Surfactant studies of quaternary ammonium compounds: Critical surfactant concentration

Quaternary ammonium salts (otherwise known as “quats”) commonly form the foundation of formulations in the antimicrobial industry. Although many studies have been conducted on the surfactant and biological aspects of single‐component systems, there are few studies concerning the surfactant or biological efficacy of these compounds in multiple‐component formulations. Preliminary data using simple emulsion studies with decane were determined to be inadequate. Several inexpensive ways to determine critical surfactant concentrations were developed with limited resources.