The colloid-chemical properties of the aqueous solution of long-chain
aliphatic amines and their oxyethylene derivatives have been investiga
ted by the tensiometric and viscosimetric methods. The correlation bet
ween the structure of surfactant molecules and their behavior in solut
ion has been established that makes it possible to predict the possibi
lity of application of different surfactants for emulsification of var
ious hydrocarbons changing their hydrophilic-lypophilic balance by reg
ulation of the polyoxyethylene chain length.