Preparation and surface activities of novel multiply hydrophilic dextrin-derived surfactants

A novel series of dextrin derivatives has been prepared through the reactions of propylene glycol polyglucosides with oxirane-containing polyoxyethylene stearyl ethers. These derivatives, which contain multiple hydroxyl groups and polyoxyethylene chains as hydrophilic moieties, exhibit superior surface activities relative to those of traditional surfactants that contain only one nonpolar or hydrophobic moiety and one polar head unit. The good foaming, wetting, and emulsifying behavior of the dextrin derivatives were due to the presence of the multiple hydrophilic moieties. When applied to bleaching systems, these hydrophilic dextrin derivatives improved the whiteness of cotton fabrics. The major benefit of using these novel surfactants is their high biodegradability, which generally is absent in traditional polymeric surfactants.