Detergents formulation

Household detergents may contain 20-50% sodium triphosphate, together with comparatively small amounts of a long (carbon)-chain surface active agent such as sodium dodecylbenzene sulphonate, 

HjCCCHj) CgH4 SOjNa. In addition to the phosphate and the surfactant, several other components are usually present. These include anti-corrosive agents, bleaches, optical brighteners, anti-static agents, anti-redeposition agents, fillers, colouring, and perfume. 

A representative formulation for a general-purpose detergent powder could be the following  

Sodium dodecylbenzene sulphonate Surface active agent 10 

No other material or combination of materials is known which can perform all these functions as well as sodium triphosphate, although sodium pyrophosphate or sodium polyphosphate are, for other reasons, sometimes used instead. 

---

Sequestration forms the basis for detergent and water-treatment appHcations of polyphosphates. Sequestration of hardness ions by sodium tripolyphosphate used in detergent formulations prevents the precipitation of surfactants by the hardness ions. Sodium polyphosphate glass (SHMP) may be added to water system to prevent the formation of calcium or magnesium scales by reducing the activity of the hardness ions. However, if the ratio of cation to polyphosphate is too high at a given pH, insoluble precipitates such as may result instead of the soluble polyphosphate complexes. The... 

Linear ethoxylates are the preferred raw materials for production of ether sulfates used in detergent formulations because of uniformity, high purity, and biodegradabihty. The alkyl chain is usually in the to range having a molar ethylene oxide alcohol ratio of anywhere from 1 1 to 7 1. 

Co-buHders such as nitnlotriacetic acid or polycarboxylates also may be incorporated into the detergent formulation. Wash performance of detergents decreases with increasing calcium concentration. Protease performance varies, but high calcium concentrations tend to reduce protease performance. Therefore it is an advantage to add a buHder system to the detergent. Proteases need a smaH amount of calcium for the sake of stabHity, but even with the most efficient buHder systems, stabHity during wash is not a problem. 

Most ingredients in a detergent formulation contribute to the ionic strength of the wash solution. The effect of ionic strength on protease performance depends on pH and enzyme identity. The pH wash solutions also affects protease performance (Pig. 8). 

Upases. The idea of using Upases in the wash process dates back to 1913 when O. Rn hm suggested a dding pancreatin [8049-47-6] to detergent formulations. Many patents have demonstrated that Upases can improve the removal of fatty stains when used in powder and liquid detergents, special presoakers, or other cleaning agents. Intense research activity is also reflected in the literature (43—45). 

Lipases have proven to be effective in prespotters and other liquid detergent formulations when used in undiluted form for pretreatment of tough fatty stains. The low water content on the fabric in this situation is believed to be responsible for the high catalytic activity (50). 

Nonionic Surface-Active Agents. Approximately 14% of the ethyleae oxide consumed ia the United States is used in the manufacture of nonionic surfactants. These are derived by addition of ethylene oxide to fatty alcohols, alkylphenols (qv), tall oil, alkyl mercaptans, and various polyols such as poly(propylene glycol), sorbitol, mannitol, and cellulose. They are used in household detergent formulations, industrial surfactant appHcations, in emulsion polymeri2ation, textiles, paper manufacturing and recycling, and for many other appHcations (281). 

Substances such as brass, wood, sea water, and detergent formulations are mixtures of chemicals. Two samples of brass may differ in composition, colour and density. Different pieces of wood of the same species may differ in hardness and colour. One sample of sea water may contain more salt and different proportions of trace compounds than another. Detergent formulations differ... 

Several important trends have influenced the development of mixed active detergent formulations in the United States over the last four decades. These include ... 

The dilute sulfuric acid obtained as a coupled product in stoichiometric ratios is used in the fertilizer industry. Formerly it was neutralized to sodium sulfate, but this practice is now of minor interest since fillers have been withdrawn from most detergent formulations. 

The applications of alcohol sulfates in consumer products depend on the alkyl chain and in some cases on the cation. Alcohol sulfates with alkyl chains 8 C1() are seldom used in consumer products except occasionally as hydrotropes in liquid detergent formulations. However, alcohol sulfates in the range C10-C18 are used in many commonly used formulations although other surfactants are generally added to enhance their properties. In some of these applications, particularly in shampoos, they compete with alcohol ether sulfates of the same alkyl chain distribution. The pattern of use of alcohol sulfates or alcohol ether sulfates in formulations varies with consumer personal care and laundry washing preferences in different cultural areas of the world. 

In summary, directly hydrolyzed IOS has good n-hexadecane solubilizing kinetics. This class of compounds then is attractive for detergent formulations where the kinetics of apolar soil removal is imperative. Also, it is observed that shifting the ionic head group toward the middle of the alkyl chain results in an... 

---