Ethoxy alcohol sulphate acid

As the alcohol ethoxy-sulphate acid is unstable, the product has to be stored and transported in the neutralised form. The "lauryl" ethoxy-sulphates are commercially available in concentrated forms - 60% AM with ethyl alcohol and 70% AM without any addition. The 70% high-active product is a fluid, pumpable material which is made without using viscosity modifiers such as ethanol. 

Linear alkylbenzene sulphonic acid can be made in most types of sulphonation reactor systems and can be stored in the acid form, without serious colour formation. Alcohol sulphates and alcohol ethoxy sulphates can be made without serious colour problems in falling-film sulphonation reactors, provided olefinic impurities are absent, but their colour deteriorates badly... 

This system is preferably used with alkylate feedstocks because sulphonic acid is a stable product. For those sulphonation plants that produce exclusively alcohol sulphates, alcohol ethoxy sulphates etc. an H2SO4 absorber is recommended. 

Moisture in the air gives rise to the formation of sulphuric acid and oleum, leading to corrosion throughout the plant and causing inferior product qu ity, in terms of colour and other undesired by-products (e.g. dioxane in alcohol ethoxy late sulphates) if condensed oleum reaches the reactor. 

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