An amide Gemini surfactant N,N’-bis-dodecyl-2,6-pyridinium dimethylamide propionate sodium(DLP-12) was synthesized from dodecylamine, methyl acrylate, and 2, 6-pyridine-dicarboxylic acid by addition, amidation, and saponification reactions. By single factor experiments, the optimum reaction conditions for this reaction were: n(N-dodecyl-β-alanine-methyl ester)∶n(2, 6-pyridine-dicarboxylic acid)=2.4∶1, reflux reaction at 40 ℃ for 8 hours. Under these conditions, the yield of the final product was 68.14%. The results showed that the critical micelle concentrations of DLP-12 were 9.1×10 -5, 9.5×10 -5and 9.7×10 -5mol/L at 25, 35 and 45 ℃, respectively, and the corresponding surface tension were 33.7, 32.4 and 31.1 mN/m, respectively. The maximum surface excess concentration (Γmax) decreased with the increase of temperature. The value of the critical packing parameter (CPP) indicated the self-assembly morphology of surfactants in aqueous solution transformed from lamellar structure to rod-like structure. At 25 ℃, the emulsification properties measured with liquid paraffin and n-octane as the oil phase were 277 and 252 s, respectively, and the Roche foam height was 141 mm.