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Low surface energy materials (LSEMs) are obtained by attachment of surface layers to substrates. The cause of low surface energy is the underlying chemical structure of the interfacial layers: the ability to control surface properties being the direct consequence of chemical structure. Since the first development of anti-wetting surfaces, it has always been necessary to employ long Fluorinated tails (>7 x CF2/CF3 groups) in the surfactant additives. There are numerous applications of LSEMs today, such as printing, painting, adhesion, metal-plating, emulsification/suspension (medical, cosmetic, food packaging, etc.), washing (electronics, clothes, etc), antifogging and repellent surfaces (self-cleaning windows, water-proof textiles, anti-snow, anti-fog surfaces, papers, fibers, etc.). Therefore, development and optimization of LSEMs has attracted much attention, and a wide variety of useful LSEMs can be obtained by Fluorinating surfaces. Unfortunately, this has dramatic environmental consequences because of the persistence and bioaccumulation of Fluorocarbons (FCs). [Food Addit Contam. 2005, 10, 1023-31, Environ. Sci. Technol. 2006, 40, 32-44]. As outlined below, this project is centred on intelligent programmed molecular design of hydrocarbon (HC) surfactants, which will generate similar surface properties to the undesirable FCs.
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