Nonionic surfactants solubilization

Dissolution enhancer nonionic surfactant solubilizing agent. 

A series of related experiments investigated nonionic surfactant sorption onto soil, mechanisms of nonionic surfactant solubilization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds from soil, and microbial mineralization of phenanthrene in soil-aqueous systems with nonionic surfactants. Surfactant solubilization of PAH from soil at equilibrium can be characterized with a physicochemical model by using parameters obtained from independent tests in aqueous and soil-aqueous systems. The microbial degradation of phenanthrene in soil-aqueous systems is inhibited by addition of alkyl ethoxylate, alkylphenyl ethoxylate, or sorbitan- (Tween-) type nonionic surfactants at doses that result in micellar solubilization of phenanthrene from soil. Available data suggest that the inhibitory effect on phenanthrene biodegradation is reversible and not a specific, toxic effect. 

Figure 2. Schematic representation of physicochemical phenomena affecting microbial mineralization of nonionic-surfactant-solubilized HOC in soil-aqueous systems (not drawn to scale).

An increase in temperature usually results in a decrease in the adsorption of ionic surfactants, although the change may be small when compared to those due to pH and electrolyte changes. Nonionic surfactants solubilized by hydrogen bonding, which usually have an inverse temperature-solubility relationship in aqueous solution, generally exhibit the opposite effect. In other words, adsorption will increase as the temperature increases, often having a maximum near the Krafft point of the particular surfactant. 

Nonionie Detergents. Nonionic surfactants rarely are used as the primary cleansing additives ia shampoos. They are generally poor foaming, but have value as additives to modify shampoo properties, eg, as viscosity builders, solubilizers, emulsifiers, and conditioning aids. 

Solvents. The most widely used solvent is deionized water primarily because it is cheap and readily available. Other solvents include ethanol, propjdene glycol or butylene glycol, sorbitol, and ethoxylated nonionic surfactants. There is a trend in styling products toward alcohol-free formulas. This may have consumer appeal, but limits the formulator to using water-soluble polymers, and requires additional solvents to solubilize the fragrance and higher levels of preservatives. 

Surfactants in E/ectroc/eaners. Surfactants typically consist of a long-chain hydrocarbon molecule having a solubilising or water-loving group which can be anionic, cationic, or nonionic when solubilized. Thousands of surfactant products are marketed, usually under trade names (32). In commercially formulated electrocleaners, surfactants are usually anionic, and often mixtures of anionics and nonionics. 

Investigations of the solubilization of water and aqueous NaCl solutions in mixed reverse micellar systems formed with AOT and nonionic surfactants in hydrocarbons emphasized the presence of a maximum solubilization capacity of water, occurring at a certain concentration of NaCl, which is significantly influenced by the solvent used [132],... 

What characterizes surfactants is their ability to adsorb onto surfaces and to modify the surface properties. At the gas/liquid interface this leads to a reduction in surface tension. Fig. 4.1 shows the dependence of surface tension on the concentration for different surfactant types [39]. It is obvious from this figure that the nonionic surfactants have a lower surface tension for the same alkyl chain length and concentration than the ionic surfactants. The second effect which can be seen from Fig. 4.1 is the discontinuity of the surface tension-concentration curves with a constant value for the surface tension above this point. The breakpoint of the curves can be correlated to the critical micelle concentration (cmc) above which the formation of micellar aggregates can be observed in the bulk phase. These micelles are characteristic for the ability of surfactants to solubilize hydrophobic substances in aqueous solution. So the concentration of surfactant in the washing liquor has at least to be right above the cmc. 

Anionic and cationic surfactants are more effective in membrane solubilization than nonionic surfactants. 

Anionic surfactants (SDS and deoxycholate) are more effective solubilizing agents at higher concentration than nonionic surfactants (Lubrol, Triton)... 

Performance Indices Quality Factors Optimum E1LB Critical micelle concentration (CMC) Soil solubilization capacity Krafft point (ionic surfactants only) Cloud point (nonionic surfactants only) Viscosity Calcium binding capacity Surface tension reduction at CMC Dissolution time Material and/or structural attributes... 

The target HLB can be obtained by using a mixture of anionic surfactant (HLB = 9.4) and nonionic surfactant HLB = 16.7) in the right proportions (1 3.75 based on the formula in Table 3). Such mixing of anionic and nonionic surfactants is expected to lower the individual CMC s and thus an increase of the soil solubilization capacity. The surfactants in the product should be in spherical micelle phase to give a transparent/translucent appearance and small viscosity (Table 6). 

The polar character of the liposomal core makes the encapsulation of polar drug molecules possible. Amphiphilic and lipophilic molecules are solubilized within the phospholipid bilayer according to their affinity toward the phospholipids. Participation of nonionic surfactants instead of phospholipids in the bilayer formation results in Niosomes . The term sphingosomes is suggested for vesicles from sphingolipids. However, the nomenclature is not consistent, and the term liposomes is used as a general term, although vesicles would be the better choice. 

Although the proposed theory has been used effectively in several practical applications, no experimental proof has been given that the oil solubilization rate is a function of surfactant aggregate size. In view of the importance of solubilization and the existence of practical methods of measuring and controlling surfactant aggregate size, we decided to correlate the solubilization rate with micellar properties for some anionic and nonionic surfactants. 

Solubilization in Nonionic Surfactant. Figure 2 shows the solubilization of oleic acid in Newcol nonionic surfactants. Turbidity was plotted against shaking time. The first number on the curve represents the surfactant. 1102 means dodecanol ethoxylate containing 2 EO. The second number on the curve represents the amount of oleic acid added to the surfactant solution. 

Figure 2. Solubilization of Oleic Acid in Nonionic Surfactant.

Since oleic acid is relatively polar, it may become emulsified by the surfactant monomer. The removal of oleic acid comes mainly from two contributions monomer emulsification and micellar solubilization. Although the Vgjj has been decreased with increasing EO number in dodecanol ethoxylates, in higher EO numbers than 5, this factor has been compensated by the Increase of monomer with increasing EO number (CMC decreases with EO number). The levelling of detergency of dodecanol ethoxylates from EO number 5 to EO number 8 has been interpreted by these reasons. The monomer emulsification of oleic acid has been clearly shown in this paper in SDS solution. The nonionic surfactants we used here have low EO numbers and show mainly the effect of solubilization. 

---