Characterizing 12-N-12 Gemini surfactants and their novel interactions with DNA; oil; and nanoparticles

The physical and chemical properties of six cationic Gemini surfactants (GS) are characterized by FTIR, 1H NMR, MS, Conductivity, ITC, TGA, and DLS studies. The structure and composition of the GSs were explored and determined by FTIR and MS. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) was determined via Conductivity and ITC studies. TGA provided thermal stability of each, and DLS studies were used to determine the size of formed micelles. The evaluation of the GS reveals that there is a dependence of many of their properties on n, the number of linkers in the headgroup. The GS were also introduced to DNA, oil, and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in separate experiments to determine the interactions between each and evaluate their efficacy in DNA transfection, oil remediation, and nanoparticle dispersion. Parts of these findings have been published in the Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry and ACS Omega.