Novel synthesized anionic gemini and monomeric surfactants bearing sulphonate group as petro-dispersing/collecting agents: Design, characterization and surface-active properties

•New conventional and gemini anionic surfactants were synthesized and characterized.•The chemical structures of the prepared compounds were confirmed by FT-IR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR analysis.•The surface-active properties of the synthesized anionic surfactants were examined.•The petro-collecting/dispersing properties were studied in diluted & undiluted forms in water of varying salinity. Conventional and gemini anionic sulphonate surfactants of variable alkyl chain length (8, 10, and 12 carbon atoms), were synthesized by three steps reactions using ethylenediamine, alkyl halides and sodium 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate. Various spectroscopic tools (i.e., 1H and 13C NMR and IR spectra) were used to clarify the structures of synthesized surfactants. The solution surface properties of synthesized surfactants were studied by critical micelle concentration (CMC). Both maximum surface excess and minimum surface area per surfactant molecule were measured. Besides, the adsorption and micellization performance of the synthesized surfactants, which were estimated by the parameter of free adsorption energy (ΔGads0) and micellization (ΔGmic0) were measured. Moreover, the behavior of the synthesized surfactants as petroleum-collecting or dispersing agents has been studied in solid and diluted forms in water with different salinity. The results indicate that the synthesized surfactants possess superior petroleum-dispersing properties in water solutions of different salinity. Whereas the dispersing effect was improved by rising the hydrophobicity of these compounds. Furthermore, all the synthesized conventional and gemini anionic surfactants have a high ability to adsorb at the surface than micellized in the solution. [Display omitted]