Investigating Molecular Structure-Dependent Antimicrobial Behavior of Ethoxylated Quaternary Cationic Surfactants (EQCS) Using Neutron Reflectivity

Surfactants are chemicals commonly found in cleaning products, cosmetics, and disinfectants. Some of them also kill bacteria, making them useful in healthcare and hygiene. In this project, we’re studying a special type of surfactant that can be adjusted at the molecular level to change how it behaves—specifically, how well it can kill harmful bacteria.
We’ve designed a group of these surfactants with slightly different structures and are using a powerful scientific tool called neutron reflectivity to see how they interact with simple model membranes, similar to those found in bacteria. By using surfactants with a special "label" (deuterium) that neutrons can detect, we can precisely track where these molecules go and how they affect the membrane.
The goal of this work is to understand what makes some of these surfactants more effective than others. With this knowledge, we hope to help create better and more targeted antibacterial products.