In order to improve the adhesion of water-based adhesive, gemini type nonionic reactive surfactants were synthesized and applied to water-based adhesives. The surfactants were synthesized by using maleic acid and polyoxyethylene cetyl ether having different length of ethylene oxide and confirmed by FT-IR and 1H-NMR. Their appearance was light yellow wax. The cloud point of the compound was more than 78 ℃. The measured critical micelle concentration (c.m.c) was 1.0 × 10-4~7.0 × 10-4 mol/L and surface tension at c.m.c was 25.9~32.0 mN/m. As the number of ethylene oxide increased, the emulsifying power was improved. The foaming height of each compound by Ross-Miles method was 1.4~4.5 cm. The synthesized surfactants was then used as an emulsifier in emulsion polymerization of water-based adhesives and its physical properties were evaluated. The solid contents of prepared adhesives was 59%. The average particle size and initial tackiness of the prepared adhesives were 164~297 nm and ball no. of 20~32, respectively. The peel strength was 1.8~2.1 kgf/mm. The retention rate of adhesives viscosity was evaluated to 99% during 30 days. Therefore, synthesized gemini type nonionic reactive surfactants are expected to be applied as an emulsifier for the high adhesive force.