Surfactant
Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension between two liquids, between a gas and a liquid, or between a liquid and a solid. Surfactants may act as detergents, wetting agents, emulsifiers, foaming agents, and dispersants.
Emulsion
An emulsion is a mixture of two or more liquids that are normally immiscible (unmixable or unblendable). Emulsions are part of a more general class of two-phase systems of matter called colloids. Although the terms colloid and emulsion are sometimes used interchangeably, emulsion should be used when both phases, dispersed and continuous, are liquids.
What are some examples of surfactants?
- Sodium stearate
- Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)
- Sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate
- Sodium cholate
What are the different types of surfactants?
What are the different types of surfactants? There are four main categories of surfactants: ionic (anionic, cationic and amphoteric) and non-ionic. Anions are the most used and most potent, but they cause skin irritation. Non-ionics can also be found in many household products and their main advantage is that they do not "foam" in hard water.
Are surfactants and emulsifiers the same thing?
The terms surfactant and emulsifier are often used interchangeably; however, there is a fine line between the two, which can be industry specific. Food chemists use emulsifier more, where industrial chemists use the term surfactant more.
What kinds of surfactants are used in cosmetics?
What Kinds of Surfactants Are Used in Cosmetics?
- Types of surfactants. Surfactants can be grouped by the charge characteristic of their polar (hydrophilic) head groups. ...
- Anionic Surfactants. Anionic surfactants are those that have a negative charge on their polar head group. ...
- Cationic Surfactants. ...
- Amphoteric surfactants. ...
- Non ionic Surfactants. ...
- Surfactants and Cosmetic Chemists. ...
What is surfactant and types of surfactants?
Types of Surfactants. The hydrophilic head of each surfactant is electrically charged. The charge can be negative, positive, or neutral. Depending on the charge of the hydrophilic head, the surfactant is classified as anionic, nonionic, cationic or amphoteric.
What are surfactants?
Surfactants are usually organic compounds that are amphiphilic, meaning each molecule contains both a hydrophilic "water-seeking" group (the head), and a hydrophobic "water-avoiding" group (the tail). As a result, a surfactant contains both a water-soluble component and a water-insoluble component.
What are surfactants with examples?
Types of surfactantsAbbreviationNameApplicationsDOSSDioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (DOSS)Wetting agent – coatings, toothpasteLABSALinear alkylbenzene sulfonatesLaundry detergents, dishwasher detergentsSLESSodium lauryl ether sulfateShampoos, bath productsN/ASodium stearateHandsoap, HI&I products
Why is it called surfactant?
The term surfactant comes from the word surface active agent. They are amphiphilic molecules and are thus absorbed in the air-water interface. At the interface, they align themselves so that the hydrophobic part is in the air and the hydrophilic part is in water.
What is surfactant function?
Surfactant is released from the lung cells and spreads across the tissue that surrounds alveoli. This substance lowers surface tension, which keeps the alveoli from collapsing after exhalation and makes breathing easy.
What is the best surfactant?
As you can see, all five natural surfactants produced some foam, some better than others. Some of our observations included: Decyl glucoside is the best in terms of foam out of all five natural surfactants, as it creates a rich and dense foam.
What is HLB value?
Hydrophilic–lipophilic balance (HLB) is the balance of the size and strength of the hydrophilic and lipophilic moieties of a surfactant molecule. The HLB scale ranges from 0 to 20. In the range of 3.5 to 6.0, surfactants are more suitable for use in W/O emulsions.
What are the properties of surfactants?
In addition to lowering surface and interfacial tension, and rendering soluble what is insoluble, surfactants also have a number of other useful properties including:Emulsifying or dispersing power.Wetting.Foaming.Suspending/stabilising power.
What are the applications of surfactants?
Application of surfactantsOptimising the wetting of solid surfaces.Connection between water and hydrophobic phases.Improvement of dispersibility of powders and pigments.Improvement of sprayability.Foam formation and foam prevention.
How surfactant is formed?
Surfactant is produced exclusively by alveolar type II epithelial cells and stored in specialized organelles called lamellar bodies (LBs) until it is secreted into the lumen of the alveolus. Secreted surfactant is recycled by type II cells to be repackaged and secreted again.
What is the structure of surfactant?
Surfactants are substances with molecular structures consisting of a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic part. The hydrophobic part is normally a hydrocarbon (linear or branched), whereas the hydrophilic part consists of ionic or strongly polar groups, e.g., polyglycol ether groups.
Is surfactant a fluid?
Surfactant: A fluid secreted by the cells of the alveoli (the tiny air sacs in the lungs) that serves to reduce the surface tension of pulmonary fluids; surfactant contributes to the elastic properties of pulmonary tissue, preventing the alveoli from collapsing.
Is Dawn dish soap a surfactant?
A common “trick” used when spraying weeds around your home may be to add a few drops of dish soap, such as Dawn®. Dish soap is used as a surfactant, both when washing dishes and applying herbicide to plants.
Is soap a surfactant?
Soaps and detergents are made from long molecules that contain a head and tail. These molecules are called surfactants; the diagram below represents a surfactant molecule.
