4 Advice to Choose a Surfactants Used in Detergents Are

An Easy Guide to Understanding How Surfactants Work

What is a Surfactant?

Surfactants are primary components of cleaning detergents. The term surfactant stands for surface active agent. As the name suggests, surfactants enhance activity on the surfaces being cleaned, helping to trap and remove dirt.

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Surfactants possess a hydrophobic (water-hating) tail and a hydrophilic (water-loving) head. The hydrophobic tails envelop soils, while the hydrophilic heads remain in the water.

How do Surfactants Work?

When a sufficient number of surfactant molecules are present in a solution, they group together to form micelles. In this structure, surfactant heads face outward towards the water, while the tails congregate together in the center, shielded from contact with water.

The micelles operate cohesively to eliminate soils. The hydrophobic tails are drawn to the soils, encircling them, while the hydrophilic heads detach the surrounded soils from the surface and integrate them into the cleaning solution. Consequently, micelles reform with the tails holding the soil at the core of the structure.

Types of Surfactants

The hydrophilic head of each surfactant carries an electrical charge, which can be negative, positive, or neutral. Based on this charge, surfactants fall into categories including anionic, nonionic, cationic, and amphoteric.

Anionic Surfactants

Anionic surfactants possess a negative charge on their hydrophilic end. This negative charge aids surfactant molecules in lifting and suspending soils within micelles. Anionic surfactants are widely employed in soaps and detergents due to their ability to address a broad spectrum of soils. These surfactants produce ample foam when mixed. While effective at handling particulate soils, they are less adept at emulsifying oily soils.

Examples of anionic surfactants include sulfates, sulfonates, and gluconates.

Nonionic Surfactants

Nonionic surfactants are neutral, lacking any charge on the hydrophilic end. They excel in emulsifying oils and outperform anionic surfactants in removing organic soils. These surfactants are often combined to create dual-action, multi-purpose cleaners capable of lifting and suspending particulate soils while emulsifying oily soils.

Some nonionic surfactants can be either non-foaming or low-foaming, making them suitable for low-foaming detergents.

Nonionic surfactants also exhibit a property called cloud point, the temperature at which they begin to separate from the cleaning solution, resulting in phase separation. When this occurs, the solution appears cloudy. This indicates optimal detergency; for low-foaming cleaners, this occurs at the cloud point, while for foaming cleaners, optimal detergency may occur slightly below the cloud point.

The cloud point temperature is influenced by the hydrophobic and hydrophilic balance within the nonionic surfactant. Some cloud points occur at room temperature, while others are much higher. Certain nonionic surfactants may not have a cloud point due to a high ratio of hydrophilic to hydrophobic elements.

Common nonionic surfactants include cocamide, ethoxylates, and alkoxylates.

Cationic Surfactants

Cationic surfactants feature a positive charge on their hydrophilic end. This charge renders them useful in anti-static products, such as fabric softeners, and allows them to function as antimicrobial agents, which is why they are frequently incorporated into disinfectants.

However, cationic surfactants cannot be mixed with anionic surfactants. When positively charged cationic surfactants merge with negatively charged anionic surfactants, they precipitate from the solution and lose their effectiveness. In contrast, cationic and nonionic surfactants are compatible.

Examples of cationic surfactants include alkyl ammonium chlorides.

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Amphoteric Surfactants

Amphoteric surfactants possess dual charges on their hydrophilic ends, both positive and negative. This balance neutralizes the overall charge, leading to a zwitterionic state. The pH level of a solution dictates the behavior of amphoteric surfactants. In acidic environments, they acquire a positive charge, behaving like cationic surfactants, whereas in alkaline settings, they gain a negative charge like anionic surfactants.

Amphoteric surfactants are commonly found in personal care products, including shampoos and cosmetics. Examples include betaines and amino oxides.

How Surfactants are Used in Cleaners

Surfactants are essential ingredients in cleaning products. The method of production diverges between cleaners, with those made from a single chemical targeting specific soils known as commodity cleaners. In contrast, formulated cleaners combine various chemical components designed to work synergistically against diverse soils.

Formulated cleaners generally incorporate four fundamental elements: surfactants, hydrotropes, builders, and carriers. Hydrotropes are chemicals that stabilize otherwise incompatible surfactants and builders within a solution. The carrier can be either water or a solvent. These components collaborate to generate mechanical actions for soil removal. Ultimately, the type of surfactants included in a cleaning product primarily influences its efficacy against various soils.

IPC offers a comprehensive range of formulated cleaners, recognized among the safest and most effective solutions available. Request a free sample to test our products for your most demanding cleaning applications.