LAUSR

Abstract The spreading performance of aqueous solutions containing a novel branched trimethylsilyl hedgehog ionic surfactant, Mg(AOTSiC)2, was compared with that of trisiloxane superspreaders on a hydrophobic polyvinylidenefluoride substrate. The work shows that Mg(AOTSiC)2 is a superspreader with spreading kinetics similar to trisiloxane surfactants, demonstrating that a hammer-like molecular architecture is not a necessary requirement for superspreading. The aqueous solutions of Mg(AOTSiC)2 are much more stable than trisiloxane solutions and retain the same spreading performance for at least 45 days. Comparison of the spreading kinetics with dynamic surface tension revealed that Mg(AOTSiC)2 requires a 10 fold faster equilibration rate at the air/water interface to demonstrate the same spreading kinetics as trisiloxane superspreaders. Addition of 20 % glycerol to the Mg(AOTSiC)2 solutions suppressed superspreading by slowing down surfactant diffusion; then only surfactant enhanced spreading with a time dependence of spread area S ∼ t0.8 was observed.