What are surfactants Made from?
Natural (also known as bio-based or oleo), surfactant feedstocks are derived from plant oils, mainly coconut and palm kernel. These feedstocks are renewable, coming from large tropical plantations typically providing a yield for over 25 years before replanting is required.
What is a surfactant in shampoo?
Surfactants are molecular compounds that act as cleansing agents in shampoos and conditioning agents in (you guessed it) conditioners. They are the cleaning part of wash day– without surfactants, you wouldn't cleanse your hair at all when using shampoo.
What are the different types of surfactants?
What Are the Different Types of Surfactant? Depending on the use, you may require one of many different types of surfactant, such as: low foam, high foam, thickened, pH or substantive. Let’s take a look and some common surfactant examples, types and their uses.
What is a surfactant?
Surfactants, by definition, are active on surfaces or interfaces and able to modify their properties. An interface is the junction between two incompatible phases — usually, liquid, solid or gas. Surfactants can reduce the surface tension of a liquid, making it more likely to spread across a surface. They can also reduce the tension between two ...
What is the best surfactant for fabric softeners?
Cationic Surfactants. Cationic surfactants are manufactured in smaller quantities than other surfactants, but they are the ideal surfactant for products such as fabric softeners, because when they are combined with anionic surfactants they help to break down stains and dirt.
What is anionic surfactant used for?
Anionic surfactants are most commonly used in the manufacturing of cleaning and detergent products. They are also used in other industries such as textiles, agriculture and construction for applications such as dyeing, bleaching, demulsifying, corrosion prevention and as a fuel additive.
What is the purpose of surfactant?
Surfactants can reduce the surface tension of a liquid making it more likely to spread across a surface, or reduce the tension between two incompatible liquids making them easier to mix. The kind of surfactant you need will very much depend on the application, as there are different types for different tasks.
Is surfactant soluble in water?
These surfactants containing anionic ( negatively charged ions) are insoluble at low temperature levels and have hydrophobic anion effects when dissolved in warmer water.
Where does the word "surfactant" come from?
The word itself comes from the term ‘Surface Active Agent’.
What Are Surfactants?
Surfactants are a category of chemical compounds that are used in lowering the surface tension (or interfacial tension) between different compounds such as two liquids or between a gas and a liquid or it can also be between a liquid and a solid. Surfactants are categorized as organic compounds and are amphiphilic in nature. What it basically means is that it contains both hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups.
What is a cationic surfactant?
Similarly, if the head group (hydrophilic end) has a positive charge it is called cationic. Alkyl ammonium chlorides are common examples of cationic surfactants.
What is the name of the surfactant that contains anionic functional groups?
If the charge on the head group (hydrophilic end) is negative, the surfactant is called anionic. It contains anionic functional groups at its head, such as sulfate, sulfonate, phosphate, and carboxylates. A few examples of anionic surfactants include sulfates, sulfonates, and gluconates.
Why do surfactants act in suspension?
Surfactants act in this manner because they include hydrophilic group like an acid anion (SO 3– or CO 2–) and a hydrophobic group like alkyl chain. Water molecules tend to congregate close to the latter.
What are soaps made of?
Soaps were the foremost surfactants and obtained from fats called glycerides since they are esters which are formed by trihydric alcohol, glycerol with fatty acids that have lengthy chain carboxylic acids.
What is the purpose of surfactant in car lubricant?
Surfactants are sometimes added to car engine lubricants which greatly help to keep particles from sticking to engine parts.
Is synthetic surfactant good for soap?
Synthetic surfactants hold one major edge over soaps. Since soaps form insoluble magnesium and calcium salts with magnesium and calcium ions in hard water and clays that exists in the dirt where a lot of soap goes in vain in making an insoluble scrum. However, this can be avoided by using a synthetic surfactant.
What are the different types of surfactants?
These surfactants differ in composition and polarity . Surfactants also known as surface active agents, are used to lower the surface tension between liquids. The four different types of surfactants are all used to lower surface tension, but as they have differing compositions, they do serve different purposes. The various applications surfactants can be used in are vast as surfactants can be used as emulsifiers, wetting agents, foaming agents, anti-foaming agents, and dispersants. Products including inks, soaps, detergents, waxes, paints and so much more require some type of surfactant for production. If you are in need of surfactants, but need help finding the right surfactants for your particular needs, Ecolink can help.
What is cationic surfactant?
Cationic Surfactants – Cationic surfactants have the ability to disturb and penetrate the cell membrane of viruses and bacteria, due to their positive charge. For this reason, cationic surfactants are often used in antimicrobial and antifungal products.
What is surface surfactant?
Surface Science Blog. Surfactants are the most versatile products of the chemical industry. There are utilized in every industrial area ranging from household detergents to drilling muds and food items to pharmaceuticals. The term surfactant comes from the word surface active agent. They are amphiphilic molecules and are thus absorbed in ...
Where does surfactant come from?
The term surfactant comes from the word surface active agent. They are amphiphilic molecules and are thus absorbed in the air-water interface. At the interface, they align themselves so that the hydrophobic part is in the air and the hydrophilic part is in water.
