In July 2010 (ECJ), a new concept of branched short-chain fluorosurfactants with exceptional properties and an improved eco-toxicological profile was presented.1 Following this approach, a series of fluorosurfactants with a remarkable combination of speed and low static surface tension has been synthesized and investigated in typical coating applications. In this article, emphasis is put on explaining the structure-property relationship and the performance of the new fluorosurfactants for different requirements.
Fluorosurfactants are indispensable for achieving surface tensions below 20 mN/m. One reason is that fluorosurfactants have the highest potential to reduce interfacial tension (Figure 1). The “fluorophobic effect”,2 which means minimum interaction with other components in complex coating formulations, is the main reason for the higher effectiveness and efficiency of fluorosurfactants compared to other surfactant technologies.