Nonionic ethoxylates

Polyoxyethylene Surfactants. Polyoxyethylene-solubilized nonionics (ethoxylates) were iatroduced ia the United States as textile chemicals shordy before 1940. The solubiUty of these compounds derives from recurring ether linkages ia a polyoxyethylene chain... 

Wallingford, R.A. (1996). Oligomeric Separation of Ionic and Nonionic Ethoxylated Polymers by Capillary Gel Electrophoresis. Anal. Chem. 68(15), 2541-2548. 

Thus, with nonionic surfactants, both types of micremulsions can be formed depending on the conditions. As shown above, with such systems temperature is the most crucial factor since the solubility of the surfactant in water or in oil depends on the temperature. One should remember that in aqueous solutions, the solubility of nonionic ethoxylated surfactants decreases with increase of temperature, whereas the reverse is true with oil solutions. 

Adsorption of a surfactant on solids is dependent, among other things, on the structure of both the hydro-phobic and hydrophilic portions of it. There are a number of mechanisms proposed for surfactant adsorption and an understanding of the effects of the structure of the surfactant can help in elucidating the role of these mechanisms. In this study, the effect on adsorption on alumina of some structure variations of sulfonates (chain length and the branching and the presence of ethyoxyl, phenyl, disulfonate and dialkyl groups) is examined above and below CMC as a function of surfactant concentration, pH and salinity. Co-operative action between an ionic alkyl sulfonate and a nonionic ethoxylated alcohol is also studied. 

Triton X-200 was used to study the effects of ethoxylation on the sulfonates. Nonionic ethoxylated surfactants were investigated using Synfac 8216 obtained from the Milliken Corporation. This was stated to be 100% active with a molecular weight of 1100-1200. HPLC showed this surfactant to be a mixture of several components. 

In a Gledhill-modified version (30) of the Sturm CO2 evolution shake flask test (31). the following nonionic ethoxylates were studied ... 

As discussed previously, the biodegradation pathways using non-selected bacterial inocula for nonionic ethoxylates may be divided into two distinct areas, each dependent on the structure of the surfactant. 

Uses. Principal use as an intermediate in the production of nonionic ethoxylated surfactants as an intermediate in the manufacmre of phosphite antioxidants used for the plastics and rubber industries... 

An ultimate goal o-f theory in this -field is not only to model a given mixed sur-factant system, but to be able to predict the properties o-f any arbitrary system. A group contribution method based on measurements -from many systems may be the ultimate means to this goal, whatever speci-fic mathematical model is -found most use-ful. Such systematic studies o-f sur-factant structure as those o-f Rosen (see Chapter 11) will provide a data base -for such correlations. A number o-f important systems have yet to receive su-f-ficient attention. Examples o-f such sur-factant pairs are ethoxylated anionic/nonionic, ethoxylated anionic/nonethoxylated anionic, and nonethoxylated nonionic/ionic. 

Igepal CA-630 Nonionic ethoxylate Moles EO 9-10 surfactant. Rhone... 

Laboratory Treatments. Colorfastness of the dyed wool samples was determined in aqueous and nonaqueous media. Colored samples were cut into 2- X 2-in. squares and sandwiched between multifiber fabrics (Test Fabrics) and undyed wool fabrics of the same dimensions. The fabrics were loosely sewn together by hand with white cotton thread. Two surfactants were chosen for the aqueous treatments Tergitol NPX, a nonionic ethoxylated nonylphenol (Union Carbide) and Orvus WA, an anionic sodium alkyl sulfate (Proctor Gamble). Solutions of 0.1% surfactant in distilled water were prepared. Tests were run in 250-mL Erlenmeyer flasks at a liquor-to-cloth ratio of 50 1. The flasks were placed in an Eberbach constant-temperature shaker bath adjusted to 30 °C and an agitation of 40 cycles/min. Treatment time was 1 h, after which the samples were opened and allowed to dry on blotter paper. This same procedure was used for the nonaqueous treatments. Commercial grade tetrachloroethylene (R. R. Street Co.) with and without 1% Aerosol OT, the anionic surfactant sodium sulfosuccinate (Aldrich Chemical) was selected. The treated samples were removed from the liquids, opened, and dried on blotter paper in a ventilated hood. 

A nonionic ethoxylated leveling agent and retarder for wool dyeing with acid dyestuffs. Gives good color value and uniformity. 

Surfactants are widely used for a variety of reasons, including surface wetting agents, detergents, emulsifiers, lubricants, gasoline additives, and enhanced oil-recovery agents. The type of surfactants selected for a particular application often depends on the chemical and physical properties required and on economics or other considerations such as environmental concerns. To meet these requirements, a typical surfactant formulation may contain blends of a variety of commercial products, which could include ionic and nonionic ethoxylated surfactants, alkylsulfonates, and alkylaryl-sulfonates, and petroleum sulfonates. 

Aliphatic and aromatic nonionic ethoxylated surfactants, R0(CH2CH20) H, were used in order to determine the distribution of the ethoxylate oligomers. 

Triton X-100 (nonionic, ethoxylated octyl phenol) Pluronic F68 (nonionic, ethylene oxide - propylene oxide condensation product)... 

Surfactants (nonionics) Ethoxylated alkyl-phenols Ethoxylated fatty alcohols... 

For the evaluation of the foamability of a surfactant the bulk concentration is used at which the relative rate of foam collapse is equal to 50% of its formation (cw °). The cw ° values determined from foam formation isotherms of a number of products are given in Table 6.1. As it is seen, typical representatives of anionics (sodium dodecyl sulphate), cationics (cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide) and nonionics (ethoxylated alkylphenols) give bubble foams at very low concentrations, and the foam stability of ionic surfactants does not differ much from that of nonionics. For anionics, the highest concentrations are required for soaps of higher carboxylic acids. 

A wide use of synthetic detergents (SD) began in the forties of the 20" century, after mastering the commercial production of anionics (alkyl sulfonates - Germany alkylbenzene sulfonates -USA, United Kingdom) and nonionics (ethoxylated alkyl benzenes - Germany). 

Nonionic ethoxylated surfactants and polyethylene oxide polymers have been found to adsorb on silica. The driving force for the adsorption of these reagents in considered to be hydrogen bonding between the ether... 

Microemulsion gels are usually based on nonionic ethoxylated ether surfactants based on oleyl, lauryl, or isocetyl alcohol either alone or in combination with ethoxylated phosphate esters. Long hexagonal liquid crystalline structures present in the gel can vibrate when the container is tapped, resulting in a ringing gel [18], Table 10 presents a versatile ringing gel microemulsion base formula from ICI [16] for three clear cosmetic products. 

The preparation of mesoporous materials with bimodal pore-size distribution has also been described by Stebe and coworkers, using mixtures of F(CF2) C2H4 (OC2H4)mOH nonionic ethoxylated surfactants and conventional hydrocarbon ethoxylated surfactants [61]. 

There are a number of other, smaller-volume, nonionic ethoxylates that will not be discussed in this chapter. 

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