What is a surfactant?
Surfactants are also known as wetting agents. They may be liquids or powders. Surfactants are used in aqueous cleaners to provide detergency, emulsification, and wetting action. From Sage Solvent Guide, 1992 SLS – A detergent/surfactant, SLS is an excellent foamer, but is recognized that Sodium and Ammonium Laureth Sulfate may induce eye and very bad skin irritations. It can cause rashes and hair loss. SLES: A detergent/surfactant. “The basis for SLES is lauryl alcohol, a C-12, fatty alcohol that is fractionated from coconut oil. (Lauryl alcohol can be derived from other sources including petroleum.) From there the material is reacted with sulfuric acid to form lauryl sulfate and then neutralized with sodium hydroxide and finally reacted with ethylene oxide. Though some claim it to be all natural & derived from coconut oil, but since it undergoes several chemical processes, the end result is far distant from its original source. It is milder than SLS, yet still a harsh surfactant. >> m
A surfactant is a compound which lowers the surface tension of a liquid, increasing the contact between the liquid and another substance. There are a wide variety of surfactants, which work with oil, water, and an assortment of other liquids. Many companies manufacture a range of surfactants for various purposes, ranging from soaps to inks. You may also hear a surfactant referred to as a “wetting agent.” The term is a compound of “surface acting agent,” referring to the fact that a surfactant interacts with the surface of a liquid to change its properties. Surfactants work through a process known as “adsorption,” which means that they accrete on the surface of a liquid, creating a film which reduces its surface tension. One of the most famous surfactants is soap, which is used to break the surface tension of water so that it can penetrate more fully. The foaming action of soap helps water get under dirt and grease on surfaces like dishes, hands, and fabrics, allowing the water to carry
A surfactant is a surface-active agent or wetting agent organic or hydryl-carbyl-silane molecule that contains hydrophylic (water loving), and hydrophobic (water hating) respective parts that allows the molecule to act with both properties – in other words the molecule is non-polar on one end and polar on the other. They are coupling agents normally functioning at the interface between bulk materials (for example; oil and water) such that what would not normally mix does so in the form of a suspension or colloid. The hydrophobic non-polar end attaches to dirty pathogens and oils while the hydrophylic end attaches to water. Surfactants are thus used to create micelles (micro-container for substances like oils) and reduce the surface or interfacial tension between the affected water and it’s bulk substance. In this manner the water and a substance are bound to one another and can then be transported more effectively by the water because the water is now wetter and more slippery. This is
First, a little cleaning chemistry. Water, the liquid commonly used for cleaning, has a property called surface tension. This tension causes water to bead up on surfaces, which slows wetting of the surface and inhibits the cleaning process. In the cleaning process, surface tension must be reduced so water can spread and wet surfaces. Chemicals that are able to do this effectively are called surface active agents, or surfactants.
