Abstract:To study the effect of branched spacer on the property of Gemini imidazolium surfactants, Gemini imidazolium surfactants of 2,4-[bis(3-alkylimidazolium-1-yl) bromide]-1,3-propanediol ([Cn-P-Cn]Br2, where n is the hydrocarbon chain length of 0,2 or 14) were synthesized with 2,2-dibromomethyl-1,3-propanediol as the spacer. Their surface activity and thermodynamic properties of micellization were characterized by surface tension and electrical conductivity measurements. The values of critical micelle concentration (ccmc), saturation adsorption values at the air/aqueous interface (Γmax), the area per surfactant molecule at the air/aqueous interface (Amin), the efficiency of adsorption (pC20) and surface pressure (πcmc) derived from surface tension measurement at 25 ℃ suggested that the surface activity of [Cn-P-Cn]Br2 was high. While Gibbs Free Energy of micellization (ΔGm) of all the surfactants derived from electrical conductivity were all negative, indicating that the formation of micelles was spontaneous.