**5.1 Biological activity**

The antimicrobial activity of surfactants based upon the surface-active properties, hydrophobic chain length, and concentration. Gawali et al. (2019) synthesized the cationic Gemini surfactants and mentioned their application. The synthesized Gemini surfactants were assessed to check the biocidal activity contrary to a variety of bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis, *E. coli*, *Staphylococcus aureus*, and *P. aeruginosa*.

The R = C7H15 [2-Octyl-1-diethylenediaminimidazoline based gemini surfactant (GSCTDH)] and R = C11H23 [2-dodecyl-1-diethylenediaminidazoline based gemini surfactant (GSLTDH)] compounds showed good microbial activity. The R = C13H27 [2-Tetradecyl-1-diethylenediaminimidazoline based gemini surfactant (GSMTDH)] surfactant was inactive for *Pseudomonas aeruginosa* but showed active behavior for Bacillus subtilis, *E. coli*, *Staphylococcus aureus*. The R = C15H31 [2-Hexadecyl-1-diethylenediaminimidazoline based gemini surfactant (GSPTDH)] compound showed biocidal activity against *E. coli*, *Staphylococcus aureus*. The GSCTDH surfactant compound containing the highest antimicrobial activity amongst the other Gemini synthesized compounds. As the compound showed the biocidal activity against the bacteria (gram-positive and negative), they can be considered to use as an antimicrobial agent in the form of surfactants. The test result showed the variation in the sensitivity of Gemini compound towards the gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, they were more sensitive to gram-positive bacteria as compared to gram-negative bacteria. The reason behind that could be the behavior of the outer membrane of the bacteria which was less permeable in the case of gram-negative bacteria [39]. The surfactant having low critical micelle concentration values shows good corrosion inhibitor property due to their absorption quality

**75**

*Gemini Imidazolinium Surfactants: A Versatile Class of Molecules*

cleaning purpose, used as aerosol application [43].

at low concentration [40, 41]. Gawali et al. studied this property on carbon steel by making the surfactant with different concentrations at 30 c in 1 N H2SO4 [42].

The gemini imidazoline surfactant with quaternary imidazolinium salts is used as a dispersant, emulsifiers, bleach agent, ant-static agent, and fabric softener as they show the better result as compared to the traditional surfactant and also have a mild effect on clothes, to eyes, and their biodegradability. Gemini imidazoline surfactant solubility is low in water [21]. They can be used for drug entrapment, oil recovery, also a probable vehicle for the transference of bioactive particles, for

Zhuang et al. examined the corrosion inhibition property of gemini imidazoline surfactant on copper. They synthesized the imidazoline gemini surfactant using saturated fatty acids and studied the property by electrochemical method. Copper was taken in NaCl solution and according to the work, it showed that various factors like pH, surfactant concentrations, and length of carbon change affects the suppressive efficiency. The inhibition effect was better with the increase in gemini imidazoline surfactant concentration whereas suppressive efficiency is more when the length of

Yang et al. synthesized the gemini imidazoline surfactant by adding oleic acid with triethylenetetramine (2:1). They studied the inhibition of carbon dioxide corrosion by linear polarization resistance in sparged beaker testing and concluded that the less concentration of gemini imidazoline was effective as corrosion inhibition when compared with traditional imidazoline and emulsion tendency was less than traditional imidazoline. The synthesized gemini imidazoline with oleic acid has improved film persistency, Higher surface activity, lower critical micelle concentration than traditional imidazoline. Therefore, this is a better surfactant as it is polluting the environment less than conventional imidazoline and also have better corrosion inhibition property [44]. Obot et al. also studied the corrosion inhibitors and concluded that the imidazoline based gemini surfactants are good corrosion

Gemini Imidazolinium surfactants have antistatic property, maintain the softness of fabrics. The studies showed that that the antistatic property of gemini quaternary ammonium salt surfactant helps in reducing the polyester fabric resistance to 107 Ω.S-HSJ-18and resulted in displaying the finest softening effect which leads to the low down the polyester fabric stiffness to be less than 2 mN·m. The pre-treatment process with KH560, cross-linking monomer N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide (MAM) and N, N-methylene bisacrylamide (MBA) of thermal setting fabric exhibited the greatest outcome for cross-linking that changed the wetting time of the fabric which could be more than 120 min and might stays the same after

Li et al. developed the nanoparticles with a combination of silver and gemini imidazoline surfactants. The silver (Ag) nanoparticles well dispersed in nature

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94209*

**5.2 Industrial applications**

*5.2.1 Corrosion inhibitor*

the carbon chain is short [13].

inhibitors [37].

*5.2.2 Laundry detergents*

washing the fabric three-time i.e. 90 mins [45].

**5.3 Nanoscience and nanotechnology**

at low concentration [40, 41]. Gawali et al. studied this property on carbon steel by making the surfactant with different concentrations at 30 c in 1 N H2SO4 [42].
