Novel Amphiphiles and Their Applications for Different Purposes with Special Emphasis on Polymeric Surfactants

Amphiphiles or surfactants are widely known for its reducing power of interfacial tension and extraordinary rheological properties. Among the various classes of surfactants gemini surfactants, biosurfactants and polymeric surfactants are remarkable and distinguishable among the others for their structural diversity and profitable usefulness. Primarily, the performance of any surfactant can be determined by HLB (Hydrophile Lipophile Balance) value, an empirical parameter. This review attempts to clarify some of the terminology used in literature by providing illustration of classification, features and diverse applications of different surfactants.