Katerina Lepkova

By Deepak Dwivedi and Kateřina Lepková

This chapter presents advances in the characterization of surfactants and detergents using small angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) and small angle neutron scattering (SANS) techniques. Surfactant molecules have been extensively used for corrosion prevention as part of commercial corrosion‐inhibitor formulations. It is generally established that the interactions between surfactant molecule and metallic substrate play a key role in the formation of a corrosion‐protective film. It is therefore essential to develop understanding about the nature of surfactant and detergent molecules in bulk solutions prior to formation of a surface film, as well as the mechanisms of their interactions with metallic substrates. These properties and interactions determine the properties of the surface film, including its persistency, and in turn define its protectiveness against corrosion. X‐ray and neutron reflectivity methods are important investigating tools that could be used to characterize surfactant interactions with metallic substrates. These techniques have recently been utilized to investigate adsorption energies and contact angles between molecules or particles and variable substrates. This chapter addresses basic principles of these techniques and discusses their application for surfactant and detergent studies in corrosion science. Several case studies are presented and provide outlook for future prospects in this field of science.

Part of the book: Application and Characterization of Surfactants