, the headgroups by spacer groups that may be hydrophilic, hydrophobic, flexible, or rigid. It includes dimeric (Gemini), trimeric, tetrameric, and the higher oligomeric analogues. These surfactants represent transitional structures between monomeric and polymer surfactant. As the simplest oligomeric surfactant, the dimeric (Gemini) surfactant has been intensively studied and several outstanding reviews have been published. This article reviews the research progress of trimeric and trimeric above surfactant. The main content includes the synthesis, surface/interface properties, and solution behavior of oligomeric surfactant. We hope that the researchers can get a comprehensive understanding of oligomeric surfactant through this article.