The Detergency of Surfactants —— Types of Detergents
The detergency of surfactants is a fundamental property that gives them the greatest practical use. It involves the daily life of thousands of households and is increasingly applied in various industries and industrial productions. This article systematically reviews the representative types, characteristics and application trends of anionic, non-ionic and zwitterionic surfactants in detergents.
1. Anionic Surfactants
The main types of anionic surfactants used as detergents include fatty acid salts (soap), alkylbenzene sulfonates (ABS), alcohol sulfates (AS), alcohol ether sulfates (AES), α-olefin sulfonates (AOS), alcohol ether carboxylates (AEC) and fatty acid methyl ester sulfonates (MES). Among them, linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) is known as the main force of synthetic detergents due to its strong detergency and good biodegradability.
| Type | Representative | Features & Applications |
|---|---|---|
| fatty acid salts | Soap | Rich raw materials, but poor hard water resistance. |
| Alkylbenzene sulfonates | LAS | Strong detergency, high cost performance. |
| fatty alcohol sulfates | AS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) | Good foaming, used in dentifrices, shampoos. |
| α-olefin sulfonates | AOS | Used in hand soaps, dishwashing liquids. |
2. Non-ionic Surfactants
Non-ionic surfactants have good detergency for oily soil, hard water resistance, and can optimize performance by adjusting EO number. Representatives include alcohol ethoxylates and alkyl polyglycosides (APG). APG is praised as a new world-class non-ionic surfactant, with high surface activity, no cloud point, mildness, and easy biodegradability, especially suitable for dishwashing and personal care.
| Type | Example | Key Properties |
|---|---|---|
| Fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether | Alfonic 1412-3 Ethoxylate | Low cmc, liquid detergents, hard surface cleaners. |
| Alkyl glycosides | APG (C8-16 glucoside) | Nontoxic, low irritation, fully biodegradable. |
3. Zwitterionic Surfactants
The molecule contains both positive and negative charges, mild, low irritation, good compatibility. Typical examples are betaines and N-acyl amino acid types (Lamepon A). Widely used in shampoos, baby care, silk & wool detergents.
| Type | Product | Applications |
|---|---|---|
| Betaine | Cocamidopropyl Betaine (CAPB) | Foam booster, thickener, used in shower gels, shampoos. |
| Amino acid type | Lamepon A | Strong lime-soap dispersing, used for silk & wool. |
📊 Comprehensive Comparison of Surfactants for Detergents
| Category | Charge | Hard Water Resistance | Biodegradability | Main Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anionic | Negative | Moderate (LAS good) | Good | laundry powder, hand soap, toothpaste |
| Non-ionic | Neutral | Excellent | Excellent (APG) | dishwash, metal cleaning, low-foam |
| Zwitterionic | Both | Good | Excellent | shampoos, baby products, mild formulas |
Surfactants, as “industrial MSG”, play an indispensable role in modern life through their detergency. In the future, surfactants will develop towards green, environmentally friendly and multifunctional directions, especially bio-based surfactants represented by APG will lead the trend.
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