ИСТИНА

The ability to guide fast interfacial processes in multi-component non-equilibrium systems is a significant fundamental and practical task. Presented research demonstrates the potential of unique functional properties of volatile amphiphilic compounds (aroma molecules), such as high dynamic surface activity in a millisecond range, as well as the ability to desorb from the surface into the gas phase at times of the order of seconds, in the optimization the dynamic processes of surface formation. Insights into the interfacial behavior of volatile surfactants (e.g. unsaturated terpene alcohols linalool, geraniol, nerol and aromatic alcohol benzyl acetate (BA)), as well as of their mixtures with conventional surfactants are provided by dynamic and static tensiometry studies. Application examples include miniemulsion polymerization, wetting and spreading phenomena, ink-jet printing, stabilization of emulsions, as well as assessment of fragrances release form cosmetic and wellness formulations. In particular, a successful miniemulsion copolymerization of plant oil-based soybean monomer with styrene in systems stabilized by mixtures of conventional surfactant sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) and BA as a co-surfactant. Upon substitution with BA up to 70% of the initial SDS amount, the main parameters of the polymerization (conversion, yield, coagulat) remain unaffected, while the average dimensions of latexes increase with increasing BA fraction from about 100 to 300 nm. The rheological characteristics and fragrance release of thixotropic oil-in-water emulsions correlate with the preparation procedure, confirming incorporation of aroma molecules into the interfacial layer. Finally, high resolution wetting experiments have demonstrated, that depending on the time scale of the process and on the concentration of the added volatile surfactant, the latter can either accelerate or retard the spreading behavior of aqueous formulations. Reported here findings are envisaged to launch multiple applications of volatile amphiphiles in material science and fabrication. Acknowledgements: This work is supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR), project N 18-53-76005 20-53-18008\20, and by Bulgarian Science Fund (FNI–MON), project #KP-06-Russia/3 – 09. 12. 2020.