Abstract
•Different gemini-nonionic surfactants with variable tail GPEOC, GPEOL & GPEOP were synthesized.•Controlling the surfactant hydrophobicity, regulates the catalytic activity of Ag nano-catalyst.•The surfactant tail regulated the size, uniformity & dispersity of AgNPs.•The GPEOL and GPEOL/AgNPs have highest antimicrobial activity.
Three gemini non-ionic surfactant-based polyethylene oxide with variable hydrophobic tails; 8 carbons (GPEOC), 12 carbons (GPEOL), and 16 carbons (GPEOP) have been synthesized successfully. The synthesized gemini surfactant regulated the preparation of the nano-catalyst AgNPs for toxic materials removal. The AgNPs were prepared via photo-chemical reduction reaction based on using the sun light and the gemini surfactants as reducing and capping agents, respectively. The surfactant’s tail exhibited a substantial impact on regulating the AgNPs preparation as confirmed by TEM, UV–vis, and DLS measurements. The surfactant GPEOP produced AgNPs with a uniform, dispersibility and smaller particles size 14.8 ± 5.4 nm comparing to other two gemini surfactants GPEOC and GPEOL with shorter hydrophobic tail. The surface and thermodynamic performance of the GPEOC, GPEOL and GPEOP gemini non-ionic surfactants were dependent on both solution temperature and surfactant’s tail hydrophobicity. The adsorption ability is significantly improved as functional of temperature or hydrophobicity. Elongation the surfactant’s tail and increasing the temperature, promote lowering the critical micelle concentration and enhance the adsorption affinity at interfaces. The study was extended to investigate how the surfactant’s tail improve the catalytic performance of the AgNPs-based catalyst. The surfactant’s tail controlled the catalytic performance of the AgNPs regarding the methylene blue and p-nitrophenol removal, where the GPEOP/AgNPs exhibited highest catalytic activity. Additionally, the surfactant’s tail controlled the antimicrobial of the prepared surfactant and surfactant/AgNPs hybrid system.