Research progress on the interactions between polysaccharides and surfactants

Abstract

Polysaccharides are naturally occurring, nontoxic, safe, and abundant. However, the properties and functions of polysaccharides can be improved by mixing them with surfactants because of synergistic effects between them. The association of surfactants with polysaccharide chains can be regulated in aqueous systems through electrostatic, hydrophobic, dipolar, and hydrogen bonding interactions and steric hindrance effects, resulting in changes in the critical aggregation concentration (cac), critical micelle concentration (cmc), binding amount, surface adsorption, and interfacial rheology of aqueous systems. In this paper, recent progress of research on mixed systems of polysaccharides and surfactants, including measurement methods, are summarized. The physicochemical properties and interaction mechanisms of these mixed systems are explored. © Editorial office of Acta Physico-Chimica Sinica.