Why do surfactants absorb water?
Because of their amphiphilic nature, surfactants absorb at the air-water or oil-water interface. At the interface, surfactants align themselves so that the hydrophobic part is in the air (or oil) and the hydrophilic part in water.
What is the intermolecular force between surfactant and water?
For simplicity, let’s consider only the air-water interface. The cohesive forces between the water molecules are very strong making the surface tension of water high. As surfactants absorb they break these interactions. The intermolecular forces between surfactant and water molecule are much lower than between two water molecules ...
What is a surfactant called when it has a negative charge?
If it contains both positive and negative groups, then the surfactant is called zwitterionic. Anionic and nonionic surfactants are by far the most used surfactant types in the industry. Anionic surfactant finds use especially in cleaning products like ...
What happens to surface tension when surfactant concentration is high?
When the surfactant concentration is high, they form micelles. The point at which micelles are formed is called critical micelle concentration. The main purpose of the surfactants is to decrease ...
Is surfactant a hydrocarbon?
As said, surfactants are amphiphilic molecules that have hydrophobic and hydrophilic parts. The hydrophobic tail is a hydrocarbon, fluorocarbon or siloxane. Surfactants are typically classified based on their polar head as the hydrophobic tails are often similar. If the head group has no charge, the surfactant is called non-ionic.
How are surfactants classified?
Ionic surfactants are known by the charge on their polar head-groups, and they include both anionic (negative charge) and cationic (positive charge) surfactants. The non-polar hydrophobic tail is typically a long-chain hydrocarbon, often derived from natural products such as fatty acids and alcohols.
What is a surfactant made of?
Surfactants are unique organic molecules that are made up of a polar hydrophilic and a non-polar hydrophobic component. The action-end of the molecule is the polar head group which is often anionic or cationic in nature. The hydrophobic portion of the molecule is generally a long-chain hydrocarbon.
What are some examples of anionic surfactants?
Examples of anionic surfactants include sulfates (-SO4-), sulfonates (-SO3-), carboxylates (-CO2-), and betaines (-N+R2-R’SO3-). The counter ions are usually ammonium, sodium, or potassium cations.
What is surfactant stabilization?
Surfactant-stabilized emulsion polymerization is an important technique for preparing waterborne latexes, which are the basis for many paint and coating systems, adhesives and sealants, and inks. The main functions of surfactants in CASE applications are to emulsify water-insoluble, hydrophobic monomers to facilitate polymerizations in an emulsion state, and to stabilize suspensions of the resulting synthetic polymers so they can be stored, formulated and applied.
What is the best surfactant for emulsion polymerization?
Emulsion polymer performance attributes include stability, gloss, physical properties, and water resistance. Anionic surfactants are the preferred type of surfactant in emulsion polymerizations, with lauryl (dodecyl) sulfates, alpha-olefin sulfonates, and fatty acids being among the most common and economical.
Do surfactants dissociate in water?
Conversely, cationic surfactants dissociate in water to positively charges head-groups such as quaternary ammonium salts (-R’N+R3-). Amphoteric surfactants have a dual charge, both positive and negative, on the head position of a hydrophobic molecule end, such as sulfo-betaines (-N+R2-R’SO3-). The positive and negative charges neutralize each other, creating a net-zero charge. If the hydrophilic end has no charge, the surfactant is called non-ionic. Non-ions are often used as cosurfactants.
What is a Surfactant?
Surfactants are a primary component of cleaning detergents. The word surfactant means surface active agent. As the name implies, surfactants stir up activity on the surface you are cleaning to help trap dirt and remove it from the surface.
What is a cationic surfactant?
Cationic surfactants can also serve as antimicrobial agents, so they are often used in disinfectants. Cationic surfactants cannot be used with anionic surfactants.
What is the cloud point of a nonionic surfactant?
The cloud point is the temperature at which the nonionic surfactant begins to separate from the cleaning solution, called phase separation. When this occurs, the cleaning solution becomes cloudy. This is considered the temperature for optimal detergency.
What are some examples of anionic surfactants?
While anionic surfactants are excellent for lifting and suspending particulate soils, they are not as good at emulsifying oily soils. Sulfates, sulfonates, and gluconates are examples of anionic surfactants.
What is the difference between a hydrophobic and a hydrophilic surfactant?
Surfactants have a hydrophobic (water-hating) tail and a hydrophilic (water-loving) head. The hydrophobic tail of each surfactant surrounds soils. The hydrophilic head is surrounded by water.
Why are anionic surfactants used in soap?
The negative charge helps the surfactant molecules lift and suspend soils in micelles. Because they are able to attack a broad range of soils, anionic surfactants are used frequently in soaps and detergents. Anionic surfactants create a lot of foam when mixed.
Where is the detergency for foaming cleaners?
For low foaming cleaners, optimal detergency is at the cloud point; for foaming cleaners optimal detergency is either just below the cloud point or at the start of the cloud point . The agitation of low foaming cleaners is sufficient to prevent phase separation.
